Home from Hopkins!!!

What an amazing hospital experience! The Johns Hopkins Transplant Team was simply awesome.

Desirae and I started our journey as pre-op buddies side by side, as members of the surgical and anaesthesiology teams prepared us for the upcoming surgery. I was so impressed by the manner of Desirae's medical team....how encouraging and caring they were. Each person who came to visit prior to surgery eased tensions and gave a thorough rundown of what was to be expected. Desirae was taken into surgery first, and then I was prepped. I received an equally supportive team who explained the process fully and made me feel that I was in the best of hands.

The surgery itself lasted around four hours. Directly afterwards, I was in the ICU, where I remained overnight in the skilled hands of the ICU nursing staff. In the morning, I was wheeled to the room that would be my home base for the next six days. Despite the scary nature of the situation, not once did I feel as if I was in any harm or danger. The nurses, the techs, nurse practitioners and doctors who worked with me daily were thorough - explaining every aspect of each and every step that I was going through. Johns Hopkins hires the best of the best. Both my daughter and I were well cared for every step of the way.

The end result - a successful surgery - a new kidney - the opportunity to keep living and experiencing this life I love. How miraculous is that!?!

Kevin stood by my side every second of the way. His steady, calm nature helped beyond what he will ever know. And, my beautiful daughter Desirae, what can I say? I owe you my life. Your generous gift will be appreciated for the rest of my days.

So, now we are home. Desirae and her boyfriend fly back to MA this afternoon to reenter their lives. Desirae looked simply radiant when she left the cabin this morning.

This whole experience has been so moving...nothing short of a miracle.

Look Up

Today's blog is a tribute to Jamie Sams, author of one of my favorite books, "Earth Medicine." Her profound writings have provided enlightenment and guidance, her words promote a deeper level of thought and subsequent peace and inner harmony. I turn to this book as a source of comfort and inspiration, never tiring of it, and often reread passages over and over again.

The following is a passage from Jamie Sams "Earth Medicine" ~

Reflections of Sky Nation

The thunder-beings were busy giving birth to new clouds, sending them to dance in the blue playground of the sky. Grandfather Sun provided the glittering sunbeams, which acted like jump ropes for today's newborn, puffy Cloud People.

One of the most curious little clouds wandered off on the winds. She decided she was going to have a talk with Sacred Mountain. "Grandmother Mountain, I've come to ask you if your forests need rain today," she said. I want to be of service, and so I thought I had better find out what is needed most."

Sacred Mountain told the little cloud that there was plenty of moisture today, but the little cloud could help in another way. Sacred Mountain taught the little cloud how to understand the thoughts and questions that human beings were having. It was fun for the little cloud to capture the waves of human thoughts rising from the Earth and to answer the humans' unspoken questions by becoming shapes that formed a series of ideas. The needed answers were found through linking ideas.

The little cloud approached Sacred Mountain at the end of the day with another question that caused Cloud to have a heavy heart, "Grandmother Mountain, I've worked all day to reflect helpful answers to the Human Tribe, but now I have one very important question. How can we get them to look up and pay attention?" ~

...stories, the colorful interplay of words such as these offered by Jamie Sams...a gentle reminder of keeping the faith...and looking up when you are feeling down!