6 Months

Today marked 6 months since I began a new relationship. Like all new relationships, it has been rocky at times and I still have moments when I wonder what I have gotten myself into. In these six months not once have I wished things to be any different. This new relationship has changed my life. We are both in this relationship until "death do us part" unless I have to find a new "friend", we both hope that doesn't have to happen though. Needless to say I am happy with where I stand and look forward to many more years together. I love my new liver!!

I am sure that it isn't a very important day to many and after this September 26th it probably will not be an important date to me. This particular 9/26 is important to me though. I have waited for this day because it marks a milestone for me. I had some goals set before and right after surgery for this day and I am happy to say that I have been able to meet all of those goals. Some met more than others but all were met. I did get to go on a small vacation (not the best), I am working out again, and I am back to work full time. It feels good to know that those goals were met at some time or another within six months of my transplant. I am still not working out at full tilt but I am on my way. I can honestly say, smiling as I type, that I feel better than anytime I can remember in my life. (I know I probably just jinxed myself and will be at Emory now.) I have so much more energy and a much more positive attitude. I attribute most of this of course to my new "friend" but also to cleaning up my diet and working out. For the first time in my life, I understand how people can love working out. I now have the energy to finish a workout and not be ready to crash. I also am a much happier person both inside and out! I can wake up with a smile in the morning and it be genuine because I feel good. I no longer have to paint on my smile in the morning while I brush my teeth and get ready for work. It just shows up every morning (well....most mornings). Six months and counting! My next milestone will be March 26, 2007 (one year). I will be setting some more goals over the next couple of days. Might just be a good topic for a future post. I am going to shoot high with these goals and do my best to attain them. May need some help from the cheering section for the goals to be met! Hope all is well with everyone who reads this and God bless you all! Happy 6 month anniversary to me!

Need some inspiration?

I stole this video off of a friend's page. It is the video of a father and sons journey through the CAN-triathalon. Thanks Julie.

Attitude

Made it through the weekend without another hospital stay which is saying a lot lately. I'm feeling really good today. I'm sore from starting a new workout on Saturday but I like the feeling. Well that's my update for today! Now on to more important things.

I read a motivational article that I read on Monday mornings that was about storms in life. In this article a man was sitting on his porch when an unexpected storm came up on a beautiful day. The storm wasn't forecast and when he checked the Doppler radar he saw that the storm was no where else in the tri-state area except over where he was. The storm hovered there for just a little while before it dissipated. Once it stopped, the air was clearer and the sun seemed to shine even brighter.

This made me think this morning of the things we all go through from time to time. Sometimes it seems that we are in a cartoon or like the guy in this article where that cloud seems to hang around and just follow us wherever we go. I believe that "tribulation worketh patience" and sometimes God puts us through trials in life so that we can draw closer to him. I believe there are times that through trials we are forced to get ourselves out of the way and lean on Him because we CAN'T do anything alone. I have been through my share of storms over the past years and I am sure that there are many storms ahead in my life.

With that said, I also believe we are directly responsible often times for that cloud lingering above our head. We have all heard that when we wake up in the morning we decide whether we are going to have a good day or a bad day. Lately, I have been more and more in agreement with that statement. Many times things happen in the morning or first thing in the day that put a sour note on that moment. At that moment we have the opportunity to let that negative thing go or hold on to it. I have been trying lately to let the negative things go and focus on the positive things that happen from day to day. There is always a reason to smile though sometimes it may be hard to find. When that cloud catches up with you, just let it go on by and don't make it hang around because of poor attitude or choices.

Storms come in life and sometimes they are hard to weather. We have all had times where we just wanted to give up. I have been there, not just once or twice, thinking why am I even fighting. There have been many times that there seemed to be no light at the end of my tunnel or no sunshine on my horizon. Eventually though all things passed and on the other side was a clearer perspective, a breath of fresh air, a reason to smile, and most importantly a victory. After going through a storm, I can often look back and draw strength from that experience and know that it helped better me a person and make me who I am today.

Before my surgery, I was worried about a lot of things: How was life going to be post-surgery? How would people look at me differently? Was my scar going to be large? Would I ever be able to do the things I love? I was scared to death. I wasn't scared of the surgery but was it worth going through if I had to change my life and not be able to do the things that I love doing. Looking back, all of that was foolish thinking. My life has definitely changed since the surgery but, honestly, I think it has made me a better person. I now wear my scar proudly! I am self-conscious about it but not because of what people will think of me, but because I do not like the attention that it garners. Life is much the same now, I get to hang out with my friends when I get the chance, the people who care about me treat me just the same, and I am slowly getting back to doing the things I enjoy.

All of this comes along with a new perspective on life, enjoying every day that I get, and enjoying the smell of life after a good storm. Everything is fresh and clean. I know there is another storm ahead and many more after that one but I look forward to the sunshine and clean feeling that comes from getting out of each one.

"Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day." - Author Unknown

Home

An update.....I just got home from another extended stay at the Emory Express. Woke up Sunday morning not feeling well but figured it was a bug I had contracted from my students at school. (Still not convinced that it wasn't!) Went to Kevin's house for a cookout and was feeling pretty good, but on the way home I started feeling tired and sluggish. This is a common occurrence now since the surgery. My stamina still isn't back to where it was. When I got home I laid down for a bit then started to feel like I had a fever so I checked it and it was 101.4 which means it is time to head to Emory. I checked it again about 30 minutes later and it was 101.7. A rising temp above 101 means I need to get to Emory in a hurry. On the ride down my fever broke and was going down, so when I got to Emory I only had a temp of 100.2. Long story short.....transplant patient....low immune system......fever=infection.....3 day stay. I'm starting to get used to the routine of going to the ER, getting admitted, pumped full of antibiotics, and being sent on my way. Only a minor interruption in my life...in a few months ill forget it ever happened!