Updates!

First, the video is doing amazing on social media!  It’s been viewed over 9,000 times!  If you haven’t seen it and shared it please do so.  #fightforerica  And please like BNK photography’s page.  Beth has done so much for me!  She’s an amazing person, has amazing talent and you should check her out!

Second, what the video has done has create an influx of interest in being a donor.  Hopefully if you’re interested but not a match for me, you’re still interested in being a match for others.  My story is not the only one out there.  I am not the only one struggling.  Twenty two people die daily while waiting for a transplant.  When I started this blog, the number was at 18.  This is wholly unacceptable.  That could be 22 children losing a parent every day because they were denied the gift of life.

Third, I’ve been accepted into the transplant program at Yale New Haven Hospital.  I’m currently inactive pending a visit with a hematologist, but I am listed and earning time.  I’ve just increased my chances in having a match because Yale is a bigger hospital with more resources.  They do more transplants than any hospital in CT and they do donor exchanges.  Including this one which was the longest donor chain done in CT history.  Also a larger hospital like Yale uses newer techniques, such as laparoscopic nephrectomy, which means surgery for the donor is less invasive resulting in an easier and shorter recovery.

Fourth, and my favorite update, I’ve been published!  Well an article about me has been!  A few weeks ago, maybe over a month ago, I met with a woman named Mara from a local paper, Wethersfield Life.  I had reached out to them about putting up an announcement in their paper about needing a kidney.  Like the guy who put his wife’s need on his truck, I thought an ad would have the same effect.  Turned out they thought an article would be great.  Mara and  I spoke for a while and I gave her the gist of what life has been like for the last 5 years.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  The best part of the article is what my friend Laura says about me.  It seems that I’ve inspired her, she who is on her own transplant journey.  Her comments humbled me.  I hear people say all the time how strong and brave I am, but I don’t feel that way.  I feel like I’m just living and doing the best I can, there is nothing extraordinary about it.  http://turleyct.com/wethersfield-life/ page 25.  Please read it, share it, spread the story.  #fightforerica

#fightforerica

Years ago, seems like forever ago I joined a message board of women from all walks of life at various stages of like.  The message board has been proof that when you need people in your life they appear.  I’ve exchanged words of support with Beth, one of these amazing women, for a long time.  Beth is a photographer (visit her at BNK Photography) and recently when she offered mini sessions I scheduled one for myself and my daughter.  It took me a while to do it because I was feeling some kind of way about a family session without Juliana’s dad.  But I had a nugget of an idea to hold up a sign about needing a kidney donor like I’d seen in this article.  Since reading that I’ve been a bit obsessed with making my story go viral.  When I pitched the idea to Beth she gave me the go ahead and then took it a step further.  She pitched me an idea about a video montage.  I admit I had no idea exactly what she was going to do but I’m not creative and I sensed a type of passion in her about this.  During the shoot we talked a bit about what I’ve been through and my constant fight.

As I settled in to wait for Beth to work she surprised me by taking it a step even further and making sure that not only did I have an amazing video she made sure the world would see it.  She put what I feel, what I need into a medium that allows me to share it with the world.  She’s given me a way to make people listen.

So here is one of the things I’ve been waiting to share with you.  This is MY fight song.  #fightforerica #myfightsong #bethespark

MY FIGHT SONG

PS – Thank you Beth.  Thank you doesn’t seem to be enough.  You freaking rock.

Good things happen to those who wait.

Good things are coming down the pike.  I’m not revealing what exactly, but I will soon.  It’s not my actual kidney, but I think the result of these things will be my kidney.

I need to reiterate how truly blessed I am to have such a huge support system.  From strangers to family to friends people step up and lend a hand in many ways, often in ways I don’t know I need.  On this journey I’ve learned to be stronger but I’ve also learned to borrow strength from others.  I often try to go it alone but thats stupid.  A fight like this needs an army of many, not just one.

I say all this to say thank you for fighting with me and to stay tuned.  Good stuff, no amazing stuff to follow.

In transplant news…

Did you hear about the Pope?  He’s kind of a big deal and he thinks organ donation is pretty cool.  He describes it as  “a testimony of love for our neighbor”.

Read about it here.  Then be a good catholic and donate 🙂

And if you don’t believe in His holy power, try reading this.