1 month post-op, stapleless, Kyle in from Cali, and it's Christmas!!!

It is Christmas Eve!!! Hope everyone is getting their last minute shopping and errands done..so tonite and tomorrow you can relax and enjoy the holiday!! I know I will!!

So many things to update. First, Dec 22 was my one month anniversary of me and my new liver! I continue to do absolutely great! I went to see my surgeons yesterday in clinic and not only are some of my medicines slowly getting weaned (I take about 2o-30 a day) my blood tests and liver function is absolutely PERFECT! How great is that? I even got all 56 staples removed from my incision and the sutures where the drains were. It didn't even hurt, at all! And now I can definitely move around a bit easier! I even went out with my girlfriends this week and got back to joining the real world...now I am just anxiously awaiting Kyle's arrival from California..her flight should be here any minute!!

This Christmas is exceptionally special for me...not only did I recieve the best gift, the gift of health and life with my transplant, but I have met and come in contact with some truly amazing people. This experience has taught me so much about life...and how precious it is. It has taught me about faith. Taught me about trust and taught me about what you do for the people you love. I have learned there are so many good people in this world. I am just thanking God everyday...and remembering EVERYday to count my blessings because I am so lucky. I feel like I have it all these days...family, amazing friends and support, energy and a new found zest to make great things happen in my life and to do everything I always wanted to do without reservation.


Please take a minute to count your blessings this Christmas and remember what the season is truly all about (whether you are religious or not)...and if you are not already, please become an organ donor. It takes just a few minutes to sign up and it would be the best thing you could give me.Some states you sign up when you get your licence, but even if you are not sure if you are one or not, check there first, then go to this website www.donatelifeamerican.net.
The website also will answer any questions you may have about becoming a donor and how it works.


I hope everyone has the Merriest of Christmases...and the Happiest of Holidays...

Rachaelxx


PS. Here is a picture of me and my main transplant surgeon, Dr. Andrew Singer. Him along with Dr. Hamilton and Dr. Cameron helped to save my life. This was taken Dec 23 at my 1 month post-op visit.

Not staple-less ....yet

Hi everyone!

Quick update that my clinic appointment went great this past week! All of my liver function tests and other blood work look awesome!! My staples and sutures, however, are going to have to stay in another week....but that's ok, they kind of are like my security blanket! I don't want anything falling out, yuck!

It actually is funny, my surgeon, Dr. Cameron, the fellow, Dr. Daggar and the nurse practitioner, Maura all were in the hallway of the clinic about to come into my room...and they all look in my direction...smile from ear to ear and laugh! The say...ok..who is the patient? where is the one that had the liver transplant 3 weeks ago!?

7 more days til XMAS!! I can't wait to have fun with my neice this year and get to see her open all her toys!! She said to me... "Che Che (pronounced Chi Chi..she calls me that) did it hurt when you got your new liBer?" She has a hard time with her "Rs." How cuuute is that? And she wasn't even scared of my incision when I showed her.


Hope everyone is almost done all of their shopping! Remember not to get to stressed out and remember what the holidays are really all about..and all that we have to be thankful for.

xx, R

3 weeks+1day

Another week has flown by and I continue to do well! Still sore...but I actually feel better the more active I am. The more I sit around, I get so stiff! I still have my staples and sutures in, hoping they will come out at my clinic appointment on Wednesday....but I want the doctors to be sure they are 100% percent ready to come out first! Eeeek, I am scared!

Getting a lot of rest, getting my labs taken twice a week, seeing the surgeons once a week and slowly getting back to being active is what I've been up to! Getting kind of bored sometimes but preparing for Christmas is helping with that! A little more than a week to go before the big day!!

Kyle, one of my bestest friends that moved to California in August will be home for the holidays and I am sooooooooooo excited to see her. I can't wait to get all of our girls together and catch up, it has truly been SO long.

This holiday I truly feel so blessed...I feel like I got the BEST present ever. What more can I ask for? This is the first Xmas in 3 years where I wont be working..and even though I miss working and my coworkers and patients, I am really looking forward to the time with my family and friends. Time that wont be rushed finally, and I can really soak in all of the holiday spirit and happiness.

Speaking of happy...I am so happy these days..I feel like everyday is a great day and I am sitting on top of the world :)

Hope everyone is as equally well...
Love, R

2 weeks plus 2 days Post-op!

Had a really nice weekend! The party was fun and low key and it was GREAT to catch up with my family! I cannot believe it's been 2 weeks already since my surgery! I am healing well and becoming less sore everyday. Again, the only discomfort I really have is when I lay down at night and when I wake up in the morning. Once I get moving, I am golden :)

Reallyyyyy disapointing loss by my Ravens last night. Kinda put me in a bummer mood..but of course I have no time for that! We have 4 games left!

I am looking forward to helping with holiday decorating this week, spending time with some friends and doing some holiday shopping. I feeling so good everyday I am already itching to get back to the gym and start dancing...but I know I have to put the breaks on for now!

Hope everyone has a great start to their week!

<3 R

Nice little Saturday

Beautiful snow here today :) I spent today relaxing and recovering, and it was a nice day to do so!
Since I kinda missed Thanksgiving, I am really looking forward to tomorrow. Every year...since way before my time, my parents have been throwing what we call the "Tree Party." Basically we get a bunch of people here, head to Carroll County..and chop down a bunch of fresh trees...come back to the house and eat, drink and be merry (football too of course)!

Unfortunately, since the surgery, and late notice and everything else going on, it will be cut short of some really special people, but I will get to at least spend the day with my family whom I miss like CRAZY! I even helped make some yummy treats :) Kinda stinks I can go trekking on the hills of the Xmas tree farm but I will be back at the house waiting for everyone to get the party started.

I am healing and getting stronger everyday. God is good!

<3, R

Home sweet home!

Very short post tonite because I am completely beat but I AM HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My surgeons couldn't be more happy and neither could I. I am getting follow up labs tomorrow morning just to keep a close eye on me :) So I'll be on the move!

Hoping to get a very restful night in my OWN bed! Love you all lots!

xo, R

Normal!!

Hey guys! Just another quick update...my bilirubin was 1.2 today! Which is just about perfect! The plan is for discharge tomorrow, probably wont be home until tomorrow evening after everything gets done!

What a journey this has been, but what an amazing one. If you saw me, you could see how much I am glowing from ear to ear. I am so happy with so many things. Not only about this surgery, my doctors, nurses, care, experience. But I am so happy that I was able to get a organ transplant that truly SAVED my life. I may not have been like the many very sick patients that get transplanted, but I would have been one day. I am very blessed I was able to get early transplantation because of the nodule that they found and the nodule turned out to be NOT CANCER. I am just floating on air, truly. I have a not totally new, but different life now. A life to LIVE, a life where I can finally do all the things I couldn't do before. NOTHING is stopping me now, NOTHING! A new beginning. Making moves people...making big moves...

I am confident that this, again, is what was meant for me and there is a big picture coming clear that I have yet to figure out. I am looking forward to my organ transplant advocacy and hopefully touching/helping/changing some other peoples lives when it comes to organ tissue dononation and transplantation.

Lots of LOVEEEEEEEEE,

R

ps. I thinking about naming my new liver...lol. I need suggesstions so leave comments!