I have learned....

I got this in an email the other day and didn't want to lose it so I figured I would post it here. I figured it was a good read as well for those of us who have been given a second chance at life and for those who have been given a second chance with a loved one. These little quips are from Andy Rooney.

I've learned....
That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned....
That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned....
That just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.

I've learned....
That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned....
That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned....
That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned....
That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned....
That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned....
That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned....
That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned....
That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned....
That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned....
That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned....
That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned...
That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned....
That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I've learned....
That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned....
That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned....
That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned....
That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned....
That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned....
That there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I've learned....
That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned....
That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned....
That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned....
That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned....
That I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.

I've learned....
That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned....
That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned....
That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I've learned....
That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned....
That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned ...
That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.

I've learned....
That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

Brad Paisley, SC, and Stomp

I have had one busy weekend! I had a lot of fun in the process but now I am pooped! On Thursday, I was given the opportunity to go see Brad Paisley, Rodney Atkins, and Taylor Swift in concert. We all had so much fun at the concert acting like fools and enjoying life.

On Saturday, I went with my church to visit a children's home in South Carolina that we help support. My brother and I drove to Greenville that morning, helped unload supplies, played with the kids for a bit, then drove back. Saturday was then capped off with a win by my Georgia Bulldogs over Alabama.

Today, I was given the opportunity to go see Stomp Out Loud! in Atlanta! The performance was awesome! It was more than I expected. There was a comedy piece to the production which kept me entertained. I think that today was the last day that the performance was in Atlanta, but if you get a chance to go see it in your town I highly recommend it! It was only my second trip to the Fox Theater in Atlanta so the venue was as nice as the production.

As scattered as this post was, so was my weekend! I had so much fun though and I wouldn't trade the experiences for anything!

Weighing the Risk-Living Donation

I found an article on Yahoo! about living donors and the risk they assume when they decide to donate to either a stranger or a loved one. We had discussed this as a family and my family was prepared to give up their health to keep me alive if needed. We talked about it with our transplant team when I was being evaluated for placement on the transplant list. The doctors told us that living donation was an option, but with my situation I was an almost perfect candidate for a cadaveric transplant. Luckily, no one in my family even had to undergo the testing process, let alone, making the final decision about whether the risk should be taken. Not every family is as blessed as we were and many have to make that decision. For the medical community, it is a catch-22 in that they are breaking the Hippocratic Oath by making a healthy person sick to save the life of a terminal patient. Many of these patients never return to their former health. There is even a moderate risk of death in being a living donor. I encourage you to read the article. I am not sure about copyright laws so I have placed some links to the story.

Ughh!

I have to go to Emory today for my first Remicade treatment. This isn't a bad thing because I have faith it is going to help me get better faster. My stomach has been going nuts for the past couple of months. I have just began to sleep through the night about a week and a half ago after another medicine change. These infusions will help me get better faster though it does come with a few risks. Remicade is an immunosuppressant that will be placed on top of my other immunosuppressive drugs. The doctors will be keeping a close eye on me to make sure that my liver numbers stay stable during the treatment.

I honestly believe that my doctors have my best interest at heart with this treatment and it is for the best. The risks are pretty great, but once I get through the first couple I will be in much better shape and be able to live a much more normal and confident life. I am excited!

9/11

I am getting around to this late but I wanted to put up a short blog remembering 9/11. Like most Americans, I remember exactly where I was on that morning and stayed glued to my TV for the next few weeks. I remember the many prayers that were prayed over those weeks right after the tragedy by what seemed like the whole nation. The sincere sorrow that was felt for the victims and the men and women who rushed into those buildings trying to save those people who were trapped. The support that was given by seemingly everyone to those left behind.

We were a unified nation in those days right after the tragedy, but politics and agendas have pulled us apart again. Despite the tragedy, there was so much kindness and love shown to everyone we passed. I miss those days where it seemed the nation was "under God" again. We still have troops overseas fighting a war that stems from this tragedy. I don't know the answer, and am not going to pretend I do. I do know that I want the troops home as soon as possible and as safe as we can get them here.

To the honorable men and women of the fire departments, police departments, and the many other branches of public service who get little recognition for their bravery, I want to say THANK YOU! You, along with our military, make us feel safe walking around the streets of this country today.

This post reminds me of my letter to my organ donor's family. There are never the right words to say, but I will do the best I can to show my gratitude!

Excitement and Nervousness!

In about 8 hours I will be leaving Dahlonega to go to Emory for a routine checkup. It is a long, lonely drive to Atlanta at 5:30 in the morning.

There is some excitement surrounding tomorrows visit. Tomorrow is another day that I get to speak to people about what it is like to be a transplant patient and how it has affected my life. I get to do another Parent Talk at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta with Jenn. These talks are a blessing for me and end up being a lot of fun and I think that everyone involved has a good time.

There is also some nervousness about tomorrow considering it has been two LONG months since my last checkup. There is always a little apprehension when going because you never know when things may be going wrong. I feel fine so I hope that everything is okay and I will be home tomorrow evening. If you get a moment, send up a little prayer for me.

There is also something that is long overdue happening that is met with both excitement, accomplishment, and it's own share of nervousness. I have written my letter to my donor family and I am going to give it to the transplant coordinator tomorrow. She will then send it to Lifelink, who will then send it to the family. I am nervous about how it will be received and I am praying that I get a response from them. I would love to meet them to thank them in person for the gift of life they have given me. I have this amazing fairy tale moment dreamed up in my ever-active imagination of meeting them and getting to hug their neck. I guess I have to leave that up to God though. It may be a few weeks before they get the letter and it may be even longer for me to hear back from them.

That is what is going on with me right now. Pray that my doctor's appointment will go well, and pray for the positive receiving of my letter. I intend to eventually post the letter sent here, but I want the family to have plenty of time to receive and read the letter before I post it here. Pray for the talk that I will be a part of tomorrow, and pray for me that I will carry out God's will in all that I do.