February Update

Wow, has it really been almost a month since our last post?! Like January, February flew by as well.... I spent the earlier part of the month continuing with my recovery and am pleased to report that I feel great! I still can't believe that I am walking around with one kidney and that Gigi has my other one... it's still all so surreal to me. It's been an amazing experience, it really has and I am grateful that I was able to do this for Gigi. I ended up losing 10 lbs, which I will now try to regain. I am at about 100% back to my self in terms of energy level. I've had a few follow up appointments since the transplant and everyone is very pleased with things turned out. Gigi continues to do well also and makes her weekly trips to the doctor for checkups. I continue to hope and pray that my kidney will work for many years!

Aside from my recovery, the kids have been busy this month as well. Jack just finished his winter league of soccer; He played very well and usually would score at least once in each game. Although they won't walk away with a very stellar record, he was able to build his skill these last couple of months, continued to grow in the sport, and is already looking forward to the spring league. Caroline is extremely busy with Girl Scouts, tap-ballet, and cheer; She enjoys doing all three. Girl Scouts keeps her the busiest and it will surely get busier now that we are about to venture into GS Cookie season! Oh boy..... Lauren is having a blast with tumbling/gymnastics. She loves going and always has so much fun.

They are all doing very well in school, thankfully. Hard to believe 1/2 the school year is already over...... They literally only have like 15 weeks left of school. Could time GO any faster?! We had parent-teacher conferences a few weeks ago and had the opportunity to speak to their teachers on certain focus areas and have been very pleased with each of their teachers. Their school really rocks! We love it.

Stacey has really done an amazing job this past month holding down the fort (house) during my recovery. On top of work and meetings, she has managed to keep everything together. She's been the best!

We never really got much of a winter this year (totally bummed!), but we did get one minor snowstorm which gave us about 4" of snow and a snowday for the kids. It was fun while we had it and we enjoyed it for the little time it stuck around. We are now anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring, which means it will soon be time to start this year's garden! Stacey and I spent last weekend prepping our garden bed and laid out our plans for what we want to plant. Can't wait!!!

I am back to work full time now, which means I am also back to traveling. I shouldn't complain because my last trip was back in early December and I really don't travel that much. It usually comes in waves, which require some managing on the family side, but it all works out well. I am just grateful and extremely thankful to have a job. Nothing to complain about here at all! Onward to March!

Recovery Week

My recovery so far has been going pretty well. I feel like my appetite has finally almost gotten back to where it was pre-surgery. For the most part, the pain has pretty much subsided, but I still tire easily and don't feel that my energy has completely come back yet. I think I still have a few weeks left before my energy fully returns. I still take it one day at a time. I can't lift anything over 10 lbs for 8 weeks, can't drive for 2 weeks, can't exercise for 8 weeks, but other than that, I should be able to go back to my normal routine; with a few adjustments of course.

It still hits me every once in a while that I now only have one kidney. It's still kind of weird to think. Other than the scar to prove it, I don't really feel all that different, I can't tell that I have a missing kidney, nor does my left side feel weird from where my kidney used to be. I just now need to get used to the idea that I only have one.

This whole experience has been pretty amazing! Ever since I was 18, I have been an organ donor and never really thought about being a living donor. I just assumed that my organs would be used after I passed on. It's been amazing being a part of something like this to see how I have been able to donate a kidney. I believe everyone should consider being an organ donor; it truly is the greatest gift to give! If I knew that by giving one of my eyes to my mother so she could see, I would do it in a heartbeat. I can live with one good eye..... Her blindness is much more complicated than that unfortunately.

I continue to still be so overwhelmed by the goodness of people who have come by with meals, posted accolades on facebook, people who have called or texted. I grately appreciate all the support everyone has shown me and the family during this time.

Grandma and Grandpa went back to Vermont yesterday. It was nice having them here this past week to help out with laundry, playing with the kids, etc. It was a huge help and relief. It was hard for the kids saying good-bye. Once you see your kids cry, you cannot help but cry yourself. Breaks your heart.....

I am techinically "off" from work for one more week. Not quite sure what I am going to do with myself, but hopefully I will start to get more energy and be able to do a few things around the house. I guess I should just enjoy my last week and continue to take it easy.

Transplant a Success!

Praise the Lord, the transplant was a success! We couldn't have asked for a better team of doctors through all of this. I was wheeled into pre-op around 7:15, where Melissa (our neighbor/friend and chief anesthetist) began administering my cocktail of some great drugs. Wow..... I was way above the clouds within a few short minutes after she gave me the drugs. I don't even remember going into OR. Having Melissa there definitely helped calm my fears. When I found out that she worked at the hospital, I put in a special request to have her be there on the day of our transplant. Thankfully, she kindly obliged. She talked me through everything, reassured me about the surgery, etc. I was able to get knocked out peacefully.

