For those who were not able to follow the live updates provided by Tony’s family on the Follow My Health page on Facebook, below gives you the story of how well Tony did during and immediately post transplant.
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April 19: Tony was in Boston for routine CF appointments and was woken up by a phone call at 6am saying lungs were available to him. It was a go for a double lung transplant!
April 23: Three days post-transplant Tony was amazing his nurses! He did not need assistance standing anymore and was steady on his feet. He was taking walks, alert, interacting and eating a little bit more today, and was finally staying awake for longer periods of times. Still very tired and his walks totally wiped him out.
April 22: Tony was doing great! He had a few issues with his blood count this morning but once they got that straightened out, he has been on the move. He is off all his oxygen and only taking Tylenol for pain right now and taking liquids just fine. They are focused on keeping him awake and talking as much as possible. He would prefer to be sleeping.
April 24: Tony had a busy day today. He moved! 
To his “step down” room. Yes, that means he is OUT OF ICU!! They took his huge IV out today and put 2 smaller ones in his arm medication going forward. They also took 2 of the 5 chest drain tubes out today. He’s gone for a few walks and has been sitting in the recliner for hours at a time today. His back is more sore than his chest. Eating is a challenge. He’s just not hungry. He ordered a good supper. Here’s to hoping it tastes good and he wants to eat it.
To his “step down” room. Yes, that means he is OUT OF ICU!! They took his huge IV out today and put 2 smaller ones in his arm medication going forward. They also took 2 of the 5 chest drain tubes out today. He’s gone for a few walks and has been sitting in the recliner for hours at a time today. His back is more sore than his chest. Eating is a challenge. He’s just not hungry. He ordered a good supper. Here’s to hoping it tastes good and he wants to eat it. April 25: Tony is making great progress. He saw his doctor today and he has a couple of bacteria growing, which will be treated with a 2 week dose of antibiotics. Fun fact: They learned today that what his lung functions are at in 6 months are typically where they’ll stay. Today, his oxygen levels were at 99 to 100%. WOW! Right? Deep chest breaths. There’s no damage to his vocal cords to cause his hoarseness. His voice should come back in time.The prednisone could be affecting his voice too. They took another drain out today. AND, he is walking with no support. No walker or nurse support. He hasn’t been sleeping well so he is taking a nap this afternoon. Let’s hope it is a long and restful nap.
April 29: Tony has seen steady improvement the last couple of days. They have taken the last 2 chest drain tubes out. The only things he has going into his body now are one IV and his feeding tube. He’s been very sore today. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Having 2 drain tubes taken out 2 days in a row was kind rough. There will be a lot happening to get him ready to be discharged (checking labs, images, medications, education and a lot more), but it is still looking good for sometime in the next few days.
May 4: Great news, everyone! Our CF Warrior is on the move! He is out of the hospital and heading home. He passed all his exit tests. He still has a long recovery ahead of him, but he has a great support team waiting for him at home. Thank you for all your support over the past couple of weeks. It has meant the world to Tony and his family. When Tony went into surgery, he said, “See you on the flip side.” Well, here we are! He is so excited to get discharged!