winning against all the odds

It is day 6 after a successful heart transplant as i sit wide awake at 3am in the ICU at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, NY. Tomorrow I go for my first biopsy to check rejection levels then head on home if coast is clear. I have read all about this procedure and peoples' accounts over and over and it is nothing compared to experiencing it. The cloud of gratitude becomes a thunderstorm and wishing to express thanks to the unlikely accumulation of events is overwhelming. All in all, one must be thankful for this beast we carry called the VAD, now becoming more and more prevalent in the medical world. Motivation and determination is the glue that holds all of your strength, and if people need faith to follow, do so to help pave the way to better health. It is always walking the razor's edge with CHF and even carrying the security of an VAD and transplant have the same double edge sword. There are no written guarantees in this game, so go for it. We, the ones who wear this burden, must become the spokespeople for the new to help them in the journey, no matter how daunting it ever appears. This is a wonderful site and we must advocate for better usage through knowledge, so spread the word. I wish to thank this site for it just being there. It is a power house of good solid information that is open to all. Along with others, I have tried to follow in the same solid fashion with constant dialogue on Face Book with the group called 'LVAD Conversations.' I need to find a place to express my thanks and to help those who are new to the game. May we all gain those future precious moments in life that may have been lost if not for the medical growth with the VAD. It is a very good day to be alive.