I was wheeled into OR around 7:30; Gigi about an hour later. Our transplant coordinators, Lisa and Melissa (different one), did a great job updating Stacey and Pops on the progress of everything. A special thank you to our friend, Diana, who came down to spend the day with them for support. I requested a picture of the kidney once it was out of me and we have it! I won't post it here, so if anyone wants to see it, let us know and I can email you the picture. I was intrigued to see the kidney. I was in recovery by around 11:30 and Gigi about 2 hrs later. I finally got to see Stacey around 1:00, although I don't recall the moment. I stayed in recovery until about 6:00 and was finally brought to my own room. I did get a chance to see Gigi briefly in recovery as they wheeled her to her room.

The Morning After Surgery:



Wednesday night was a lot of sleep and coping with the pain, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. I thought I was going to be in rough shape. I would have to say Thursday and Friday were probably the worst days out of this whole process.

Praise the Lord again for how great my kidney is working for Gigi! She got a champion kidney!!! LOL...... I truly am grateful for how everything turned out. Remarkably, Gigi is recovering very well, looks great, and is doing great! We couldn't have asked for anything else. We had many people praying for us and our support system has been phenomenal. God was certainly with us through all this.

My parents arrived into town on Friday afternoon and will stay for the week to help me out at the house while the kids are in school and Stacey goes back to work. Stacey was able to take the week off so she could be at the hospital with us. It's been quite a week indeed!

I was discharged on Saturday afternoon! I was ready to leave and anxious to see the kids. Thanks again to Diana who came to the house to watch the kids while Stacey and my folks came to get me. Doctors' are estimating that Gigi should be able to come home on Monday!

Today is Monday.....5 days post surgery, 2 days since I've been home, and I am feeling better with each passing day. Still a bit tired and sore, but feeling great! Hopefully Gigi will still be able to come home today.

I am on short term disability from work and am tentatively scheduled to return next Monday, but ultimately it's up to my Surgeon. I go for my follow up appointments next Tuesday. I am confident my recovery will continue to go well and I should be back to my routines throughout the coming weeks.

Thank you all again for your support, love, generosity, etc.... the meals we have received thus far have been absolutely wonderful and amazing! You all helped in more ways than you know and we truly are grateful for everything you've done. God Bless You all!

Hospital Day

Today is the day we left for the hospital. Said goodbye to the kids at the bus stop this morning and gave them all hugs and kisses. They really have been amazing through this whole thing and completely understand what I am doing and why. The next few weeks will certainly be tough as I recover and not be able to do much with them in terms of physical activity, but we'll try to make it work as best as we can so that there is little disruption to their routine. At least I get a nice two week vacation from work.... LOL!

It is amazing how much preparation has gone into all of this. Not just over the past few months with all the tests, but just here at home. The packing, cleaning, organizing, the bills, etc.... so much to take care of.

A lot of people have been asking me if I am nervous. To some degree, I am! But I try to put this whole thing in perspective that I am donating a kidney. It could be worse; I could be having a brain tumor removed, fighting cancer, or something. I'm certainly trying not to make light of the situation or the procedure, but just reminding myself that I'm doing something good here. That helps. I know I will be in great hands with the team of doctors and staff. We have an incredible support system surrounding us and I couldn't be more grateful than I am right now.

I have only been admitted since 12:00 and it is now almost 6pm. In these short 6 hours, I feel like I have been here for days..... I don't know how Stacey did it for 63 days on bedrest. Those who know me know that I am not one for sitting down; I feel like I always need to be doing something. Jello, Italian Ice, and Broth have become my new main food group! LOL.... Had it for lunch and then again for dinner. All I can have is liquid, no solids. Just found out today that I won't be able to eat solids until maybe late Thursday or Friday. I am going to wither!!!!! I usually have at least 4-5 meals a day! This whole not being able to eat is pure torture! LOL.... Who knows, I may surprise myself and the doctors and recover faster than expected. I look forward to eating something of real substance soon.

Tomorrow is the big day and I will try to post late in the evening after I have gone through recovery and am somewhat cognisant of what I am typing. Please continue to pray for me, Gigi and the family.

Below is a picture of the two of us pre-surgery/check-in:

Last Chance Workout!

Today was my official last day of working out before the surgery. I have been doing the P90X program for some time now (mostly for toning purposes) and most recently incorporated more of the strength training to it. I absolutely love the P90X program! I have been working out off and on for a number of years, with very little consistency over a set routine; but the P90X program has changed all that and I enjoy each and every workout they do. I know I get a great workout each time! I hope to be able to get back into it when my body is ready. I have been trying to get myself as physically fit as possible in an effort to improve my recovery time. Although the Doctors say that I am in good shape now and have no doubt that I will recover just fine, I still wanted to exercise as much as possible because I won't be able to do so for at least six weeks.

