Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving in Seattle


Happy Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for, especially Pete. I would not have a family were it not for the unconditional giving of life from THREE different families. So I say thanks to Denise (birthmom), Emily (birthmom), and a young man (Emily's donor) whom we will never meet for letting me enjoy the simple things in life like watching Mason learn to ride a bike. It sounds like nothing much, but riding bikes to a coffee shop with your 5-year old for the first time is so joyful.

Peace, Pete

Greetings from Seattle and a very Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, our stars and angels! As Pete mentioned above, I learned yesterday that my donor was a young man (apparently "younger than me but not by much"), who was traveling when he had an accident. That is all I know, but I just wanted to share this information. I have finally finished my letter of thanks to the donor's family, and I am especially mindful this day, this time of year, of the loss suffered by my donor and his family. So, with this in mind, and despite the difficult economic times, let us all be thankful for how fortunate and blessed we are. We appreciate so much all the love and support from you, our family and friends, our community, and we send much thanks, love, and peace your way.
Emily

p.s. Here is a clip of Mason riding his bike in the Aunties driveway in Seattle (notice the ramp Mason insisted that Dad build so he could jump it!).


Friday, November 7, 2008

More wonderful news from Nov. 4!

Little did I know when I wrote that Nov. 4, 2008 was a magnificent day, that something else incredibly wonderful happened that night and early Wed. morning, Nov. 5. Our friend Jean, about whom I wrote a few weeks ago, received her new heart late Tuesday night into Wed. morning!!! Thank you all SO MUCH for the prayers and energy that you sent out to her - it means so much to me and I know you all contributed to her successful transplant.
To back up a bit, before my biopsy yesterday am, my doc in the Cath Lab let slip something about another woman recently receiving a transplant, and I checked with visitor info. to see if a Jean Doran was a patient, since she is the only woman I know who was waiting. Visitor info. confirmed my guess, so I dropped by the Surgical ICU yesterday afternoon after my biopsy, echo, and clinic visit. I was able to give Dan, Jean's husband a hug, meet her daughter Heather, and quickly say hello to Jean - she looked very well, though it was weird to see someone all "hooked up" like I had been, since I never really saw myself that way despite the photos! I was also lucky enough to see two of my SICU nurses, Stewart and Luisa, and they were so very kind back 4.5 mos. ago and yesterday! I cannot really explain my joy in words, but suffice it to say I am overjoyed for Jean and her family; it is so thrilling from this end of things to see this miracle happen to someone else.

Two other bits of news:

My biopsy results from yesterday were excellent again - no rejection thankfully!

And finally, about my friend Doug: Doug is about 66 and he received his new heart on May 25, 2008, just a few weeks before I received mine. Doug and his wife Betty relocated to SLC from Buehl, Idaho, a small rural area near the metropolis of Twin Falls, Idaho. He had waited over 18 months and was basically at the "cut-off age" when he finally received his heart, and he has stayed here in SLC for the critical 6 month post-recovery stage. So, he has not been home in just about two years --- and here comes the good news --- he is going home this weekend!!! I saw him in cardiac rehab this morning to wish him well and goodbye until he comes back for his check ups.

So, that is all for now. Thank you for listening and reading, thank you for your prayers, blessings, and strong energy for me and others. Happy weekend!
Love and peace, Emily

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

MAGNIFICENCE

Greetings to my stars and angels:
While we may not all have voted for Obama, I personally want to share my feelings of appreciation and gratitude on this magnificant, momentous occasion. As my sister and I discussed last night, I am ever more thankful that I was lucky enough to get a new heart so I could witness, experience, and participate in this 2008 election. Wow, wow, and WOW!!!

I feel hope and renewed faith in the American public. The incredibly high voter turn out alone is something worth celebrating. Peter and I, and even Mason, are so thrilled, moved, and elated - and what a perfect speech Obama gave last night as President-elect --- humble, inspiring, unbelievable. For that matter, McCain's was great too - gracious, kind, eloquent. And, the icing on the cake is that the UT electorate voted something like 42% for Obama - AMAZING, considering Utah was the Reddest of the Red in 2004 with somewhere around 65-70+% for Bush!!!

So, on this joyous day, I wish you all well, I wish you all hope and joy, and I know that we can come together, with sacrifice and hard work, to make this country and world better for us all.

(FYI, all IS well with my health. No news, status quo, and I have my next biopsy/echo/dr's visit this Thursday, 11.6.08.)

Thanks to you all for your love and support,
Em