I have been thinking a lot about what I am so grateful for. First of all, I am so grateful for my faith in God, my family, (what an amazing family I have) for my amazing husband and right now for the health I have at this time. And I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father.
After we moved out here to Nebraska last year, I was not feeling very good and it came to a head 4 days after Christmas. I was hospitalized for 8 days with a blood infection. (Dr.'s think I got the infection from a UTI.) I never really got over it until about July. My transplanted kidney took a hard hit with that episode, but it is now stable. Which I am so grateful for. I liken this to an Easter Lilly.
Right before Easter this year while I was still recouperating, David brought me a beautiful lilly. At first when this lilly looked like it was just about going to die, I asked Pete to plant it in our front yard to see just what it would do. And you know what?............It started to sprout another lilly and then it bloomed again in Oct. Just as it had bloomed, we had a freeze one morning and part of it froze. But to this day it still has the bloom on it. That is the way my kidney is, it is not working fully, but still has some bloom in it. I am so grateful for this Lilly.
After I recieved my kidney in 1993, it was requested I write my donor family a thank you note.
I found this a little while back and would like to share it with all of you.
My transplant was March 8, 1993.
"As I reflect upon my transplant and the time of year it was, it reminds me of a new birth.
It was in the spring of 1993. The day after my surgery I was laying in the hospital thanking this donor & feeling a closeness to this family and thanking them for the gift of life they had so graciously given to me. I had been on dialysis for 2 and 1/2 years. I was getting so discouraged close to the end, because of antibodies in my system. For a while I thought that this day would never come. When I got the call saying that there was a kidney for me and it was a perfect match, I knew my prayers were finally being answered.
They say when you are married that is supposed the be happiest day of your life. At that time in my life it was. Then we had 2 chilren, and on the day they were born, that was a happy day in my life. But as I reflect on my transplant, it was one of the more happy days, because of the gift of life and also the freedom of not being dialysis.
It was on a Sunday I was released from the hospital. I came home on that spring day to hear the birds singing as I had never befor heard them sing. Also to see the trees with new blossoms on them and to see the reirth on them with a feeling that I too was like a tree with new life and rejoicing as I heard the birds singing. I am so thankfu. to my Heavnely Father and to this donor and the family of my donor, that I give thanks to him for this precious gift that has helped me to feel so good this past year. I also give thanks to this wonderful family for this gift to be sent someone unknown, knowing it would make them feel better.
It is springtime now and the birds are singing and the flowers and leaves are on the trees once again for another rebirth.
I can't express the joy I feel in my heart and the tears of happiness that is happening at this time in my life.
I want this donor family to know how thankful I am to them for this wonderful gift of life and rebirth."
