Hello friends! It’s been a minute… time has gotten away from us since we returned home to Michigan!

We are all VERY happy and relieved to be home in our own beds, with our pets, and no medical devices needed. Lindsey has been able to come off some of the post-transplant medications and now only needs to take pills twice a day. She is getting her blood draws here at a local facility in Michigan, which sends them overnight to Pittsburgh for analysis. So far she is doing great.

The one unfinished piece of business is that Lindsey cannot get the COVID vaccine or her Meningitis B vaccine until at least July. That’s because her immune system is still too suppressed to replicate the protein in the vaccines, so they wouldn’t work. We are working with her medical team to try to get both of those vaccines as soon as possible. On a positive note, we thank Indiana University for announcing that COVID vaccination is required for all students, faculty, and staff (except for rare medical or religious exemptions) – so that makes us more confident about sending Lindsey off to live around thousands of other students, until she can be fully vaccinated herself.

Lindsey has been babysitting, taking kids to and from school, and tutoring, so she’s working pretty much full time. She also picked up a gig helping to coach learn-to-skate classes at a nearby ice rink, which is fun for her. She’s enjoying making money for herself and is doing a pretty good job saving it for school. On the other hand, she’s also doing a good job spending OUR money on a whole bunch of things that she allegedly needs for college. A friend told her she needs designated shoes for frat parties because “they will get ruined”…. sigh.

College orientation (virtual) is the first week of June, and we are hoping to get confirmation at that time of her move-in date. It looks like she will actually be leaving for Indiana the last week of July, in order to participate in a 3-week seminar that starts August 1. She has to meet requirements for several different programs – the honors college, a scholarship program, and an undergraduate research program – so we need all of them to coordinate and then we can make a plan.

Mike and I have been enjoying working from home and getting to see some friends, now that we are fully vaccinated. Mike is in a golf league and also usually manages to golf once each weekend. We spent Mothers’ Day with his mom and stepdad in Ohio. We are starting to consider traveling to other states once Lindsey’s at school (she’s not happy about that but hey, at least we aren’t moving into a dorm with her!).

Thank you to everyone who has been following along on Lindsey’s journey and our COTA fundraising campaign for transplant-related expenses. She will need to go back to Pittsburgh (probably around Christmas) for a follow-up surgery to close her stomach muscles, and then have a follow up appointment there each year. We are so thrilled and humbled to have friends, family, and colleagues who pitched in to help us raise $50,000 for COTA!

The photos below are Lindsey enjoying her carnivore diet (ribs), much to our dog’s dismay; Lindsey and her best friend outside Comerica Park (we did not go to a game, just outside); and Lindsey on an electric scooter when we rented them to explore downtown Detroit.