November 22, 2022

I met Jeremy in the fall of 2019 on a blind date. We had a mutual friend who thought of the crazy idea to match us together. It turned out to not only be crazy but the right kind of crazy for both of us. Jeremy seemed to fit right into my life. He quickly took on the role of being a protector, listener, and champion in my life and in the life of my three kids. Shortly thereafter, we did something even crazier and decided to get married. The blissful planning came to a halt when we learned that Jeremy was extremely sick. Looking back on those long months, I am surprised my heart didn’t shatter into pieces watching my then-fiance enter the operating room numerous times and not fully recovering. But I learned another valuable and loving characteristic of Jeremy after seeing him go through all of these medical procedures. He is a fighter.

The road to recovery was a slow one. There were times I thought it best that we put off our wedding until he felt recovered. But Jeremy didn’t care what condition his body was in as he wanted our union in marriage more than anything. Jeremy waited his whole life to find me and I realized that nothing was going to stop him from holding on to me and making me his forever. I had waited my whole life to find a man like him who would accept everything about me. In August of 2021, we got married! Although Jeremy was still recovering, we moved forward thinking the worst was behind us. We didn’t fully understand all that his body was going through until we got the news that Jeremy would be needing a liver transplant. I’m not going to lie, I felt hopeless when we got the news that his condition had gotten to a point where his liver was shutting down. I work in the medical field and know how many factors need to be in place for someone to have a liver transplant.

Months went by and we did our best to live life to the fullest. We had our ups and downs when we received medical updates on Jeremy’s condition, but we somehow kept moving forward. Then in November 2022, Jeremy returned to the ER unexpectedly and was diagnosed with a serious infection. At this point, my heart was cracking at the seams. Not only was my husband dealing with a fragile liver but also a serious infection. It was at this low point that we started to see the blessings and miracles shower upon us. A few days after being released from the hospital, Jeremy managed to drive to Utah for some additional testing on his liver to prepare for a possible transplant. Although he was still very weak and sick, we finished the paperwork and testing to be on the transplant list for his liver. Before leaving the hospital to return home, we were stopped by the medical staff and informed that Jeremy’s liver was not doing well and they wanted to admit him into the hospital. As scary as it was to see my husband once again being admitted into the hospital, I was relieved that he would be receiving the best medical care possible. Blessings continued to pour in when we got word that Jeremy was not only added to the transplant list for a viable liver but also on the top of the list. Within a day, Jeremy was able to undergo a liver transplant and have a second chance at life.

My husband and I are aware of how fortunate he has been in receiving a liver transplant in such a short time. We are so grateful for all those that played a part in making it possible to have this second chance.