assessment day three

We are done. We got through the last part. It was definitely the easiest of the pre-transplant assessment days (even with compounding of exhaustion from the previous days). We didn't have a lot of waiting between appointments. We returned home with time for me to go grocery shopping and pick up more household items. James is resting in bed. He perfectly content with a warm cup of tea (mostly cream and sugar with a small amount of tea), and video games on his computer.

James' recent decline has now made basic tasks impossible. He can no longer walk without physical support. The five minute walk to the hospital was extended to more than twenty minutes, with long breaks, and a significant struggle for breath. James can only walk five or ten steps without taking a break from feelings of breathlessness. He describes a pounding in his chest. It is hard to stand for any length of time. All movement is difficult, including showering, dressing, and household chores. There are many times throughout the day that James tell me, "I can't breathe," and all I can do is hold him close. We wait for his breathing and heart rate to settle to a comfortable rate. We try again together. I sense that James is becoming less confident in his own mobility. That concern then contributes to his feelings of breathlessness, and becomes a limitation in itself. James' quality of life is diminishing at a rate that doesn't allow a lot of time to process the changes. It has all been so rapid.

We borrowed a walker from the Transplant Gym for the walk home (and for the next few weeks). We will need to purchase some form of mobility assistance device. A simple transport wheelchair with be the least expensive of options. This was the recommendation from a financial standpoint, but James would prefer a walker. This would keep James relatively active (within limits, of course). We were aware of the possibility of this progression, but that doesn't make it any easier to come to terms with it all.