AMY GOT THE CALL!!

After 2 long years, Amy has finally received her 2nd set of lungs. As we speak, she's in surgery!! Darren and I met Amy and her husband Kendall when we arrived in Toronto in December 2007. Amy had received her 1st transplant in 2004, and was back in Toronto in 2007 being listed for another transplant. Amy too has CF.

These east-coasters became good friends of ours and we have been waiting to hear the good news that Amy received her call!

I'm a little too ecstatic to write at this moment ... I'll post more when we hear some news!

Sending lots of love and healing thoughts your way Amy and Kendall! xoxo

ADULT CYSTIC FIBROSIS COMMITTEE

After finishing a conference call with the Adult CF Committee (ACFC), I realized that I had never mentioned throughout my blog that I am involved with this committee and have been since 2005!

I became involved with the ACFC as the Atlantic Regional Vice-Representative in February 2005. It was a new and exciting adventure for me - sitting on a national committee, advocating for individuals with CF. After all, what could a young girl from rural Newfoundland have to say?!?! I quickly learned what an exciting experience the ACFC was going to be. Unfortunately, from 2005-2008 I could only participate with the committee members via conference calling ... I didn't have the opportunity to meet anyone in person or attend any committee meetings outside NL. To be honest, I did feel pretty helpless and useless ... but I continued on.

Following my transplant in 2008 I vowed that I would become more active and would attend what meetings I could (without interfering with work) - and I did! It was an amazing opportunity to FINALLY meet all the members whom I had listened to and spoke with many times ... but never had met face-to-face. To backtrack a little, I was also successful in serving as the Atlantic Region Representative from 2007-present!

Nevertheless, in September 2008 I was exposed to B. Cepacia a dangerous "bug" affecting individuals with CF. Being a newly transplanted patient, I had to be carefully examined (and still do for up to 2 years) to test for the presence of this "bug". But what did this mean for the ACFC - well, it meant that I couldn't attend any meetings until I got the "all clear". So here I am, right back where I began ... unable to attend any meetings, functions, events, etc.

But the good news ... I've been "clean" up until now and I'm anticipating that following my 2 year assessment and bronchoscopy, I will be able to get right back into what I love to do!

To learn more about the ACFC, just click the title of this post!!! Or visit, www.cysticfibrosis.ca to learn all about the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!

Natalia Goes Home!

I've been following Natalia's story ... as most CF and TX families have ... over the past couple of months. To sum it up ... that girl's one "tuff cookie" - but then again, I wouldn't have expected anything else from a fellow CF Fighter!

As you'll recall from my previous posts, Natalia was in pretty bad shape prior to her TX ... well to be honest, REALLY bad shape. After her lungs failed, she ended up on a Novalung to keep her alive. Thankfully, a donor was found and now Natalia is on her way to a new and wonderful life with her family!

We also learned today that Natalia has been discharged and is HOME! CBC has been following Natalia and her story - and have done a fantastic job! To see the latest of CBC's coverage ... visit: On A Mission: Natalia Goes Home!

Thank you CBC for a great story, and more importantly, stressing the importance of Organ Donation!

*Be a hero and save someone's life - be an organ donor*

RINGIN' IN 2010!!

2010 is here and 2009 is a distant memory - HA HA!

I have never wished my time away, and 2009 is no different. This Christmas season has been very quite, yet enjoyable. I have come to one conclusion though ... our old holiday traditions are just that ... OLD! 2010 is going to be a year of new beginnings!

2008 was MY year ... my new lease on life! Since that time I've seem to land right back into worrying about everything else but me. No more ... 2010 is going to be different. No more taking crap from others, worrying about things I can't change, or mot doing the things that I like to do. It's time to take care of myself AGAIN. It's time to get back to enjoying these wonderful "gifts".

So, I'm welcoming 2010 with optimism and a NEW positive attitude ... YAY for 2010!