Happy liverversary, Nancy!

I still can't believe that someone could do something like this for me, but she did it! Three years ago today, Nancy was already in surgery, and I couldn't stop puking long enough for them to get an I.V. in me. I was so scared that they weren't going to be able to do it, and I kept pleading with my body, that if it would just cooperate for 2 minutes, it would be really happy in about 10 hours. The next thing I remember was the feeling of not being able to breathe. Luckily, I remembered this feeling from when River was born. (I did not handle it well that time) Before they could remove the tube from my throat, they had to make sure I could breathe on my own. Once that one came out, I was begging for the tube in my nose to come out too. By the next day, I wanted to get up and see Nancy. Even with all of the pain meds, antibiotics, and steroids, I felt AMAZING! Nancy, on the other hand was not feeling great. Not only was this her first surgery, but she went from having a perfect 100% functioning liver, to having only 46% total. It was very tough for her. While I was remembering where I had put things two months before, and recalled phone numbers without looking them up, Nancy couldn't even focus on a conversation if there was another noise in the room. She looked like I did, just days before, and I felt horrible about that. They said that it was normal, and she would be back to herself soon. She was, but I think it took close to a year to feel 100%. I was actually relieved when they said that I couldn't do another living donation, because I couldn't be the reason someone felt like that, again. She handled it like a champ though. She would come over to my room, and we would snack and talk, and usually ended up laughing so much that one of us (or both) would need to take a pain pill and rest. I don't think I can explain the connection I have with Nancy now, but I realized it pretty quickly that it was there.

Our first walk

A few days after our surgery, Nancy and I took our first walk down the hall together, but as I looked at her to my right, something felt off. For some reason, I had to switch sides. It wasn't until later that we found out that I had gotten the right lobe of her liver. And even though I needed another liver one year and six days later, Nancy will always be a part of me. I wouldn't be here without her.

Three of the most amazing people I know, right here!