My transplant b-day is on March 13, 2011. I am writing some of my thoughts of life before transplant down as I am about to turn five years old with my new organs!
On March 9, 2006 I was lying in bed all day watching TV and sleeping, hardly able to walk a few feet to the bathroom, unable to care for myself at all. I needed my mom to keep track of everything for me, put my meds together, and hook me up to my IV fluids and TPN every day. I was hooked up to two drainage tubes from my gut, IV lines, and an ostomy bag. I was never on the computer and disconnected from everyone. People tired me out and my previous love for kids changed because they were too energetic for me to keep up with. I had no hobbies, no life whatsoever. I was unable to keep up with G-PACT and had no passion to see it continue or succeed. I had stopped going to church years before this because I was too tired to ever get out of bed that early and didn't make it a priority to try. I never went out for fun. I had no energy and was very depressed. I was very malnourished at 62 pounds and nearing the end of my life at that point.
Now I am able to drive most of the time, can care for myself physically, volunteer with kids at LCBC (my church) and in the office during the week. I have a Life Group from church and have developed some very close friendships. My passion for G-PACT is so extreme and my desire to see its success and help find a cure for DTP is phenomenal, even stronger than the early years when it was founded. I want to fight for everyone, whether I will ever personally physically benefit from it as a result or not.
I love people so much. I love everyone and value every single relationship I have. Whether I know someone in person or just through the internet, I love you and want to help you and get to know you better. I don't care whether we agree politically, religiously, or what your background is...it doesn't matter. Even if you cut me down or don't agree with some of the things I do or the way I think, it doesn't matter. I care about you, perhaps sometimes too much that it really affects me! Your life matters to me. Your hurt, pain, and burdens, no matter what they may be, are important to me.
I absolutely love kids. It hurts when I want to get down on the floor and wrestle and tangle, but just don't have the strength or energy and have to to be careful to not break any bones! But I often ignore that and find myself in a "pillow sandwich" anyway! I push myself to the limits because I want to make up for so many lost years in bed. I love it. I love being busy. I love waking up in the morning with a lot to do! I love working with people to fight DTP and I love the activities, opportunities I have had, and the fabulous people I have met in the past five years that I wouldn't have if not given a second chance!
So, since March 9, 2005 one of the biggest things for me that I have been able to experience is life in a new way...with new vision, new perspective, new passion, new love, renewed hope, and a totally changed attitude towards the importance of life and living it out to the absolute fullest. My love for others has changed. I want to give back to everyone however I can since I will never be able to give back what was given to me! I want to utilize the gift I have been given to the maximum by giving and improving life for others through any means possible...whether a cure for DTP, a relief of a burden, hope, a joke to make you laugh, a card or gift to make you smile, or doing a simple task to help lighten your load!
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