Update

There are basically three categories of heart transplant recipients: 1-A, 1-B and 2. Level 2 can wait up to a year for a heart, and level 1-A needs a heart in about 48 hours. Susan is category 1-B. This means that when she is in the hospital she will have to be in the critical care wing with various tubes delivering medicine at all times, etc. She can go home, but when she goes home, she'll have to have a full-time nurse with her (and, as Susan pointed out, this is not your mom playing nurse, this must be a trained professional) and a de-fib machine. Once category 1-B patients go on the transplant list, they can usually expect to wait one day - three months for a heart. Susan won't really know anything until Tuesday, but hopefully on Tuesday, she'll be cleared for the transplant and can go on the list.

I have a call in to Freddy asking what we can do to make his life easier, and as soon as I hear back from him, I'll let y'all know. Eventually, Susan and Freddy are going to work out a schedule of who can visit and when since they're going to need help now, during the transplant and afterwards as Susan recuperates.

I'm sure that I've left people off this list, so if each of you could send me the names of who needs to be part of the phone/e-mail tree, I'll make sure we have a complete master list for updates, etc. I also have Susan's hospital and home addresses if anyone needs those for any reason.

- Laurel