It’s now the beginning of December and Ivy, her family and friends are all thinking about how good she is doing compared to last year. This time last year was mostly spent at home, or very near by. Ivy couldn’t attend school, couldn’t work, couldn’t even walk down the block. And, due to covid, could barely hang out with her friends or family. Since her heart transplant, which is now just over 10 months ago, she is back at work, at school, and enjoying her friends. Her latest accomplishment was performing onstage with her Bollywood dance troupe!

There are still ongoing reminders of what she has gone through and will continue to experience. For instance, She has to go at least monthly to her doctor’s office up at UCLA Medical Center for echocardiograms and to check her medication blood levels. Sometimes she gets some not so pleasant side effects from the medications she is on and the doctors have to adjust her medication dosage. A pretty scary event happened just before Thanksgiving. Ivy was at work, had a headache, but then suddenly found it difficult to speak. After a trip the the ER and an overnight hospital stay, the doctor’s thing it was just a complex migraine. (Maybe a side effect of some of the medications she is on?) Since lowering one of the dosages, she was able to enjoy both family and host her annual Friendsgiving.

December and the Holiday season means special events and parties to attend. Just this last weekend, Ivy performed, playing her upright bass, with her school’s Chamber Orchestra at a fundraising event at the Terrace Theater in downtown Long Beach. Later this week, she hopes to visit Knott’s Berry Farm which is all decked out for the holidays. We’ll share more photos soon! Take care and stay safe out there!