Thursday, June 19, 2014

The "Cysters" hit again

Not sure if I wrote about having an article in the newspaper done about Piper, Ali, Kristy, Lyndsey, Kelley and I back in September 2012, incase I didn't - basically they just wanted to do a quick story on our bond as CF and transplant patients. After it was featured we were hoping to get some calls to do some appearances so that we could talk more and get the word out about both how devastating CF is and how amazing organ transplant is. Two years later, we get an email from a director at the organ donor network saying that ABC is interested in interviewing us on TV! We later found out it was actually for a segment on the Katie Couric show. Our original date got postponed because they said they wouldn't have time to give our story justice on the day we were supposed to tape. So instead we waited and finally taping day on June 10th had arrived. We were all pretty excited because the 6 of us hadn't seen each other all together in quite some time. Lyndsey had moved to florida last summer and Piper after having a second double lung transplant in North Carolina was now home in Colorado. The Katie show flew Lyndsey and Piper in for the show and provided cars for the rest of us. It was a really exciting day. We hung out in the green room for a while. While in the green room the producers went over questions that we were going to be asked so we knew in advance how to answer, we got miked up and our hair and make-up was freshened up. I think the segment went really well. In a short amount of time Katie was able to cover what CF was, what it was like growing up with it and how transplant has changed our lives. She focused on the group and each of us spoke about the same amount of time. At the end of the show she announced that they were sending us on a trip for the 6 of us to rest and relax in the British Virgin Islands!!! Can you even imagine? We are obviously so excited and cannot wait for this to happen. It's a little tricky with everyones schedule and my health but we are aiming for mid august. Hoping that I will be recovered from my kidney transplant and maybe even feel a little better so I can actually enjoy the trip! The actual episode will air on July 23rd - so set yout DVRs!!! Soooo the kidney transplant. That's another story. My testing and my sister Christine's was all done and we were set for surgery to happen on June 18th. I went in for pre-op the week before and the very next day was called and told surgery had to be postponed because I had yet another infection and spot on my XRay. IV antibiotics were restarted for two weeks and I am hoping that they can schedule surgery soon after before I develop anymore infections. So that's what's going on over here for now. Nothing too exciting. I am using oxygen a little more than I had been previously so my wishes to return to work, even once a week may not really happen until after I have this kidney transplant and get new lungs. It would be amazing if gaining a new, functioning kidney actually made me feel much better where I could actually live a little and do somethings independently without the need for oxygen. We shall see. There's always room for a miracle, right?

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