97,000+

I just checked the UNOS website and noticed that the number of people waiting for a transplant has topped 97,000. The current number on the site is 97,081. This is a number that I and many other transplant recipients hate to see going up. Those who are still waiting hate to see that number go up as well because it means their chances of being a "lucky one" goes down.

Become an organ donor, encourage others to become an organ donor, and get involved in organ donation awareness. It is hard to understand the importance until someone you love or yourself becomes one of those 97,000 people. Be an organ donor, save lives!! Sign your organ donor card and tell your family of your wishes to become an organ donor.

I am living proof that organ donation works. There are blogs in my links who are living proof as well. Save lives and become an organ donor!

Another Update

It has been a few weeks since I have been able to update my blog here. As far as my condition goes, I am doing great! It seems things are pretty stable and being about 17 months out of surgery things seem boring. I am keeping my fingers crossed that things only get more boring about me on this blog.

On another note, I stumbled across a link to another PSC patient who was transplanted recently. Carl's Liver Transplant blog brings back some memories of the initial setbacks and victories that seemed to happen almost daily. He is doing well though and continues to recover. If you read this and are saying a prayer for me, try to include Carl in your prayers as well. From Sunday's update, it seems they are waiting for his liver enzymes to drop and level out a bit. Go on over and check his blog out and leave a comment. It is always fun getting comments! At least I think so!

On the organ donation front, I have another parent talk scheduled on Wednesday, September 5 at Children's Healthcare again. The last talk was so much fun and I expect this one to be no different. Jenn and I are getting to do the Q&A again so I guess the people at Lifelink liked us. We had a good time and everyone seemed to enjoy laughing at some of the things we have done and also get some information on getting a job post-transplant and keeping your spirits up in hard times. I enjoy the time I get to donate to the organ donation cause. I am wanting to get more involved. I have been entertaining the idea of putting my name out to churches to give my testimony and talk about the importance of organ donation. I am not really sure how to do this, so if you have any suggestions let me know!

Blessings seem to be coming into my life daily. Small blessings that, if I am not careful and watchful, I will overlook. Some big blessings where I have definitely seen God's hand at work. I am living with the strongest desire I have ever had to draw closer to God. Though things have not gone as I have planned lately, I know that they are right in accord with where God wants me in my life. I am learning to get my wants out of the way and look to God to show me where He wants me. He always seems to put me right in the exact spot at the exact time. I serve a good God! Without Him, I am nothing; with Him, I am everything.

When you pray, mention me!

It's A Good Life With Which My God Has Blessed Me!

I went to Emory this weekend to visit a man who had received a liver transplant just over a week ago. He was doing great and it was fun to get to talk to him and answer some questions that he had about his future. Things have turned out great for me and I gave him some encouraging feedback. As a transplant recipient, you never want to give people a false hope though. I know that there will more than likely be a few bumps in the road during his recovery. I let him know that, just as they told me, "everyone is different." What happened to me might not happen with him. I told him about my bouts with CMV and diabetes last year which is far from the fun part to tell. It was good to see him smile though when I told him that once I made it through that low point, it seems the mountain I am on just keeps rising. It is not always an easy climb but when you get to a vista point it only gets more and more beautiful.

I feel great as I stand on the edge of my second year of teaching since my transplant. I have never made it through a first day of school so naturally I am nervous about it coming. I am excited though because I know this year I should make it through it.

God has brought me so far in the past 16+ months. I am excited about where I am going and I am excited about where life is taking me. There have been some heartaches over that time but when I stand back and look at where I am, I have to thank God for the blessings. There have been many more blessings than I can begin to count. Many more good times than bad. I know that God knows what is best for my life; much more so than me. I am trusting Him that he will continue to bless me, but if he takes it all away tomorrow, I still have to thank Him for all He has done. I never thought I would feel as good as I do today, I have met some of the most wonderful people over the past few years, made relationships that will last forever, and have begun to see God work in my life with reckless abandon. I can't wait to see what the future holds for me.