Eleven Years and Counting

Eleven years. When we were going back and forth to Dallas all that time for testing and classes and counseling and on and on, we were told the average survival rate at that time for lung transplant patients was 5 years. See… all my life I tried to tell everyone I was above average. But would they believe me? Noooo. Well now they sort of have to. LOL

I can’t begin to express how amazed I am that I’m still here. There are no bounds to the length and breadth of my deep appreciation to Christopher, my donor, his family, and an amazing God for sending me to the right doctors, guiding their hands, and giving me the gift of “new to me” lungs, the strength to pull through, and the will to keep fighting.

And above it all there was John, who literally saved my life by insisting I have the surgery even though I was so scared. My kids who always had my back and encouraged me, my sisters who came and stayed to help take care of me both before and after the surgery, and all of my family, friends, and even my readers who absolutely ‘prayed me through it’ by starting prayer chains that stretched across our nation and to many countries beyond our borders.

And, last but certainly not least, our little Millie who took such good care of me with kisses, snuggles, hugs and tail wags. She is my little four-legged .

So, 11 years are officially in the books and it is on to number 12. If you are a registered donor, God Bless you. And if you’re not, why not? But, either way, God Bless you, too.

Donate Life!

Information about Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donation | organdonor.gov

Transplant Warriors Rock! ~ Raeann Blake