September 2, 2014

It's been a month since my transplant surgery.

I feel like a new man, my recovery is so remarkable that I feel guilty.

A slow shuffling of my feet during the first days became almost a normal walk by now. Fatigue usually knocks me out for most of the day, but I can deal with that. In general, every day I see some improvement, it's amazing how important is liver to the body function. My phone now is full of the alarms alerting me about the times to take my countless pills, checking my vitals, my blood sugar and doing insulin shots using all these little kits from the drug store I had no idea about before. Diabetes is something new to me, it is one if the side effects from the drugs I'm taking. They say it might go away, I hope for that, but in reality it's such a minor thing. I still think that I live through a dream that can end any moment. It is one of those " too good to be true" and it happened to me.

I am so enormously grateful for the gift of life that I received, and I am happy to be back.

August 16, 2014

It's been more than two weeks since the surgery.

The recovery is going great. My dog is happy because I started to walk with him and I don't walk fast. Not for too long little buddy.

I was reading something I wrote right before the surgery and thought to share it.

here it is:

I've never met you, I know nothing about you... and I so wish we could meet and talk.

There is so much I have to say to you.

This is one of the life's impossible puzzles. I will live now, I will have a future now, the huge weight just got lifted off my family. You made it possible and you won't even know it...

Life can unfold in such bizarre and unexpected ways.

It seems that just yesterday I was doing my regular runs, which gradually turned into jogs.

It seems just yesterday I had to ask the doc. to repeat what she said after pointing to a plastic model of the liver in its final stage of cirrhoses informing me about my condition. Then, I wasn't jogging anymore and became a slowest walking person on sidewalk.

Just less than two weeks ago I was saved only by an incredible skills, effort and risk taking of docs here at Houston St. Luke's Hospital.

Kurt Vonnegut once said that we are here on Earth to fart around. Well, a week ago I couldn't do even that.

So much have changed, and so fast.

I am thinking about my Annabella, how much have been on her shoulders, I am thinking about my promise twenty years ago to take care of her.

Several hours ago I got a call informing me that there is a possible liver much. I couldn't believe it and still can't believe what is happening.

I am thinking about how devastated right now are your parents and friends.

It's after five in a morning, in an hour they will put me under anesthesia and I will come back with a part of you.

Can't sleep, overwhelmed with feelings of relieve and sadness.

Keep thinking about the one who's gift saves me and why did you have to die.

I am grateful to you...

Thank you.