Mom and Sister Visit

My mom and sister came to visit for a few days this past week and we had a lot of fun! Here's what we did...

Seems to Apply to Everyone at Some Point

Lately I have been enjoying new quotes from Young Single Adult Gems.

“Everybody in this life has their challenges and difficulties. That is part of our mortal test. The reason for some of these trials cannot be readily understood except on the basis of faith and hope because there is often a larger purpose which we do not always understand. Peace comes through hope.”

James E. Faust, “Hope, an Anchor of the Soul,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 59

Favorite Aunt Status

I think I'm the favorite aunt to my niece Abby. I was webcaming with her today and this was how our conversation started out:

A: Megan....
M: Ya Abby?
A: I love you
M: Aw thanks Abby. I love you too!

It made my day! She's a sweetheart.

Transplant Meeting

I think I may become good friends with this office

The transplant meeting went well. They didn't give me a definite yes or no answer, but at least they didn't say no right away. They want to look at tests I've had done in the past few years and maybe run some more so they can get a better understanding of how my anatomy is. They are going to call in about a month when they've looked things over and have discussed it. I'm guessing they'll tell me then. My scoliosis plays a big factor in whether or not I can have this done. Right now all my organs are in there places and if they put in a new heart and lung everything else might shift a little which might make my back become worse. Here are some more things I learned today.

~ I'm in the Western region of the donors association. So this includes CA, AZ, and parts of UT, NM, and TX. My organs could come from any of those states.
~ Transplant recipients on the waiting list are in a database that has all your information and so when, say a lung, becomes available it picks the first person who matches all the criteria needed for this lung and then who is first on that list. So it's not like the doctors are fighting over who gets what. They have no say in it. They can only move you up on the list as you get worse.
~They don't disconnect the donor's organs until the surgeon gets there to take them. This is so the organs will be preserved and they'll more likely work for the recipient.
~My heart and lung would come from a child.
~I'd get the heart and lung done at the same time. It'd be way too risky to do one and then the other. My lungs couldn't take a heart transplant and vise versa.
~Right now I'd be very low on the list if I'm able to get it done because I'm not on o2 24/7. I'm not in the hospital and I'm able to get around with little assistance.
~The surgeon is good buds with my surgeon who did my open heart and lung surgery as a baby. That is comforting because it means they've had tons of experience and have probably shared ideas and things they've learned all these years. I wonder if they went to school together back in the day. I'll ask next time I see him.

If I think of more things, which I probably will, I'll add it.

I'm just grateful to get the ball rolling on this. I've always known I'd need it done at some point in my life so might as well start this process now when I'm not too sick. Thanks for all your love, support, and prayers. You'll never know how much it means to me.

Favorites

Here are two amazing quotes I just read:

“He [Heavenly Father] is our perfect Father. He loves us beyond our capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He sees the end from the beginning. He wants us to act to gain needed experience:“When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence.“When He answers no, it is to prevent error.“When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth.”

Richard G. Scott, “Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 30

“Faith exists when absolute confidence in that which we cannot see combines with action that is in absolute conformity to the will of our Heavenly Father.”

Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Shall He Find Faith on the Earth?” Ensign, Nov. 2002, 82

One Week...

... from today I find out whether or not a heart and lung transplant is a possibility. The appointment was made over a month ago, but it has come so fast! I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I'm sure that's normal to be having opposite feelings though. I don't want my scoliosis to be the reason they can't do it, but my lung doctor thinks it will be. Only time will tell I guess.

My heart doesn't look THIS good, but you get the gist. Plus my heart is turned around.

This image is false except for one thing. I do have pulmonary hypertension, BUT I don't have two lungs. I have 1 1/3.

Unique Restaurant

A little over a month ago I went to dinner with my friends' family to Mining Camp Restaurant. It's been around for years, but I'd never heard of it; probably because it's a little drive to get there, but so worth it. Here are a few things that make this restaurant unique...

- the silverware is all tin
- there is native things all over the walls
- wooden long picnic tables so you might sit next to someone you don't know
- they bring out tons of food for everyone to dig in and share
- it has a gift shop
- location
- cool name

It was cold, wet, and rainy