A Mission and a Purpose.

Rebel had a visit from a researcher in the Pathology Lab. He brought up her failed heart, in a bucket, to show it to her -- by her request. He showed her how the VAD was connected to her heart, where the wire was that attached to the defibrillator and told her a little more about how the heart works. It had already been some what sliced and sectioned. She said it smelled bad.

The minute the nurses heard that Rebel's heart was in the house they all gathered in her room to see it and hear what the pathologist had to say. They were as excited as she was! The heart will be studied to see if they can determine what might have caused her heart failure to being with, or at the least some sort of research to glean more about her heart failure in general. What ever they can learn from the forensics. She loved it!

And of course, she took pictures. At least 10! No doubt they will turn up on her Facebook profile at some point.

The nurses are starting the education process with Rebel. She has a chart of all her meds and when she has to take them. They are starting to prepare her for discharge. Being responsible for her own meds is one of the steps. It's a lot to remember. Some pills twice a day, some three, and even some four! She's pretty good with it and knows what is what and why. All very important.

Her anti rejection meds must be taken punctually. No messing around with them at all. There may be a little leeway with the others, but it's all a balancing act and as the charge nurse told me, it's not an exact science so keeping track is important to maintaining good health.

Rebel is putting together a power point presentation to go and talk to high school kids about her experiences. She is going to go to her high school as her first "gig." The staff there are thrilled to have her come back to school and talk to students.

It should be a lot of fun for her. She is starting to develop her new purpose and mission.

She gets a day pass on the weekend. The SU is going to take her shopping. She wants the whole family to come. For some reason, SU doesn't see this as a good idea. Thinks it might be too much for her. WTF? The younger sister is well aware that this excursion is an "all about Rebel" day and won't be a problem, but the SU seems to think it will be "too much" for her. Too much for her to be with the people who love her most and want to be with her? I don't follow the logic. We will go to the mall tomorrow first thing in the morning before the masses infect the place with germs. She figures she'll be okay for about an hour or so and then she'll have had enough.

It's a big day for all of us.