Subzero temps outside; but the Garvins have warmed hearts

The lung transplant patient spent a lot of Friday catching up on missed sleep, and allowing her body to heal. She got the needle changed in her port, and continued to set alarms for some of the odd hours she has to take medications.

Like a tailor adjusting sleeve length or trousers, the doctors continue to tweak and adjust Alison's medications to get the full benefit from their intended prescribed use. Every person reacts differently to medications, and CF patients have a particular challenge to absorb all that is good for them. This lung patient's other organs, particularly the kidneys, tend to quickly eliminate the main anti-rejection drug being administered, rather than allowing it to be carried to her organs by her blood.  Alison's actually getting the highest dosage they've ever prescribed, three times a day, but blood draws continue to reveal little presence of the drug.

Adjustments continue to be made to prepare Alison for release from daily hospital care. She's hopeful one or two of the prescribed meds, including that IV administered drug she's hooking up to her port in the photo above, will no longer be needed by about mid-week.

The Garvins' church family recently surprised them with an assortment of gift cards they can use in the Coralville area, personal gifts for Alison, and a generous donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Bethel Presbyterians, the photo is still on a camera in their hotel room, but they promise to share that image of Alison opening your special package – soon!  The card with all of your names, will go in a scrapbook that hopefully Alison herself, will put together once she returns home.