A phone call of hope

A phone call that I missed this morning got my attention. On my iPhone dial I saw that it came from area code 212, New York City. I recognized the number as coming from Columbia New York Presbyterian Hospital University Medical Center. The phone call could only mean one thing. The results were back. The type and cross match that is done to find out if a potential organ donor is an actual match was completed. I would soon learn if my potential organ donor is a match for me to get a kidney transplant.

My story began thirty-five years ago when I was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, PKD for short. PKD is one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases that eventually destroy healthy kidney tissue. There is no cure. The only hope of survival is dialysis or transplantation. My journey to transplantation began exactly one year ago when I was placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list.

Eager to know the type and cross match results, I returned the call to Columbia only to reach an answering machine. I left a message. It turned out to be several hours after the first call came that I actually learned the result of the type and cross match. While waiting, I was busy baking snickerdoodle cookies for a friend who was bitten by a dog. Since everybody knows cookies are a version of first aid, I wanted to take over some freshly baked cookies and a box of tea to cheer her spirits.

My Aunt B. always says to me, “Keeping singing, Jen.” So, I started singing while baking the cookies to help take my mind off the urgency simmering in my stomach.

A short time after I took the cookies out of the oven, I tried Columbia again and this time was connected with my transplant coordinator. The long awaited moment was at hand. I was sitting on the edge of my chair, pen in hand and paper in front of me ready to write down the results.

“Your donor is a match”, I heard my transplant coordinator say.

My phone call of hope had come! The transplantation process would continue and a kidney transplant would be scheduled at my donor’s convenience. My mind was whirling as I listened and scribbled the next steps I had to take. After we hung up I could hardly concentrate. I began calling family and friends who had been praying for me to find a living donor. My family couldn’t believe it happened so soon and were overjoyed from my good news. They were astonished by the way everything had fallen into place exactly one year to the day of being placed on the waiting list.

I was overwhelmed with gratitude to think that someone was even willing to be tested regardless of the outcome. It’s going to take some time to process how the donor will change my life and mine will change hers. But, I’m going to take it one day at a time. Today, I’m celebrating the good news about getting a preemptive (bypassing dialysis) living donor kidney transplant.

My mother used to tell me that my blessings weren’t from “luck” but from God’s hand upon me. Mom passed on a few years ago but I think she was right. It’s not really luck at all; it’s the faithful prayers of my family and friends who have stood with me claiming God’s promise to care for me. Today, he showed His faithfulness and love and care through a phone call of hope!

Until next time, Jennifer

I hope you will come back and visit my blog again and share it with your family and friends.

Celebrating your value

This afternoon after parking my Jeep to go into our local farmer’s market, a tall grandmotherly looking lady crossed the walkway in front of me. I was slightly taken aback from the sight of her. My eyebrows darted up and my jaw dropped as I focused in on the paraphernalia on her head. A pink, rubber curler with a band that clasped at the end to secure it was dangling right smack at the top of her forehead where you might typically see bangs.

Even more surprising was that the smartly dressed lady pushing her grocery cart seemed oblivious to the curler in her hair. She appeared caught up in her thoughts and her demeanor was of a woman on a mission.

It reminded me how vain I have been at times. I’ve been so caught up with my appearance that there were times in my life leaving the house without my lipstick on wasn’t an option. Even the simple chore of taking out the garbage required hair fixed and make-up applied.

Silly, isn’t it? Who we are doesn’t change because of external factors.

Ironically, a few months ago I completely surprised myself by driving to Newark International Airport without a stitch of make-up on and without my hair perfectly coifed. A very dear friend who’d I’d not seen in seven years was arriving on a late flight. Therefore, I decided the sensible thing to do was shower, wash my hair, and cleanse and cream my face before leaving for the airport. That I could even do that revealed I’d come a long way in my journey of life from exercising vanity to knowing my value. It was the latter that gave me the confidence to not worry what people thought or how I might appear. I intrinsically knew that my friend loved me and accepted me whether my lipstick and blush were painted on my face or not.

The funny thing is, when Cheryl and I became friends forty-two years ago she had long dark hair that she wore in a braid down her back, and I had long reddish brown hair. When her plane landed I had drifted back in time with my thoughts to the good ole days and was almost expecting to see that person I remembered from long ago with the dark hair. She was almost expecting to see a redhead. We both almost missed recognizing each other. In reality, Cheryl’s hair today is short and curly, and is a beautiful shade of silver white. And, I am blond. When we did spot each other and embraced we were laughing at ourselves and crying as a myriad of memories engulfed us from days gone by. It was tearful yet joyful reunion.

Maybe I’m more like that grandmother with the curler on her forehead than I thought. You reach a certain age and what people think just doesn’t matter. Life teaches you to find your courage, walk with grace, and embrace the day with a smile!

Please revisit my blog from time to time and share it with your friends and family.
Until next time, Jennifer

Celebrating autumn

Autumn is here. The days are getting shorter, the weather is crisper and the leaves are falling. What a perfect time to renew my faith and stand in my belief that good things are in store. Spring brings newness of life; autumn brings the harvest of how we’ve lived. The fruit of our labor comes into focus. It’s time for celebration!

Let’s get out the pumpkins, the cinnamon and spices for pie, and let’s light the hearth and gather 'round. Celebration and community give us excuses to flourish within our soul as well as to embrace our moments at hand.

The older I get the more I believe that the best is yet to come. And, it starts with today. Today is the day we have to rejoice, forgive, laugh, embrace, nourish and give. Even though life may be askew, we can still be filled with expectation for what the season will bring forth. Family matters, medical situations, diseases, financial challenges, loss of jobs, broken relationships and other trials affect our lives but we can still anticipate goodness. Blessings are bound to come. When they do, I pray that I won’t be so buried in defeat that I miss them. I pray for eyes to recognize that along with the autumn harvest God has a plan of bounty for me and for you.

Therefore, we can celebrate autumn with abandon and let our joy abound. It’s contagious and I can’t think of a more wonderful way to welcome autumn and this season of harvest! Sometimes, there are even welcome surprises of celebration and blessings.

I hope you will share my blog with your friends and family and revisit soon.
Until next time…Jennifer