Bitter Sweet Weeks

An old picture of me and two of my
coworkers, Lauren & Debbie

The past few weeks have been just that. They've been full of ups and downs. Happy and sad. It started a few weeks ago when I went out for Happy Hour with my coworkers from Smiths Detection. It was so great to see everyone and it was supposed to be our last big hurrah before everyone got their warn letters with the date of when we would be getting laid off. Unfortunately, they started giving out some letters early so that put a slight damper on things. The next day I had to drive down to Philly for my follow up appointment with my Neurologist about my headaches. As I was driving down, I got a call from the HR department informing that my letter was being emailed to me. She explained that my last day of "work" would be March 30th. That was also the one year anniversary of the last time I worked in the office. That meant that, according to the company's practice, I would be taken off of insurance and have to go on COBRA. Thankfully since I would be getting let go in the end of March anyway, they made and exception and are allowing me to keep my benefits until then. I got good news from the Neurologist and he didn't make any changes to my medication for my headaches. The appointment literally took five minutes. So I drove two hours down and two hours back for a five minute appointment. I took some extra time to go visit my nurses on Founders 10, the unit I was in for the weeks before I got my new heart. It just so happened that two of my favorite nurses were working. I was so happy to see them! They made my time there so much more bearable. Not just those two, but the entire staff was amazing!

A week and a half later, I was back down to Philly for my nine month biopsy. As has been the case since being off prednisone, I continue to show no signs of rejection and all of my "levels" are right where my doctors want them to be. While I'm very excited that I continue to get healthy and haven't had any issues since my transplant, it makes me sad that after all this effort to get healthy I will not have a job to return to. I know that this, as well as most things that have happened to me in the past year and a half, are beyond my control. I just feel like every time I get back up from one thing, I get kicked down by another. I'm looking at 2012 as a year of new beginnings and finally ending so many chapters of my life. The scariest part is that as these chapters end, there is so far nothing to write in the upcoming ones. That being said, I have found out that even though I am still on long term disability I can still get a part time job to acclimate myself back into the working world until I am cleared to return to work on a full time basis. My next biopsy is scheduled for March 7th. After that, biopsies will be less frequent, although I'm confused as to what it will be. I thought it would be two months (for my annual) and then it would be three moths after that but the said six weeks after March. I will clarify this when I go down in March.

On a happier note, I woke up this morning to find out that a girl I went to grade school with got a much needed pancreatic transplant! I was so overjoyed to hear this. She has been through the ringer and if anyone deserves it, she does. She is probably one of the strongest people I know. I would also like to take this time to remind you that in less than two months I will be participating in the 17th Annual Dash for Organ & Tissue Donor Awareness. Please support me in this incredible event by making a donation towards my 3k walk. Without the generous gifts that donors provide, so many people would not be here today. One person donating their vital organs and tissue can save the lives of as many as eight other people - and make a difference in the lives of many more.


As always, I thank you for your continued support!


Bryan