Introduce yourself here :) Welcome aboard!

Hello to all our Transplant Friends.

Please say hello and tell us something about yourself.

Your name

Your nickname if you have one

Your passions in life

What part of the world are you connecting with us from?

Did you have a Transplant? If so, what type of transplant did you have?

If you are not a transplant recipient, what brings you here besides the invitation?

What title best describes you? Are you a donor family, medical person, community director, special events coordinator, parent, caregiver the list goes.

Basically, share whatever you like with us. No need to answer all the questions, I just placed a few ideas for you to understand what we are looking for.

All the best to you
Rise'

Tags: introductions, transplant

2 members like this

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stassy on January 12, 2010 at 7:34pm

My name is Stacey don`t really have a nickname other than Stace. My passion is my family. I have a daughter who will be ten years old in May. I was married to the love of my life two years ago. We are planning on having another baby in the near future. I always wanted to be a mom but didn`t think it would happen because of my transplant. Then I did some research and talked to my drs and realised I could! I come from Vancouver Island, Canada. I had a kidney transplant in 1995 so it will be fifteen years in September.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Proudfoot on January 12, 2010 at 8:04pm

Hi, Stassy
This is great news. I have two daughters. I also have 7 Grandkids.

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Permalink Reply by Donald M. Burdolski on January 12, 2010 at 8:08pm

Michael... Mrs. Dash is pretty doggone good... My dear wife suffered from all that with pulmonary hypertension and CHF as well....
Don't be unkind to yourself and let the salt win!!... LIFE is far more precious than some sodium... and if they permit you... potassium can season thing too, but too much of it is as bad as too much sodium.... hence...listen to the doctors.... it was always very hard for my wife.. she loved the salt... but it always got her in trouble too!!

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Al Welch on January 12, 2010 at 9:15pm

My name is Al and I am 58. First my kidney was donated by my sister, then a new pancreas from a cadaver and now I lead a healthy productive life. I am so thankful for the precious gifts I have been given. It has been 12 years since transplant and I'd do it all over again if I had to. I never dreamed I'd be so healthy again. I enjoy my motorcycle and taking motorcycle trips with my buddies.

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Permalink Reply by DAP1122 (Don) on January 12, 2010 at 9:53pm

Hello to all!!

Name = Don Peshek

Nickname = DAP

Passions = My family and living life to it's fullest!

Location = Canton, OH

Transplant? = Yes, a heart on 5/11/2007

Title = Hmmmmm, retired, but I volunteer weekly at my Transplant Center. I also (try) to take care of the birthday & anniversary calendar on TransplantBuddies. org and I also have been doing some monthly site stats as well.

God Bless!

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Permalink Reply by Harvey Mysel on January 12, 2010 at 10:40pm

Hello,

I started a nonprofit organization to help people in need of a kidney transplant pursue living donation.

Webinar announcement: "Having Your Donor Find You" is presented by the Living Kidney Donors Network (LKDN). For your convenience, this FREE Webinar, is being offered on 2 different dates, Tuesday, February 2nd and then again on Monday, February 8th at 7:30 PM Central Time.

Who should attend? This webinar is perfect for people that are in need of a kidney transplant and want to learn how to communicate their need to friends and family. If there is someone that wants to help you spread the word about your need, we call them Advocates, ask them to sign up for the webinar or have them attend with you.

The LKDN Webinar has two goals, to educate people about living kidney donation and to help them develop the skills to effectively communicate their need to family members and friends.

For more information about the Webinar, or to register please go to the following: http://livingkidneydonorsnetwork.org/webinars.html

Thank you,

Harvey Mysel, Founder
Living Kidney Donors Network
www.lkdn.org
http://lkdnblog.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/harveymysel
harvey@lkdn.org

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Permalink Reply by Yolanda Rodriquez on January 12, 2010 at 10:58pm

I live in Hemet CA, Inland Empire, Riverside for now! I'm Post Liver Transplant going on 20, yes Twenty glorious years.
My on line name is Diehard19, but God Willing, I will be Diehard20 in a few months, St. Patrick's Day.I've been a " floater " on line, signing in and out of support groups for years now. I've witness the Communication Frontier of Transplants Support Groups on line. The formats, it all comes down to content, return to redundant applications is a issue? Thank God, I can say " it too gets old " LOL So many resources, for what ever ails us, we have a choice, it's taken on a life of it's own too. I just cant find the energy to focus on myself, at this juncture, Haiti Earthquake trumps my need to share my story for now. So I'll get back when I feel more interested in participating in this type of forum. Thanks for being there, " showing up " from one link to another...variety keeps me a " floater " for now. Keep up your energetic attempt to find potential members, that's a criteria in most groups. Contacts? I don't need hundreds of members to feel like I belong. Friends, a friend, one, is all it takes to share our stories, past, present, future. You Matter to me. Thanks for letting me join too.

