Gay and me 3 1/2 months after transplant.
So. I meant to do a few more updates throughout the weeks. I really did. But things got busy. And I often don’t feel that I have much to say. But people keep asking me how I’m doing and seem surprised when I tell them I am pretty much normal, so I guess it’s time to just announce it to the world.
I’m pretty much normal.
For those of you who want a little more detail read on.
My recovery progressed just like they said it would. Exhausting the first month. Tiring the second. Better the third. For awhile there whenever I sat down I would doze off. I napped alot. But every day was a little better. My incision still smarts a bit, especially if I move suddenly, sneeze, or do crunches. But I CAN do crunches, so that is progress indeed.
I’m in Colorado for our biennial Institute of Biblical Studies and Staff Conference. Every day I see someone I haven’t seen in two years and every day someone expresses complete dismay that I am up and walking around. And that I look normal. Apparently I am expected to look sick or be using a walker or wheelchair or something! But I am fine. I feel good. I’m exercising. My three month check up showed perfect liver function and an MRI showed that my liver was 83% of its original volume. And that was six weeks ago!
Gay continues to have challenges but her liver function is good and the doctors are pleased. Recipients have a hard road, especially for the first year. Click on the link on the right for her updates.
I honestly haven’t processed all of this yet. Emotionally that is. It’s overwhelming sometimes. I am truly, truly, grateful for all the prayer, care, and love that I have received. My sweet friends cleaned my house, brought meals, gave me generous gifts, and just loved me. Suzanne served me so intently and so selflessly in Chicago. Rick took incredible care of me once I got home. And you all prayed. And God answered.
On a humorous note I keep getting various versions of my story told back to me that are a bit skewed. Shows how the rumor mill can bend the facts; sort of like the game of telephone where you whisper something down a line and see how vastly different it is than its original. Anyway, so far I have been attributed with giving a kidney, a spleen, a pancreas, and a lung. Sorry to disappoint, but it was only a liver. And only part of one at that. A friend did ask if he could have half of Rick’s brain though and I completely understand that request. Rick is not willing however.
Thank you sweet friends!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead I Peter 1:3, ESV
Colorado, June 2011
sonyahove 
Praise God that both you and Gay are doing well! The girls keep asking me from time to time how you are doing, so it will be great to be able to give them your good progress report!
Love,
Miriam
Hi Sonya,
We miss you here in Chapel Hill, but look forward to hearing what God is doing during this time in your lives.
Much love in Christ-David and Jan H
Sonya,
Thanks SO much for sharing this – I am so moved and encouraged ! Of course I didn’t know any of this as we are “newer” friends. Now, I know that you are not only beautiful, funny, and intelligent – but also truly love others unconditionally and I so admire you. I am still SO blessed by the week I spent with you and the FC staff/friends – thank you for talking the time to reach out to Mark and I, and I look forward to seeing how God moves in the months ahead !
love,
Julianna
ps – wow, you blog too, yay… I told Mark that I am blown away by all of the FC women’s blogs (so much wit and wisdom), and I add you to the list – I do read them !
oops…”taking” the time to reach out…better watch those typos 🙂
Thanks, Sonya. It is good to hear from you how things are going. Your story makes me stand amazed at how God made our bodies. To think you can give such a large portion of your liver, such a vital organ, and now have it restored to very near complete volume already is mind boggling. But it is cause for praise. God has been good to you and to Gay! We continue to follow her story and pray for her to recover too. Our daughter lived in Pasadena for quite a few years and that part of Gay’s history connected us to her, besides our relationship to you. Gay’s sacrifice through her nursing helps us appreciate that life can bring costly commitment at times. I realize that some of that was because of general lack of knowledge of the new danger to medical personnel. We have a daughter-in-law who is a nurse, and our daughter is one also.
Our love and prayers for good times in CO this summer.
love it! thanks for the update! been praying for your Colorado trip!!!! i want all of rick’s brain!!! Not half!!! :)))) he is soooo smart~
love ya
Suzanne
Thank you for the update, Sonya! So glad you are doing well. See you real soon!
Hello Sonya. I am a friend of Gaye and Roger’s. I am also a kidney and liver transplant recipient as of 9.17.07.I am doing fabulous! All my numbers are great. I thank God for being so gracious and merciful to me. I have Polycystic Kidney and Liver Disease. My mother had it and my brother had it. The transplants have cured me! The disease can’t touch them. I just wanted to say hello and tell you that I have been praying for you, throughout the transplant process for Gaye and I continue to pray for you. Thank you for letting us know how well you are doing. God is so Good!…all the time.
I just wanted to add to the list of those who thank you for giving Gay a part of your liver. It was no small thing!I am so thankful that you are healthy and recovered so well. My grandmother and her mother were friends, Gay and my mother grew- up knowing eachother ( Ruth Rodriguez) and I used to babysit Gay’s girls. I love them all very much!! God’s blessings to you!!!