Long before Eat Pray Love was published, women were going on retreats. I’m not sure what makes up a retreat, although I talked a bit about cancer retreats here. I encourage you ALL to look into taking any amount of
My Organ Donor – Telling Our Story This is my 143rd attempt at writing about my organ donor. Now, I’ve got a second sentence in here. I think it’s going to happen…… because – I’ve received a letter from his
Take it Easy: Advice From My Sister When my bottom lip sticks out and tears spill, I’ll simply write the word “cry”. In July of 2014 an ultrasound picked up on cancer trying to take over my liver. My mind scattered out
Courage and Confidence with Liver Cancer During my battle with liver cancer, I loved reading all of your personal cards, emails, and messages. How could I possibly respond back? (Picture me typing all night.) Instead, I folded strong words into
A Spin Around the Sun Crossing the line into January is a really big deal around here. I’ve had a variety of kooky rituals over the years. Most of them have been about marking the passage of time. Buh bye
Depression during Christmas with Hepatitis C or Liver Disease Christmas is all around us. The nativity, singing of hymns, buying myself a present – all of those traditions bring me comfort and joy. I am celebrating it more than ever
Please excuse any typos or upside down pics. 🙂 I’m still working on transplant recovery. I don’t want to appear to make light of a the term “nervous breakdown”. There is not an official diagnosis, but it generally describes an
What to Expect after a Liver Transplant This is an email to a Best Friend who is waiting on their liver transplant. I thought you might like to read about what to expect after a liver transplant. As always, pardon any
I am positively sure that every person who hears that it’s time to get listed for a liver transplant takes some time to freak out. My doctors and team gave me a lot of information and tons of paperwork but it
Writing a Thank You Letter to Donor Family Writing a thank you letter to donor family was on my mind, even while I was still in the hospital, weak but, getting stronger. After my transplant, I thought of them constantly. The
Going Back to Bed after Surgery After the surgery, my transplant coordinators, friends, and family all conspired to make me rest. Then they got me all jacked up on steroids which made it totally impossible for me to sit
Coming Home After My Liver Transplant This blog and subsequent ones will undoubtably be a hot mess. Given the batch of meds, steroids, and the anesthesia hangover – I promise nothing in regard to editing or coherency. Nothing except the truth
Post Liver Transplant Protein and Healing Happy Earth Day to all of my Best Friends! I am filled with joy at the thought of sharing this lush planet with you all! It seems appropriate to give thanks for all
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KAREN!!! One year ago today Karen got her transplant!! Hello today is 11/2/15, Karen continues to improve from her transplant and I am trying to help as best I can. I had to have back surgery after
Hangover with Cirrhosis after Ablation This is another one of those blogs that might not make a lot of sense. Howeva, when I experience something and write about it, so many of you have gone through the same thing. We
Ethanol Alcohol Ablation for HCC I get these hunches. Call it intuition, inkling, or whatever you want. The tumor was growing again. For several weeks my snooze alarm was getting tapped more frequently. Not even Matt Bellamy motivated me to
Sleep is kind of like a thought eraser that swipes the day clean. But I frequently wake up in the middle of the night and remember the tumor. One night last August I awoke with the image of big clamps all around my chest cavity. Eyes wide open now, I saw myself lying on a table surrounded by doctors and nurses, my face as white as the fish I had seen floating belly up on the pond last year. I could see my head arching back with a tube tunneling down my throat that clicked and whished while forcing air into my lungs. I blinked hard and then stared at my chest as my breasts moved up and down. I wondered what it would be like to wake up in ICU with that machine on and my hands tied down. Shaking my head with an audible moan, I flung back the covers, and jumped out of bed like the house was on fire.
My heels drummed a hollow beat on the wood floor as I fairly flew to the kitchen. I stood in the dark. I don’t want a liver transplant. The thought of someone dying to keep me alive is more than I can bear. Of course there are a lot of other things that I don’t want. I don’t want to clean the branches up from the last storm. I don’t want to pay taxes or shave my legs. I don’t want cancer.
New Years Eve Phone Call to YOU I just called my friend Laura, and spent 22 minutes talking about everything from New Year’s Resolutions to home made cashew cheese. If I could make a New Years Eve phone call to you
(AASLD) The American Association for the Study of Liver Disease creates info and education to support patients. Doctors and medical staff are invested in helping you liver longer stronger with liver disease.
(Global Liver) Donna Cryer is a dear friend who had a liver transplant while finishing her law degree. Her reach goes out to patients, families, medical providers, pharma and on and she’s global.
(Trio-National) Transplant Recipients is your one stop shop for information for ANY type of transplant candidates, recipients, their families and the families of organ and tissue donors. Lorrinda Gray Davis is the President.
(Trio – Oklahoma) This is Oklahoma’s chapter founded by Lorrinda Gray Davis. I’m the founding VP to our current president Benjamin Babb. For anyone needing support for solid organ, tissue, or eye transplant, we’ve got your back. We’ll truly be your best friend.
(Fatty Liver Foundation) was founded by Wayne Eskeridge to improve the diagnosis, treatment & support of Americans with fatty liver, NAFLD or NASH through awareness, education, screening and patient advocacy.
(Sober Liver Survival) founded by Jenn Leigh Jones is everything you need for sobriety, recovery, PTSD, breaking cycles of addiction and victims of personal violence. She’s just getting SLS off the ground and would love to connect with other people battling alcoholism.
(Say Yes to Hope) Suzanne Lindley is a hope dealer to cancer patients. If you need a fri
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