Grade 3 Rejection

I realized a lot has been going on and it's been awhile since I have updated on here. July 15 I will be 10 months out from transplant. Life has been going pretty good till recently. I have been getting zeros, 1a and 1b results from my biopsies. 2 months ago I received a grade 2 rejection which they consider grey scale. They changed 1 of my anti-rejection medications from Neorol to Prograf and that seemed to do the trick, the next month I got a big fat ZERO. For the last 2 months I have been feeling GREAT!!!! I have lost 9lbs in a month and was getting back to the swing of feeling normal again and BAM! I went for a biopsy Wednesday, July 6 and found out that day at 5pm that I am in Rejection, Grade 3. They think they brought me down too fast from the prednisone. They have raised me up to 100mg and I will be on a very high dosage for the next 9 days and then come down slowly. I am going back to Shands July 27th to have another biopsy as well as a artery check, heart squeeze and a echo. If I am still in rejection.... well I don't really know what the plan will be, I am too afraid to ask. I am just very shocked that I am in grade 3 rejection because I have been feeling so great. I can't help but go back to this same time last year!!! A week after 4th of July I was admitted into Shands and came home a week later with a PICC line and was on IV medication to get me ready for a heart. I am not ready to go down that road again so soon! I am a fighter and I am going to do whatever it takes to keep this new heart and keep it healthy. I have booked a cruise for September 10-15, it's for Me and my mom to go on and celebrate my 1 year anniversary of my heart transplant. I pray nothing will come in the way of us going.

This week a friend passed away from complications caused by a heart attack, he was young. I am saddened for his family and friends. I also can't help but think of everything I have been through and continue to go through with my heart. I ask myself when is enough..enough? How much can one person handle in a lifetime? I know God never gives us more then we can handle...Well he must think I can handle A LOT!!! I am a very strong person because I have to be! I just sometimes wish I didn't have to worry about my heart, rejection, other organ rejection, medications, etc. But, this is the life I was dealt and I am trying to make the best of it.

I know my Donor Angel is my biggest cheerleader and she is looking down on me and she will help me through these hard times! I wake up everyday and thank her for giving me a 2nd chance at life! With her love, my family and friends behind me I will get through this and everything else that comes along! God has a plan for me to help others going through CHD's and Heart Transplants.

Prayers are greatly appreciated, they have worked all my life for me!!! Thank you all for the support and love!!!