One Year Post Transplant Thank Yous

As I approach the one year anniversary of my transplant, I have so many thoughts in my head. I look back at the previous posts and sometimes it seems like so long ago, and yet it is just a year. Some of the things I remember vividly and others sort of fade. The journey has been much more than I had ever expected...and all in a good way I am happy to say. In all the pretesting and preparation I went through here in Atlanta, I remember a few things with some distaste, but many more with joy and thanks. I was so very diligent in researching my disease, what happens, what should be done, medicines that work and those that don't, but I ALWAYS listened to my gastroenterologist Dr. Thomas Claiborne,Jr. at Piedmont Hospital. Whatever he suggested I was diligent about doing. My hepatologist at Piedmont Hospital, Dr. Roshan Shrestha, listened carefully to what I was saying and how worried I was about bile duct cancer and it was he who suggested a living donor transplant...helping to work out some details. He schooled with one of the doctors I had at UVA, and had this not been the case, I could have ended up having the transplant at another location. All this was very fortunate and even more fortunate that both of our children stepped right up and offered to be the donor, actually insisting it would be no other way. Did they know what they were getting into? I really don't think so, I just knew they wanted to help. Was I reluctant? At times, I was..how could I not be? Allowing a child to put their life at risk for me,(as was rudely pointed out to me at one point) potentially losing everything...I am humbled every day by this and honored that both offered. How lucky I have been to have such a perfectly positive experience in every single way. Did I know everything that would happen...pretty much. I am most grateful for having such wonderful skilled doctors, caring and compassionate friends and such a giving family. Stacy Bubelis did a terrific job of putting on a "Liver Lover tennis benefit in Ashley's neighborhood to raise extra funds. Thanks Stacy and all who attended and donated. Thanks to neighbors for asking often what they could do to help, even offering to come up to be with Ed through it all. Thanks to Betsy and David Dodson and all who attended (especially Terri Skurky for coming from Utah!) for putting on a terrific "pre-transplant party for Ashley and I.Thanks to my friends here in Deaton Creek who tended to our yard and put up welcoming signs for our return after a 3 month stay at the Virginia lake house. Bryan was the super man of the entire post transplant time attending to Ashley and my every need after surgery, starting the blog and keeping it up to date, running errands, seeing the worst in both of us and just being a good person about it all! A super huge thanks to Jenny Goff Wright for accompanying Ashley for her pretesting in December - funny stories there - and then leaving her family for two weeks to be with her as her advocate..and a vocal one she was...more funny stories there. Thanks as well, to our children's' special friends who supported them through all of this experience. And of course thanks to my dear, dear husband Ed, for enduring all my computer time while I did hours of research pre transplant...in sickness and in health! Thanks to family to coming to visit and I don't even remember - or was not awake to know they were there. Thanks to Hallie and Bob Garland who visited us, fed us and generally were best friends to us in Charlottesville as well as being our personal taxi service while there.There is no way I could ever thank Ashley for what she did for me...she gave me my healthy life back by stepping up and being my living donor. How do you thank someone for that? She had blinders on and was not to be deterred from the goal...everyone knew that...and I thank her for that.

In retrospect I wish there were many more stories of successful living donor transplants out there and maybe other hospitals would find the funds and courage to step up and be a part of this wonderful experience. We all know things can go wrong, but in our case things went perfectly right.There are so many more cases like it I am sure! I could go on and on but THANKS TO ALL will have to do!

We have laughed allot and shed a few tears but more laughing than not! The story will continue ... all in a good way I feel sure.

9 months and 3 days..GOING STRONG

Here we are at 9 months 3 days and continuing to go strong...feeling very fat since I have gained just about all my weight back from pre-pre transplant! I had begun to lose weight a year or more before my transplant ... NO MORE! I used to be able to eat tons of food - well some foods I didn't tolerate due to the fat content - but over all I avoided those and ate and ate...never had a bad appetite! Not anymore...I try to eat healthy but peanuts and peanut butter seem to be my downfall at the moment! But that is ok since I am healthy and way back to normal..or better - after all I do have a new liver - only 33 years old vs. 64! I may live forever!

I had great news the first of March from my transplant coordinator who said (after asking) that I didn't have to go to VA for my 9 month, 15 minute (or less) visit for them to ask me how I was doing and see that I was doing great! What good news - especially with rising gas prices! We will return in June (14th to be exact) for my 1year anniversary visit! What a pleasure that will be! We plan to stay at the lake for a couple weeks or so renewing our spirit and enjoying some family time.

Ashley is doing great as well...will undergo another surgery - sinus - the end of March. She has chronic sinus trouble that only surgery will help and hopefully cure! She has been on heavy duty antibiotics from time to time and they have caused little if any relief. She was able to smell shortly after the surgery for a short while and we figure it was due to the really heavy duty antibiotics during surgery. But, alas, her not being able to smell and taste to any degree has returned and she will be very happy to have this in her past.

Bryan happily just got a 'new' car and is quite happy with the rugged Nissan Exterra. He, as well as Ashley will join us at the lake for a bit of family time.

Ed is well and his Mom is finally settled in a lovely memory care facility.

We continue to have much to be thankful for!

Off to VA for delayed 6 month ck.

We will be off to Virginia tomorrow for the delayed 6 month check up...seems pointless since we are fine and blood is good and all, but we will do what we have to do to stay well. Ashley will go as well, since she had a remaining fluid issue when she left VA in the summer. Insurance apparently will not pay for her any longer - they say 60 days following transplant regardless of issues...thankful she has had not in reality! But again, we will do what we have to do to be sure all is well (and to give UVA the statistics they need for successful donor transplants). Had to delay the trip from December as Ed was sick (cold) and there were snow issues in VA. We just are completing our Snow-mageddon 2011 - schools closed all week and basically a shut down of Atlanta and much of the south. We will get to see Mom on Monday( 1-17-11) - appointments on Tuesday and home on Wednesday. We feel sure all will be in order and will probably have to return in another 3 months...but MAYBE not - I don't think they will change their protocol because we are doing so well, but maybe!