I was discharged from Duke today!! I was also listed today for my organs!! Exciting & somewhat scary at the same time. My LAS (Lung Allocation Score) is low, but I was told that I may not wait that long because I am the only one of my blood type on the list.
I have an appointment in the afternoon & then I will head over the the Center for Living to begin Pulmonary Rehab again.
If you would please, pray for the donor's family, the doctors and for my family & I.
You go grrrllll!!!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about excited and scary at the same time... But not too long from now -- breathing with "real" lungs (along with the new liver and panc) it will blow your freaking mind...
And thank you for the prayers for your donor's family... Sometimes it's hard to separate from the idea that you're not actually waiting for someone to die -- people die every day -- actually, 6,000 people die every day in the United States... You're waiting and praying that at the time when someone does die -- that they had the forethought, and/or their family has the strength to make a decision... That they have the strength, at an incomprehendably painful moment, to step back and consider an act of pure goodness -- and offer their loved one's organs so that someone like you can live...
Like you -- I thought about my future donor while I waited... I prayed that they were enjoying their life, and finishing what they had to finish... And I prayed that their family was comforted and given the strength to make a decision... And I too prayed for my doctors and surgeons to be given the strength, wisdom and skills to guide me through this...
That was over ten years ago, Kerry... About two years after I received her beautiful lungs -- I learned about the person and family that saved my life... Ironically -- you share her name, though she spelled it differently... I think about her throughout the day, every day -- I can see her smile when I close my eyes...
And it's been ten years -- and breathing with the gift she gave me blows my freakin' mind every single day... Like you -- I have cystic fibrosis... I never truly understood what it was like to breathe "normally" and it's the most amazing thing in the entire world... And I'm so looking forward to when you experience that...
I have a little of my story and Kari's story at my little website, www.ClimbingForKari.org and I blog (occasionally) about organ donation at www.ReviveHope.com (My website desperately needs updating -- and I will eventually -- but most of the story is there...)
Hang in there, Kerry... The ride is so worthwhile...
Love, Steve
Steve Ferkau
Chicago, IL