My friend Jonathan is getting his heart transplant tonight-Valentines day-how fitting! He was in the hospital over christmas on IV milrinone, but because he does not have an ICD he could not go home. Then he though he could stay off the milrinone for awhile, so he went home, but was a status 2, for about a month! He had to go back to the hospital last Friday to go back on the Milrinone. Then the gave him the IV pump like I had and a life vest (like I was going to get) and let him go home for 1 day for his younger brothers birthday. Jonathan is 17 years old and I meet him at my heart transplant support group when he was an inpatient and trying to entertain him on facebook on chat-I have not talked on that since highschool, he made me sign onto that lol!. Although we are a few year apart, we have a lot of sililarities! He is supposed to be in his senior year of high school, but is having to take the year off to get a heart transplant. Amazingly he is taking it in stride! I am having to do the same thing with college.
I have been talking with Jonathan and for so long about the transplant, I am so excited for him tonight and I can't sleep!-It's midnight! I am remembering what my transplant was like, how I was feeling, what the afternoon, evening, night went.
I feel like my blog is naked! I haven't taken any pictures in FOREVER and I have nothing to put on here!
So it has been 14 months since my heart transpant. I am now ready and able to start doing things that I was not able to do before my heart transplant. I have found that Leukemia/Lymphoma Society (LLS) can help me do this and allow me to give something back in return. In the last year I have been in and out of the hospital and have seen many different things. I had the unique and very difficult experience of going to the department where cancer patients were being given chemo. This experience has only added to the connection I feel to LLS. That is why I have joined Team in Training (the fundraising arm of LLS). They will prepare me to ride my bike for 100 miles around beautiful Lake Tahoe, in one day!
Since its inception the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has raised over a billion dollars. This has made a huge difference in the survival rates of blood cancer patients. Not only does the money raised go towards research, but it also goes towards patient services. Because of the support that I received during my recovery, I have realized just how important this aspect is for patients with blood cancers.
The financial commitment that I have made is $3,500. Please visit my website, at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/ambbr11/aweese to donate directly to LLS via credit card and to get updates on my progress. Donations can be made by check to the Leukemia Society. And of course, your donation is tax deductible. If you would like to make a donation and are able, it would be greatly appreciated if it could be made by Monday, March 14, 2011.
Showing posts with label transplant friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transplant friends. Show all posts
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday, December 6, 2010
One Year Heart Transplant Anniversary!
So on with the saga of what has been going on in life:
The next day on my way to small group I got a text message from Audrey, AJ's sister. AJ is a patient I met a few weeks ago and was just listed for a heart transplant, I went and talked to him about my transplant experience. It was really nice to meet him and connect him because we were so close in age and that is hard to find. He is 25 years old and his sister just graduated from the same nursing school my sister graduated from-one year later. AJ is also looking to go to nursing school, we had very similar stories. Anyways-back to the text message-AJ GOT HIS HEART-exactly 1 year after I got my heart! Isn't that kind of weird? I told his sister we were heart transplant twins. I think he is getting out of the hospital on Monday (today) and is hoping to be at the Christmas party where I hope to see him and get an update.
After small group I back home to CLEAN/organize my room for my party. My family was having a party for my one year anniversary of my heart transplant and all that I have accomplished in one year with everything that has gone on.
The party was so much fun. I got to pick the menu, which was all carbs-cheeze spaghetti, Eileens cheese bread, salad, and strawberries. And for dessert Fentons ice cream. I wasn't expecting any presents because my family had already gotten me my bike:
a few months ago, but I got: a scarf from Beijing and perfume from Paris, cards, a book of quotes (they were funny quotes for days when you need a pick me up) and a bunch a stuff for my bike from my dad and gift certificates to the bike shop that I bought my bike from and that I am thinking about buying another bike from (I am thinking about doing a ride over two days from Seattle to Portland). It was so much fun to spend the night with my family and best friend and I am so thankful that I have them there to support me through this whole experience-without then it would be very difficult.
The next day on my way to small group I got a text message from Audrey, AJ's sister. AJ is a patient I met a few weeks ago and was just listed for a heart transplant, I went and talked to him about my transplant experience. It was really nice to meet him and connect him because we were so close in age and that is hard to find. He is 25 years old and his sister just graduated from the same nursing school my sister graduated from-one year later. AJ is also looking to go to nursing school, we had very similar stories. Anyways-back to the text message-AJ GOT HIS HEART-exactly 1 year after I got my heart! Isn't that kind of weird? I told his sister we were heart transplant twins. I think he is getting out of the hospital on Monday (today) and is hoping to be at the Christmas party where I hope to see him and get an update.
After small group I back home to CLEAN/organize my room for my party. My family was having a party for my one year anniversary of my heart transplant and all that I have accomplished in one year with everything that has gone on.
The party was so much fun. I got to pick the menu, which was all carbs-cheeze spaghetti, Eileens cheese bread, salad, and strawberries. And for dessert Fentons ice cream. I wasn't expecting any presents because my family had already gotten me my bike:
a few months ago, but I got: a scarf from Beijing and perfume from Paris, cards, a book of quotes (they were funny quotes for days when you need a pick me up) and a bunch a stuff for my bike from my dad and gift certificates to the bike shop that I bought my bike from and that I am thinking about buying another bike from (I am thinking about doing a ride over two days from Seattle to Portland). It was so much fun to spend the night with my family and best friend and I am so thankful that I have them there to support me through this whole experience-without then it would be very difficult.
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