55.000 pills and still alive

Going through an operation for organ transplantation is a challenge itself. Living with medication the rest of your life is another challenge. Average life prolongation for Heart Transplants in Norway was in 2005 about 12 years. (increasing?)

I have now since the great day in 1998 when somebody, who´s life was not to save, decided to donate the heart and kidney to me, been totally dependent of drugs every morning and night to control the immune defense system against rejection of these allo-organs. I am thankful that both Heart and Kidney organs are using the same drugs for this protection.
In addition medication due to side-effects and recovery of other side-effects have resulted in daily 8 pills at breakfast and 4 pills in the evening, giving almost 55 thousands pills during this prolongation of my lifespan.

The alternative is of course not to mention, but sometimes I really feel tired of eating drugs. That is also one of the most dangerous feelings a transplanted can have. Believing that it is not so important any more has resulted in painful death for many. I know my duty to care for the gift given.

For me personally I have another challenge, the lifespan of batteries in my Pacemakers. Due to Total AV-block I am completely dependent of a dual-chamber artificial pacemaker. This type of device typically listens for a pulse from the SA node and sends a pulse to the AV node at an appropriate interval, essentially completing the connection between the two nodes. Mine are pulsing all the time.

So more pills will come and recharging of the power supply in my pacemaker (get the third in 2012?) will occur.
However the LIFE IS GREAT.