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Permalink Reply by Chuck Eldred on January 13, 2010 at 12:12am

Well, here I am. I'm a 73 year old guy who was lucky enough to get a lung transplant September 22nd. My name is Charles Eldred, call me Chuck or Charley. I am so glad to be able to move around again that it brings tears to my eyes. I was a runner for years, and have just started a jog/walk routine again. I really love windsurfing,and am counting the days till I can get back on my board. I'm thankful every day for the support my family has shown in this adventure, and now that we are back home, for the complete unselfishness of my wife, Annie. No one could do this alone, and without her, I couldn"t have done it at all. Chuck

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Permalink Reply by Art L. on January 13, 2010 at 1:18am

Hello all, my name is Art Lauderback and I hail from Charleston, Illinois. I really don't have a nickname but I use "feed the white dog" as part of my moniker. It comes from a motivational speaker I heard a few years ago, concerning optimism versus pessimism. My passions are riding my bicycle, hunting, mentoring my 21 year old son and spending time with my girlfriend and her daughters. I haven't had a transplant but I am in the process of becoming an altruistic kidney donor. I started the process in Nov. of 08 and it is getting close to coming to fruition. I have been working with the Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL and they are working with the Illinois Chapter of The Gift of Hope. It looks like I might be the catalyst for a three person donor chain. My final work up is on Jan. 28th. I"m hoping it all works out. Thats my story in a nutshell.

Thanks Rise' for inviting me to this site and thanks to all the members at transplantbuddies I've learned a lot there.

See ya, Art (feed the white dog" Laudeerback

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Permalink Reply by Jamie Peery Warren on January 13, 2010 at 3:53am

Hi. . . My Name is Jamie :)

A few of my "nicknames" include jamiebug, BuggerJ, and buggerjlewis!

I am 30 and I have CF. I also had Cepacia for 14 years. I fought really, really hard to find a transplant center who was willing to take a chance on me and evaluate me for a transplant. Cepacia automatically disqualifies you at pretty much every center in the US. .. . except one. Pittsburgh, Pa. So here is was a small town woman from Idaho on my way to my only glimpse of hope of life. It's a long story, short version: got there, did testing, FEV1 was 11%, CO2 was 120, put on ventilator, not going home, didn't know if I was going to get listed, transplant team met for emergency meeting, decided I needed saved, listed me on Friday night Dec. 7th. . . . .I was in surgery Monday Dec. 10th~ Surgery was hard, Recovery was even harder!

Now I live life with a full breath of air. I am now pursuing my life long dream of being an actress! My FEV1 is 88%-95% and my FVC is over 100%. No rejection yet and I just celebrated my 2 year transplant anniversary! Miracles happen, Our Donor's are our Angels, our Hero, and live on inside us. I love a woman I know nothing about. I love her with all my heart along with her family who chose to give me life. I honor her memory by sharing my story. . .our story, with as many people as I can to help inspire others to join in the effort to raise awareness of the need for Organ Donors!

You can check out my blog at Jamiebug.blogspot.com

Be someone's Hero. . .Be an Organ Donor!

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Permalink Reply by Hostess Rise' on January 13, 2010 at 9:01am

Hi Greg

Welcome to transplantfriends:) Thank you very much for the note of appreciation:) Glad that you are here after your struggle with liver cancer. Now you can help others by sharing your story. You can upload photos and discover much more on our friends site.

http://transplantbuddies.org has an entire site filled with transplant info and personal experiences.

Stay well!

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Permalink Reply by sue brown on January 13, 2010 at 9:01am

Wow, what a great site! I love reading each day about so many success stories. I am a nurse and see the terrible effects of illness not just on a person but on the family also. I donated 1/2 of my liver to my brother on feb 5, 2008. It is coming on 2 years and we are both doing well...We beat the odds because I am alot smaller than my brother and by written numbers they ruled me out. But I pushed and pushed and they found that my liver was bigger than most for my size. I saw this as a sign! This was what I was meant to do. I feel that I am so lucky to be healthy and so many are not! I am looking to possibly donate a kidney and I appreciate the websites that people have posted about that issue. Best of luck to everyone...