Kidney Transplant..An Attitude of Gratitude is the Key

This past year has been incredible to say the least. The

kidney transplant, the Good Samaritan donor, staying in
Utah, my daughter giving a person on the waiting list her
kidney with all the emotion of learning and growing has
been a roller coaster ride. However, through it all there has
been so much hope, love, and charity from many different
sources. It has really helped to even things out.


This has been the most humbling time of my life.
There is so much gratitude in my heart for many people. It
is difficult to find the words to express the love that has
been shown to my family as well as myself. Many prayers
have been offered on my behalf (even from strangers) that
have truly strengthened me emotionally and physically...
thank you all!


To anyone out there who is struggling with a difficult
illness, my heart goes out to you. May I share a suggestion
that has helped me? Through this experience people told me
that I had an amazing attitude about my trials. Although, it
was (and is) very difficult at times to have a positive attitude,
I found that you just have to dig deep and focus on the blessings
you do have. When you do, it will help you to recognize hope
even in the midst of your trial. Gratitude in your attitude will
come as well, and you will soon find the strength to get through
whatever it is that you are going through.

I also have found that when I see anyone who has it worse than
I do (and they are all around us) I get perspective. When I saw
this TV commercial (link below) with this amazing young woman
(with one leg) with the best attitude ever, I realized my problems
were very small. It gave me a better perspective, to see the big
picture and improve my attitude into gratitude for how good
I really do have it and my many blessings in my life.

A St. Jude Research Hospital commercial comes to mind
about attitude. A young girl, Kate Foster (#87 on her shirt) talks
about attitude and is a wonderful example to all of us about
dealing with life's adversities. She has a perspective and attitude
from which we can all learn. Click (Below) to see the commercial:

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7bmQ/st-jude-childrens-research- hospital-fighting-cancer


Most importantly...Don't give up! Be strong! There
are so many daily blessings for which to be grateful. They
really are all around us. I have learned so many wonderful
things from this experience as you have read in my previous
blog posts that I would not have learned any other way.

*****From time to time, I will continue to update my blog
about my kidney transplant journey. My daughter that
donated her kidney on my behalf will be guest-blogging
for the next few posts.

Then, I will start posting recipes, helpful household hints, 
and Santa's Gift Shoppe Etsy's store items again  available
to purchase. 

Please keep coming back. We love having you visit!

Kidney Transplant...Waiting with Patience

       Still waiting in the wings was my wonderful Good

Samaritan Donor. She was being patient waiting eight

months to see when she would donate her kidney.
That in itself was a miracle. Most Good Samaritan
Donor's are matched pretty quickly with a person needing
a kidney.

       My percentage rate of kidney function was still 

at 7% for both kidneys (normal being 60-100%). I

knew the Lord was carrying me because I still wasn't

on dialysis, that was a miracle. Also, I felt pretty well

most of the time - another blessing (with the exception
of being extremely tired most of the time).

     The doctors stopped testing the third donor, and

continued with my daughter's testing. It took some time

but finally we got a date for the transplant – news that

we had been waiting to hear for so long. The date was

planned for March 12, 2014. This meant we would be

participating in the Paired-Exchange Transplant Program

at the University of Utah. My daughter's kidney would

be given to someone else (in this case someone from the

National Transplant Registry, one of 110,00 people

waiting for a kidney). This exchange would make it

possible for me to receive the Good Samaritan's kidney.

We were finally on our way to a kidney transplant!