Category Archives: Post-Transplant

The purple scooter has gone outside and is staying outside.  Zayne received the scooter last year during the winter and liked riding it in the house.  She did not want to ride the scooter outside; probably for the same reason that she wouldn’t ride her bike – lack of stamina.  When she got home from the hospital, I packed away all outdoor riding toys so she would not be tempted to break her sternum restrictions.  The scooter was left in the house, because it is stable and she didn’t do much on it.  After transplant, the indoor scooter became a danger because she was going wild and fast.  Indoor riding had to be restricted, but the day her restrictions were lifted, she was riding fast outdoors and not looking back.  We ride scooters every day (I got one too, since I do not want to be left out of the fun).

Zayne is down to 2 medicines twice each day, and only one blood draw each week.  She still is seen at cardiology clinic twice each week and receives an echo and ECG each visit.  Zayne is doing well and doesn’t have any graft specific antibodies (that is a good thing – no antibody rejection for her new heart).  I think she is getting tired of clinic visits, getting poked, and being told what to do all of the time.  She is not cooperating during the visits.  It took 2 nurses to try and get a height while Zayne laughed and kept her heels off the floor.

It seems to be snake season in Colorado.  In the past week, we have come across 3 garter snakes that meet unfortunate circumstances (car tires and garage door).  Zayne decided that she should earn a dollar for each snake.  Somehow, she corrupted the idea that paid her money for spotting wild animals while on car trips.  She was so excited, that I had to pay up.

We just watched the US Pro Challenge bike race go by our neighborhood.  There was so much build up and excitement for 10 seconds of the Peloton going by.  Zayne said “is that all?”
She was a little disappointed that there wasn’t really much to see.

Still doing a lot of creek visits.  She really enjoys poking at the water with a ‘fishing stick’.  With the nice weather, there are a lot of people playing on the water.  So far, she isn’t interested in creek swimming or tubing.  However, she is excited to start swim lessons next week.  Before transplant, she got very tired in the pool and didn’t make much progress.  I’m thinking that the lessons are going to be a different experience for her.  Hiking has been different – she hiked on her own 2 feet all the way up South Table Mountain to Castle Rock.  It took a long time, but she made it.  At least we didn’t run into any of the rattlesnakes that other hikers encountered.

Painted lady being set free

Playing at Clear Creek

Leading the way on a hike

First time on Castle Rock in Golden with new heart

Zayne did amazing on her first hikes with her new heart.  She actually went uphill on her own 2 legs (with some help on the really steep sections).  She made it to the waterfall (Treasure Falls at the bottom of Wolf Creek Pass) and enjoyed the spray from the falls.  She ran down the entire path to go back to the car and asked if she could hike back to the falls.  The next day, an uphill (are there any other kinds of hikes in Colorado) hike to Opal Lake challenged the muscles in her legs.  We took lots of rests, but the distant thunder made me want to get to the lake at a quicker pace.  She walked about 1/2 way until I put her in the backpack and continued the trudge while carrying nearly 50 lbs.  She better start hiking on her own more, because I can’t handle the pack getting much heavier.  I keep telling Zayne that I hope I don’t drop her when taking the pack on and off.

Even though Zayne is not allowed to swim (incision is still healing), she thoroughly enjoyed wading in the Pagosa River holding a bindweed flower and her ‘fishing stick’.  She even got to touch some hot spring water along the river, but seemed to prefer cold water.

Back home, Zayne is still a bundle of energy and walked around Golden showing off her new ‘Recycled Parts Inside’ t-shirt.

The last time we made a cake, Zayne would only eat the flour.  What a difference a heart transplant makes – she actually tried sugar, salt, baking powder, cocoa, butter, and vanilla.  She still likes her old favorites – flour (I don’t understand this one) and vanilla.  Finally, sugar has made the ‘like’ list; Zayne must be on the mend.  Also, butter is back after a 1 yr hiatus.

* Update: * I’ve been asked if Zayne has eaten the cake.  She eats the icing.  Does that count?

When I tire of having races in the house, we go out for walks.  For some reason, she can run around indoors a lot more than outdoors.  Benefits to walking along the creek include playing in the water with a stick or throwing rocks.

Racing after prairie dogs seemed to be the most running that I’ve seen outside.  I’ll have to find a colony near the house