Now I will be resting up and taking it easy over the next few days to get myself physically, emotionally and mentally prepared. Overall, I think I am ready to do this, I have no second thoughts at all, I just want the day to come now! Looks like we are all set though.

As long as I do what the Doctors say during my recovery, I should be fine. My goal is to be back to my normal routine by March 1st. I have a list of races I want to do in the coming months along with a couple of triathlons I want to try this summer. I know that I not push myself, but allow my body enough time to heal properly. The next few weeks will certainly dictate what I can/cannot do.

There is still lots to do before Tuesday, so this weekend will be busy for sure. So many preparations to take care of. Everyone has been great and I thank everyone enough for all the love, support and prayers that have been offered. It truly has been overwhelming and I feel so blessed.

6 Days To Go!

Went to LabCorp this morning to have some additional blood work taken care of. Just final routine stuff I guess.... Then headed to Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies, snacks, etc to have onhand with me at the hospital while I recover. Trying to get things in order before the surgery so we don't have to worry about anything when we get home. My parents arrive next Friday thankfully! My Dad will be a great help with keeping the kids busy, while my Mom can help with laundry, cooking and cleaning. With her blindness, unfortunately, she is limited to what she can do, especially in our house, since she isn't as familiar with the layout as she is with her own home.
This weekend, we will work to get the house cleaned and ready.

Today, I was given a nice surprise from two great friends of mine. They arranged to get 3 tickets to this Saturday's Broncos vs Patriots game in Boston. Road Trip!!! While I immediately wanted to jump at the opportunity to go, I did have to sit back and rationalize it. Although I GREATLY appreciated the gesture these two friends made, I had to turn down the offer. While talking it over with Stacey, the trip, as fun as it may be, would be too risky to take. I would not only be risking myself getting into an accident, getting stuck in Boston due to weather, or coming home sick, but I have to factor Gigi in all of this as well. Ultimately, this affects her too.

The nights continue to be a bit restless.... for some reason I am literally waking up every hour. I know some of it has to do with the upcoming surgery, but I find myself lying in bed thinking about Stacey and kids through all of this. Also worrying about my parents and making sure they get here safely next week. Of course, the natural fear of not making it through the surgery! I know I will be fine, but hey, I think it's normal for anyone to think they may not make it out of surgery. It's a natural emotion.... Honestly though, I know things will be fine and both Gigi and I will make it through this. We have received so many prayers and well wishes already and have a tremendous support system around us. God has blessed us in so many ways.

Our Kidney Transplant Journey

I held off on blogging about this chapter in our lives for a number of reasons, but mainly because I wanted to respect Gigi's privacy. Last summer, Gigi informed us that she was going to need another transplant within a year. She had her first transplant a little over 14 years ago and according to medical experts, a kidney transplant can last anywhere between 15-20 years. When we found out the news, Gigi's sister, Stacey's brother Scott, and I all volunteered to get tested to see if we were matches. Miraculously, all three of us were! However, I was deemed to be the most healthy, so the specialists chose me to be the desired donor.

I haven't had any second thoughts whatsoever about this whole thing. I have been a registered organ donor since I turned 18, try to give blood regularly, and just felt like this is the right thing to do. After all, this is my mother in law, my wife's mother, my kids' grandmother! I would do this for any one of my family members.

Over the past several months, I have literally had a $1 million medical workup (LOL!) from blood work, to MRIs, Cat Scans, you name it. Honestly, it's all been pretty interesting and I am fortunate to be able to be in this position where I am ALIVE to help someone like this!

With a week out, I admit that I have some anxiety, who wouldn't?!..... mostly because of the fact that I have never broken a bone nor ever had surgery. My anxiety stems from the fear of the unknown and not knowing what to expect post surgery. I am confident things will go smoothly, but as with any surgery, there are risks. I am not really worried about any of those because based on all the tests, there shouldn't really be any risks. It also gives me some peace of mind that we will be at a special transplant center, so we know that this is all they do day in and day out! VTC is a well respected transplant facility and my surgeon has told me that he has no doubts that I will recover just fine. One of our neighbors is a nurse anesthetist and I have asked her to be in the OR and administer the anesthesia, which I believe will help calm any fears I may have. Although I wish Stacey could be there to hold my hand, I know I will be in good hands throughout the process.

We've talked to the kids about all of this as well and they seem fine about the whole thing. They know what is going on and what I am doing and what Gigi needs. They seem to understand it all. I wish they would be able to come down and be there, but no kids under 11 are allowed. They will be in great hands with our neighbors and friends who have graciously offered to care for them during this time.

I couldn't have gone through all of this without not only the support of Stacey and the kids, but all of our friends and family. They have been amazing through all of this and definitely gives me peace of mind that they will all be praying for us next week. After all, we all know what the power of prayer does!! God has definitely had a hand in this and brought me into this family for a reason. Please continue to pray for us through this journey and I pray God watches over both Gigi and I during the surgery and heals us quickly for a speedy recovery.