The ending of a year and the dawn of a new one holds so many symbols. It requires a day of its own. Today, on the longest night, I’m holding all of it—light, shadow, joy, ache, gratitude, and hope. Winter whispers that none of it has to be sorted or solved. It only needs to be felt.
Every organ transplant recipient and caregiver understands the journey: it is a marathon, not a sprint, and while the medical teams are brilliant, the emotional and logistical toll can feel isolating. I was actually making plans to purchase a rental property and run a non-profit for patients post-transplant when Lorrinda called me. She had a different vision. In fact, Lorrinda had already connected with TRIO National and was dedicated to starting a local peer support chapter—she sold me on the idea!
This critical need for local, consistent peer support is what led to the founding of the Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO) Oklahoma Chapter. Learn more here about TRIO.
Dr. Thomas Starzl: Father of Transplantation and TRIO – I learned of this while preparing a presentation for The AASLD Liver Meeting. Lorrinda Gray Davis, who is the founder of Oklahoma’s TRIO Chapter just told me this week. We started our chapter with me as her first VEEP because we saw the need. I had literally no real support post transplant. During COVID, she went to work and the rest is history. Now she is president of TRIO International. But I’m getting ahead of myself. This story is about Dr. Starzl and what I imagine to be one of the greatest collision of ideas in medical history. What a man. What a great heart he has.
Tai Chi Movements Anyone Can Learn is my favorite daily routine. It helped me build my core and restore my body after battling cancer. These movements are gentle even if you have spinal problems or hip injuries. I know this from personal experience. You can find the videos on my youtube channel by looking up Karen Hoyt. Please let me know if you have any questions. I’ve done a lot of private sessions online with clients who have found pain relief, increased strength, and gained muscle mass. It’s great for balance.
Years ago, I was writing my heart out on ihelpc.com, sharing my experiences with liver disease, hoping to bring light and information to others walking a similar path. My website was growing, and so was my mission. I began partnering
Is it Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome or HE is a good question if you or a loved one are dealing with confusion, symptoms, and need support for brain fog
If you’re reading this, you or someone you love might be facing something called hepatic encephalopathy. You might be wondering what tests are good for HE. First, I want to say: you’re not alone. I’ve been there. It can be
Your Plate, Your Power: Dr. Lai’s 80/30/10 Rule for a Liver Loving Life This blog is a summary of a nutritional webinar held by Global Liver Institute GLI, for liver cancer, and actually any type of liver disease where you need healthy protein to reduce brain fog, liver pain, and fatigue. I’ve been through it all, and will keep saying that you can live longer and stronger when you eat to live. Dr. Lai is the best when it comes to this subject.
Hepatic Encephalopathy HE Patient and Caregiver Survey You’re going to love telling YOU truth in this hepatic encephalopathy (HE) patient and caregiver survey that I’ve created just for you. Let’s start with this: You know that I’ve written so much
When I was first diagnosed with liver disease, I didn’t understand why my doctor kept talking about something called “ammonia levels.” Honestly, I was thinking about pine cleaners and how the kitchen smelled when mom did the spring cleaning! But
No matter where you are in the liver disease journey, you can find hope to help you make the changes and save your own life. You are not alone. Jump into my website for 14 years of experience of how to advice. Literally millions of people have been diagnosed with some form of liver damage. You can find your way to a better and healthier life.
April is Donate Life Awareness Month Full Heart: Honoring Life, Legacy, and the Gift of a Second ChanceThe Gift of Every Morning Every morning when I open my eyes, I feel it—that fragile, beautiful thread of life that connects me
Hope is not a single, clear emotion. It’s not a bright, polished stone we keep in our pockets or a banner we wave on the good days. Hope is a spectrum of color. I’ve come to believe it is a
There are some blogs on here that talk about my gratitude for my daughter becoming my caregiver. Here are some tips with love from a patient’s heart to yours.If you are helping a loved one with hepatitis encephalopathy, it’s a very lonely place. It’s still the most cringe and painful parts of my diagnosis with end stage liver disease. It was an uphill battle through liver cancer and transplant. It’s a helpless place for a patient. We’re loony tunes most of the time. Except it’s not funny to our caregivers. It’s not funny to us either, but we are SO out of it that we are just sitting around as happy little hepatic encephalopathy patients.
As daylight saving time begins, we welcome longer hours of sunlight—a perfect opportunity to be outside, move, enjoy life, and be active. However, for those of us living with liver disease, our energy may be low, and it can be
As we step into a new year, it’s a perfect time to set intentions and map out goals that guide our journey toward growth, happiness, and fulfillment. This year, my goals revolve around three overarching themes: Being, Doing, and Relating.
7 Ways to Reset and Recharge Before the Year Ends
(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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