Updated version

A new beginning in the journey
(updated version)

My brother Omar asked me to do this again, so here it is: 

June 3rd- The call. How to feel? Is this the greatest birthday gift or what? A new heart will be put in my body tomorrow- the day I am to turn 33. I'm scared! This could be IT for me. This could also be a new opportunity. Pray for me!!!!
I don't know about you, but to me-- that's a shit load of stuff to be going through your head as you are being submitted to a second heart transplant.

I got the call as I laid in bed trying to figure out how to study for my final exam for my new job. "If I don't pass, I'm stuck with this job I currently have and that is not an option." Study... how do you even begin to look at all those notes in front of you when all you want to do is leave the hotel room and be with your family? I was told, however, to stay and finish what I had started. He would be fine. Omar would be fine. 

June 4th-
THE TRANSPLANT....
First, let me explain to you how much of a miracle this is. Omar was number 8 on the list. SEVEN people rejected the heart. Not because they didn't want it, since I'm sure they would appreciate getting THE WAIT over with, but because they were not compatible. The heart was infected by a bacteria; however, this bacteria did not kill our donor, so it wasn't enough reason for Aranda, Omar's cardiologist, (I LOVE THIS MAN) to say "Yeah, not so much... let's keep waiting". "We have to try!" is his motto.
Dr. Aranda (Did I say I love this man?) was not supposed to be on duty the 3rd, but he was. He's been Omar's doctor for a while and he's become part of our family.... and I'm not just saying that. 
Dr. Stapples (the actual surgeon- head of the team) was not supposed to be on duty either, but he was... So, his actual team was ON while they were not really supposed to be. Some say coincidence, I say God's will. 

Dr. Staples had talked about wanting to do a bypass during the transplant. See, Omar's Cava vein is completely blocked due to all the scar tissue built up after biopsies. While doing the procedure, Dr. Staples couldn't find the vein that goes from Omar's brain to the heart. It has to be there somewhere, but where? Needless to say you can only keep a body opened for so long and the bypass was not possible. THE HEART IS IN and beating. 

Infectious disease needs to get involved due to the bacteria. BOMBARDING Omar's body with antibiotics seemed to be the right thing to do. After all, it's keeping the fever down and the blood cells kinda even....

June 6th- Omar seems to be recouping from surgery perfectly. He seems alert and Oh I can't wait to see him without that breathing tube. I'm sooo happy to see him... ALIVE.

June 7th- I passed my final exam and I am officially hired. 

June 11th- Omar is getting better. He attempts to dance to Neruto's song while playing on his ipad. Later, he is giving the bird to the TV for showing Casey Anthony's trial. He's shown happy and mad, so I know his brain is working. They're talking about taking the breathing tube out soon. THANK GOD! 

June 21st- THE DECLINE- FUCK!

Omar's heart rate goes CRAZY! It goes from like 90 to 40 to 240 in a matter of seconds. It got so out of control,  Omar was actually dead.... CPR is performed and Omar comes back.

I am taken out of my assignment and get sent home. NOT a good feeling. When I get to the hospital, there he is... dead-like. With more IVs that I can count at a glance, with a nurse all to himself. A chemically induced coma is how they are able to somewhat manage his heart rate. I feel my own heart rate pause. My brother... he's been through so much and he was doing so well... 

June 22nd- Omar's heart rate continues to act up. I see the nurse is doing something, but goes right back to her computer to what I assume is update the patient's information. The heart goes from 176 to about 50 in a few seconds. I'm staring at the monitor when I hear BITCHY McBITCH say to the girl shadowing her: "oh just ignore it". "I  don't think you should ignore it" I said calmly. "What do you want me to do?" she replies aggravated.
Me: "Not ignore it, for sure"
BMB: "I don't have to watch my language" "My priority is my patient"
Me: "your priority should always be your patient, but YES, you do have to watch your language. If it was YOUR family member in that bed borderline dead, I BET you wouldn't want to hear the words IGNORE IT" when referring to the one thing that caused the CPR to begin with"

The heart rate starts to normalize. 

BMB goes running out of the room, mumbling God knows what and then complaints to the nurse in charge. I laughed and grabbed my phone and the head nurse's boss' card and shoot her an email that said:
"Hello Danielle, 

This is Omar Otero's sister, Marie. I just advised Erica, the nurse Omar has at this moment to please refrain from using the word ignore when referring to my brothers blood pressure. I have no doubt shes an excellent nurse and by all means I'm NOT saying not to put her on. However, she went complaining about me to whoever is here and I'll be damned if Im ever told I can't stand for my brother. 

Aparently, she got offended that I said somenthing, but as I said to her: Im not here to argue with nurses, but Im sure not here to hear them say they'll ignore the blood pressure when its at 176 because that just unacceptable. Maybe she wasn't ignoring it, but if it was her brother, father, son, or husband laying there, Im sure she wouldn't want to hear it either. 

I just wanted to let you know because I don't want this to escalate any further, but if I see or hear something wrong, I will always speak out. 

