After a visit from some dear friends today, I decided to do a short emotional update—a feel-good update, but emotional nonetheless. First, I cannot express the appreciation and love I have for my Air Force family at the 88th Air Base Wing. The outpouring of care and support genuinely humbles me. If you know me,…

Unfortunately, my update today isn’t a cheering one. As everyone has witnessed, Latasha’s HLT journey has been full of ups and downs, with many good and bad days. So, it shouldn’t be surprising when I say Latasha had a bad night and day filled with nausea again. The doctors do not know why, and the…

Whelp… The title says it all. There is not a lot going on here other than waiting, waiting, and more waiting. From a transplant standpoint, Latasha is doing very well, and the doctors see no sign of rejection or side effects. That’s a win we are pleased about. Did I mention we’re waiting a lot?…

I am thrilled to report that we are in a private room. Latasha is ready for rest and recovery to help now address her mental and emotional health to be fully healing. She feels thrilled now and looks forward to a pleasant night’s sleep.

Today marks the start of week six at Cleveland Clinic. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that my patience and pleasant demeanor are cracking. Latasha is certainly past her breaking point of frustration for various legitimate reasons. Sleep deprivation and lack of freedom will do funny things to one’s ability to tolerate silliness. And…

For the last month, I have been thinking deeply about the finiteness of life and priorities. One could assume this is because of my current circumstances, or maybe it’s because of my surroundings, or perhaps it’s just that I have had the time and space to think. Or maybe all of the above; I’m not…

Today has been slow, as weekends in the hospital usually are. Latasha didn’t get much sleep last night because of an unruly neighbor. As I’ve said before, the ICU is a crazy place, and the healthier and more alert you are, the worse it is to endure. So today, Tasha has had lots of idle…

Slow and steady wins the race, right? In Latasha’s case, we are in a prolonged, steady, methodical, almost purgatory-like race to get out of the ICU. If you will, it’s like Groundhog’s Day (the movie, not the holiday), a frustrating and repetitive purgatory that is necessary from a medical standpoint but not so much from…

This journey has taught us that just one day can make a difference, whether good or bad. Nevertheless, it’s a contrast worth noting. Today was no different. Some protein shakes, food, sleep, positive affirmations, a great attitude, and a new day brought Latasha more strength and determination. You can describe Tasha’s mantra in one word:…

As we close out our 31st day at Cleveland Clinic and the 30-day post-HLT transplant mark, I am going to get into the raw emotions of it all. So get ready to get into the feels today. I’ve chosen to take this approach today for many reasons, primarily because Latasha had a massive emotional breakdown…