Merry Christmas Everyone!

I am here....a bit later than promised but we made it to Christmas and feel very blessed and happy to say that.


Thank you all for being patient with me. We passed the 1 month mark last week. This Sunday will be 6 weeks since the big day... I am feeling really good. Getting stronger and making progress every day! It is all about the little things... I can now get up and around with no help at all. A little slow and I don't know quite how far I can walk without taking a break but I now can go to the kitchen and make my own food...., bend over, get myself dressed, take a shower or bath from the chest down, wash my own hair in the sink.....(I have to keep the dialysis catheter in my chest dry), etc, etc.

Last week we had snow which closed the only pass between us and Loma Linda and the dialysis unit. That required some reorganizing as did the fact that Mary had to make an emergency trip to Arkansas as her brother in law passed away. So, Joe and I were on our own and because he works up the street now and things sort of shut down up here we did fine. My dialysis unit helped me arrange for a couple of temporary visits to a local dialysis place and we bundled up and enjoyed the snow. We are at 3,000 ft here in the high desert so we love the snow when we get it as it only happens about one day a year. This one lasted a couple of days and was absolutely beautiful...............................................

We also had our annual Transplant Support Group Christmas Party......Which is a big deal at LLU for us...I didn't think I would go initially as I wasn't walking and still being a month after transplant , I am highly immunosuppressed. but everything aligned...... the snow stopped and the pass was clear. I had been up and walking around without assistance and felt good, so Joe took me down to the party for a bit. It was so good to see everyone !!!! The photo's are of me hugging Judith, my pre-transplant coordinator and of Dr. Mendler and myself...

My liver is doing well, we need the numbers to come down a bit more.....My kidneys seem to be kicking in.....I am peeing more....yesterday I peed 700ml's, up from dribbles in the hospital. 1000 ml's is our magic number so I am trying.....hard to do when I still can't drink to much...

Joey will be here tonight and through the weekend for Christmas. We are having a nice quiet Christmas with a turkey dinner courtesy of Marie Callendars.....(well, and our CC.....LOL) I was going to attempt a simple meal with the help of Joe and Mary but with 2 non cooking caregivers in the kitchen with me trying to direct them just reeked of trouble and kitchen fighting so I decided to let Marie to the cooking and we can do the reheating......I would much rather have a peaceful day.... I did put up a Christmas tree in my bedroom area....old fashioned, family ornaments and all...I am feeling very nostalgic this year...

My love and thanks to you all for your support, notes, e-mail or otherwise, calls, prayers during this time... If I haven't responded to you personally yet, I will......but know that everyone brings a big smile to my face and heart when I get it.....

Merry Christmas and may we all have a wonderful year full of health and love of the people around us....

Nancy