i am so excited!

first, i want to say that i am so impressed and moved with the amount of people i've been able to reach through my blog. i love getting feedback, like i did from one man who's wife has PKD and had a transplant from her aunt at the same facility i will have my operation at (the rogosin institute). if you would like to read his comments, simply click on the comments link at the end of my last post. if you would like to read his story about his experience with kidney transplants and PKD, he has a blog as well, which can be accessed by clicking here: http://teamteddybear.blogspot.com/.

i am so impressed with how fast and far the word has spread. please do me a favor and tell at least one person about my blog and give them the link. it is really an amazing thing and i'd love for more people to learn about it. i appreciate all the comments so far and i'd love to get more feedback. i've heard that people have had trouble leaving comments. you just click on the comments link, type your comment into the comment box and then at the bottom, click on to move the selection dot to "name/URL" or "anonymous" (depending on if you'd like to leave your name of if you'd like to leave it anonymously), and then click submit. if you continue to have problems leaving comments and would really like to say something, please feel free to e-mail me at sms3630@gmail.com and i will post them for those who are having trouble :)

secondly, i received a phone call from my parents last night after i got back from a 4 mile run... they received a call from the psychiatrist who interviewed me and they said everything went well, for the most part. he told my dad that i had passed all their tests and asked my parents if they would prefer for me to wait 6 MORE MONTHS! my dad was floored and said, "are you crazy?? this man is going to DIE is you wait any longer!?" so the psychiatrist finally agreed and said, "okay, i guess we can proceed" my mom was particularly shocked by the audacity of this whole system. she can't understand how people who are supposed to be saving people's lives would risk adding another 6 months to the time frame just to "make sure i am certain i want to do this." my mom kept telling me, "melissa, if you want to schedule the surgery tomorrow, i will fly there tonight and be there for you." it's so nice to hear that my parents support me so much and are just as giving and willing during this process.

i talked with my mom and dad for a while about the whole thing-- they are so incredibly proud of me, it is indescribable in words. it really means more than anyone will ever know. i love them so much.

lastly, i spoke with my recipient today (just a few moments ago actually) and he was ecstatic to hear the good news. although i haven't received the "official" okay, the psych told my parents that i was pretty much cleared to donate. i told my recipient that i'd be more than willing to set the date for the next possible opening that they had. he seemed very pleased with that, so that is what i plan on doing. i shared with him the comment that the psych made to my dad and he was as equally upset that they would even push this further than the 5 months we're at now. anyway, at least we can be grateful that we match, it is happening and hopefully he will gain many years from this donation.

i called my donor coordinator to see if she had any news for me (a.k.a. the official okay to go ahead), and when i do i will post on here to let everyone know. hopefully she will let me set a date for surgery and we can proceed ahead!!

i am more excited that ever and cannot wait for this to happen!!

xoxo