Skip to main content

It's personal - just thought you should know.


As April draws to a close, I would be remiss if I didn't bring up something near and dear to my heart.  Organ donation.  It's a very personal thing for me and has affected my family several times over.  I have personally seen how a living kidney transplant breathes life into a weakened body.  How it brings color back into the skin.  How it gives someone hope for tomorrow. 

My father and sister both had kidney transplants in their 20s.  My dad received a kidney from his brother when transplants were still new and being improved.  He had that kidney for 31 years when cancer took him - not kidney disease.  My sister had two transplants.  One from her mother and after that one failed, one from our step-mother.  Sadly, my sister died at age 35, leaving 3 children behind. 

Now it gets really personal.  The disease that both my dad and sister had is inheirited.  I have it too.  I wasn't diagnosed until I was 45.  My doctor told me nine months ago that I would be on the list within a year.  My last visit showed an improvement in my kidney function (something I was told wouldn't happen).   I'll share my lifestyle changes with you in a future post.

I'm not worried about this disease.  It is a part of my life, but it doesn't run my life.  It tires me out but God gives me the energy to keep going. 

Organ donation is something that most people don't think about.  I do.  I think about it every day.  If you haven't checked it out, would you use this reminder to do so?  Would you learn about it?  You could make a big difference in someone's life.

Here are a few places to learn about donations:
National information
Congressional Kidney Caucus
National Kidney Foundation
organtransplants.org

Thanks for allowing me to share.  Tomorrow we'll look at something more cheerful.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Sheri O.April 29, 2010 at 12:09 PM

    All mine are up for grabs when that day comes!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Donna V.April 30, 2010 at 8:16 PM

    Mine too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. NicoleMay 1, 2010 at 6:17 PM

    A young man in our church has cystic fibrosis and was on a lung transplant list for 3 years. It was terrible to see him have to wait that long. Just a week and half ago, he got a new set of lungs! And while I know there will be bumps in the road, to see the color back in his skin and the coughing ceasing, was a miracle. When I had my license renewed, I made sure I was an organ donor. I never knew how important it was until I saw someone need it so desperately.
    Nicole

    ReplyDelete
  4. CrystalMay 1, 2010 at 8:02 PM

    I'm a donor! )

    (Came over from Musings of a Housewife)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Julie From InmatesMay 3, 2010 at 8:56 PM

    I always say I hope to save a life someday. If all else fails, I'm an organ donor. =)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I'd love to know what you're thinking. Please feel free to leave ideas and comments.

Popular posts from this blog

How To Make Your Own Exercise Bike For Next To Nothing

Remember back in April when I had a kidney transplant?  Well, the kidney is doing great (thanks, Cathy , for taking such good care of it when you owned it).  There was one little glitch, however.  During surgery, the retractors they used caused some nerve damage in my right leg.  When I woke up from surgery, I couldn't move or feel my leg.  The docs felt like the feeling would come back but the paralysis had them stumped.  A visit to a neurologist ruled out a stroke and a CT scan showed some fluid which was pressing on L4 and L5 (medical talk which means I couldn't feel or move part of my leg).  The prognosis is good and I'm recovering pretty quickly.  In fact, I've left my cane behind and I'm walking freestyle without falling.  My next goal is to be able to drive. I've been itching to get back to exercising (physical therapy doesn't count) because my medication causes me to gain weight and I need to burn some calories.  Running? - nope.  Walking? - can&
45 comments
Read more

A Designer's Secret For A Taller Bed

  Several years ago Hubs and I spent almost a year looking for a bedroom set that we both loved.  He wanted clean lines and dark wood.  I wanted curves and a "tall" bed.  Of course, there was no perfect bedroom set but we were able to compromise on a set that we both liked.  My main wish was for a bed that I could "climb up into".  The problem with that wish was that most of the "tall" beds were four poster beds and Hubs was not in the mood for that.  We found a Thomasville bed on display at a local furniture store and it fit the clean lines that Hubs wanted and it was "tall"  enough to suit me.  The problem was that once we received the bed we ordered in our home, it wasn't as tall as I had remembered it being.  My heart sunk!  I went back to the furniture store to look at the display.  Their bed was much taller than our bed.  Hmmm. . . what was different? I got nosey and lifted up the comforter on the bed.  It revealed their secret
10 comments
Read more

Plans For A DIY Exercise Bike Stand

  Thank you to so many of you who emailed me about plans for the DIY Exercise Bike Stand .  I apologize that it has taken me so long to get the measurements to you, but they are finally here!   The wood was purchased at Home Depot and the bike pegs were purchased at Walmart in the bike section.    The bike we used for this project is a 24" 12 speed bike (I'm a shorty).  I used the hardest gear while riding, but this set-up does not allow you to really get much resistance (for building muscle).  It was great for getting my legs moving after some nerve damage.  I also wanted to burn calories and get my heart rate up and this did the trick.    If you have any questions, just shoot me an email.
40 comments
Read more