Thank you, 

Omayra M. Otero"

Outcome: BMB was not allowed to take care of Omar or go to the "POD"(the ICU rooms are divided into pods of like 6 patients) where he was. You mess with me, you're taken out of the kool POD! Take that BMB!!!! :)

Sometime in July- Omar gets shingles. Oh joy! Per PubMedHealth, Shingles (herpes zoster) is a painful, blistering skin rash due to the varicella-zoster virus, the virus that causes chickenpox.The first symptom is usually one-sided pain, tingling, or burning. The pain and burning may be severe and is usually present before any rash appears.

Red patches on the skin, followed by small blisters, form in most people.

• The blisters break, forming small ulcers that begin to dry and form crusts. The crusts fall off in 2 to 3 weeks. Scarring is rare.
• The rash usually involves a narrow area from the spine around to the front of the belly area or chest.
• The rash may involve face, eyes, mouth, and ears.--- AMONG OTHER THINGS.

Still in July- The first catheter they put in stopped working due to a clog. OH MORE JOY!!!! Let's switch it to the right leg. Well- temporarily. So, down we go to the O.R. (Operating Room) to get the cath switched. All is fine and dandy until they get to the room and due to the excessive fluid retention in his tummy, his chest burst open.  

A little wound vac is put in place: Per KCI, V.A.C.^® Therapy promotes wound healing through Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT). By delivering negative pressure (a vacuum) at the wound site through a patented dressing, this helps draw wound edges together, remove infectious materials and actively promote granulation at the cellular level.

This V.A.C. causes a little abscess on the top part of his wound. Like Omar hasn't been through enough as it is, "We have to open the chest cavity and check that the abscess is not going to cause further damage." So now the VAC is covering his whole chest, except for about an inch that the team was able to keep closed. The VAC is not something that stays there until you heal completely. The sponges used to aid the healing need to be exchanged every other day to prevent bacteria. 

"It's time to change the dressing" says Joe. "Stay in the room" Omar said. I had to take a seat before I fell on my knees. See? I'm smart enough to know how much I can handle. Joe (one of Omar's nurses) was explaining everything as he changed the dressings. Pulling the huge piece of sponge out of the wound, exposing the 1.5 inch deep wound, cleaning around it, sticking another huge piece of sponge, using tape to guard the wound from opening up even more.....

Dr. A calls his mom in PR. She's one of those nuns "carmelitas" and she sent Omar a blesses escapulario to wear. She's been helping us with tons of prayers as Barbie, titi Ita, Shirley, Dana, Heather, and everyone else that's been praying. 

August 2nd- Still in the Intensive Care Unit, someone comes to the room and tells Omar that they're pretty much out of options. That the catheter would be moved from leg to leg until there's nothing else they can do. She adds that he'll never be able to walk as he has the catheter in and goes on her merry way. 

GOD KNOWS WHY I WASN'T there, but it was probably for the best (I'm sure it was). In my defense, I am NOT a trouble maker, but you can't be STUPID and expect no consequences.  

Omar is nothing short of a compilation of miracles and he sure likes to prove IDIOTS wrong. 

August 3rd- Blessed be the day!!! I heard "Burimng" (my brother's pet name for me) coming out of Omar's lips. I couldn't address the emotions going through my whole body, so I say: "why didn't you tell me" to my mom. 

August 4th- The cath got moved on the 3rd to his left leg, low enough in his leg so he can finally sit up without risking his internal organs. UP HE GOES!!!! A week later, he's standing ((Thanks Angie, PT)). 

Omar's motto: KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS!!!! --- Whoever she is, wherever she is; she's obviously NOT a believer and very much CLUELESS! I feel sorry for you. 

August 12th- OUT OF ICU, buddies!!! (Omar said to stop cursing... lol)

August 18th- He stood up for one minute and 24 seconds. 

Took 4 steps into a chair; a real chair!!!! Hey! If you're thinking that's nothing, try laying on a bed for two months and see what your muscles do when you try getting up again. I'm just saying! :)

August 25th- Omar walks a total of 30 feet. 

Sometime in September- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!! 

Omar gets sent back to ICU a day prior to his scheduled release from the hospital. Frustrating, but necessary. His white cell count was a little to high and his vowel movements give up and he gets an inflammation on his esophagus. So back in the ICU, our cousin Juito that had come to visit and was so excited about the release gets sick. So he's in Gainesville, but can't go see Omar. Omar is bummed and hungry. He's not able to walk because he's at high risk of any and all infections. He's not able to talk to anyone because the room they put him in had NO PHONE SIGNAL. He's not able to drink any water or eat any food for a few days. When he's finally able to suck on the ice chips, he dances of joy. His eyes widen and he smiles. He chews and hears the crunch of the ice. Best THING EVER! A few days later, jolly rancher candies are allowed. The sour ones are too much to handle, since everything BURNS. 

Late September- He gets sent back to the regular room. 

October comes... Omar is now sent to the rehab hospital. He's excited he's out of Shands, but he's still in a hospital. FOUR months in and out of ICU, fighting for his life, wanting to give up (we won't let him), having to deal with monsters and hallucinations... but still ALIVE.