Happy Birthday to My Liver

Today – December 3rd – is my other birthday.

Two years ago I had the liver transplant that saved my life. Last night, my husband and I reminisced about how the experience unfolded: THE telephone call that came midday on Dec. 2nd; a flurry of phone calls, arrangements, packing; the two-hour ambulance ride through a drenching thunderstorm; all the rushing, just to get to the hospital and then having to wait six hours for surgery to begin (the operation started around 1:00 am, which is why Dec. 3 – not 2nd – is my other birthday). And ultimately, good news that the transplant was successful.

I am grateful and humble when I remember this day and all that went before and after. There are many, many people to thank; please indulge me while I recognize just a few of them:

* First and foremost, my husband, Gene, who walked every step with me. I had it tough, but at least I was on drugs. He persevered through it all, God bless him.
* Carolyn, Chris, Happy and Dene, who traveled to the transplant center with us and helped Gene survive the hours of waiting both before and during my surgery
* Carolyn also visited often and was the positive force that kept Gene’s spirits up, spoiled the kids with Christmas gifts (Wii? Tiffany’s bracelet? I was NOT consulted about these gifts!) and was the glue that kept our world together
* Regina, who dropped everything and put her life on hold to stay with our kids for two weeks AND had our carpet cleaned while she was here
* Larry, who with Chris, helped our son transition into crew and made sure he always had transportation to and from practice
* Karen, who visited frequently, drove kids to and fro, and made sure the whole family received new pajamas on Christmas Eve
* Cari, who along with Carolyn and Karen, made sure the kids had a fabulous Christmas and plenty of gifts, including the leopard print desk chair
* Peggy and Dave, and Pam and Steve, who hosted our children several times and always at the spur of the moment
* Debbie, who was master of the “feed Jay’s family” schedule – no small feat – and kept it organized for many months while I recuperated
* Gary, with Dene, who took the kids on an eight-hour (one way) road trip to attend a family gathering, and who endured Dene’s absences while she babysat me once I finally returned home from the hospital
* Helen, the fabulous type-A powerhouse who drove two hours to visit me in the hospital and rub lotion on my feet (is there anything better?!), and together with her husband, Rick, secretly continue to do many good deeds that make the world wonderful
* Sally and Angie, who made sure our power bill got paid * Allen, who with Happy, brought me communion every week for months and prayed for me and my family
* Rosemary and Dick, who sent me a prayer shawl from their church in Huntsville

These are just some of the countless people who helped us time and time again, each and every one of whom I cherish. Thank you to these friends and family who were the key support system that sustained us. My sincere gratitude, too, to Dr. B, Laura, Theresa, Dr. S, Dr. K, Dr. Z, Dr. R and so many other medical professionals who kept me alive.

Dec. 3rd will always be an extraordinary day in my world. My family will celebrate tonight with a special dessert – chocolate chip cookies made by my daughter. Yeah!

For everyone waiting for or recovering from transplant surgery, I send you my best wishes. It can be a long, tough road but in the end, it’s well worth the struggle and sacrifice.

God bless.

Nurses are Angels on Earth - Treat them Well

In my experience, the most important person in the power hierarchy of an organization isn't the person at the top, but the people with un-glorified roles who know what's going on and interact day-in and day-out with the "customer." It's not the company CEO, it's the CEO's assistant. And at a hospital it's not the doctors, it's the nurses and staff.

Think about it - you have surgery and your doc visits once a day to check your breathing, look under the bandage and ask how you feel. Four or five minutes later he or she is out the door.

The nurses - that's a whole different story. They dispense drugs, including painkillers; make sure you have food, something to drink, a clean gown; and hold your hair back when you vomit. Nurses also suction your trach tube when it's clogged with phlegm and share tips about how to keep your IV line from becoming tangled. Nurses are angels on Earth.

Other deserving staff including nursing assistants (they also hold your hair when you vomit), nutrition employees who deliver your meals (which are often the highlight of the day) and maintenance workers who mop up all that stuff you expel onto the floor.

If your hospital stay extends for more than two or three days, these people become very important in your world and they should be treated well and with respect. During my transplant-related hospital stays, I took candy for the nurses and staff (and docs, too - after all, they saved my life). I'm not talking cheap hard candy - it was mini chocolate bars for those folks. When the supply ran low my husband bought more.

I also take candy to family and friends who are hospitalized, for their nurses. I want them to get the best possible care, so I treat their nurses well.

I'm interested in other opinions on this topic, especially from nurses and hospital staff. What can patients (and their family and friends) do to express gratitude? And if you've been a patient, what have you experienced? Please tell us by leaving a comment.