Exciting Week

The Spaghetti Dinner is tomorrow night! I can hardly believe all that everyone has done to get it together. I keep hearing pieces of who has donated to the silent auction, who is making home-made sauce, how many people have asked to help…it is just amazing. And then I think about all the people who are coming…my girls from college, old high school friends, my family, church friends, even people I don’t know. One of the most important factors in recovering from a transplant is having a good support system…wow, I think we’ve got that one covered! Thank you all in advance for coming out tomorrow night and for supporting us…and thank you to everyone who has supported us and can’t make it to the dinner. You are all in our prayers and we are so thankful for you.

Here is a link to the Spaghetti Dinner Facebook page if you are interested in coming!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=133444790037911&index=1

Well, we went back to Hopkins on Tuesday for a check up. I am so thankful I was able to go a whole month without needing to go back because of sickness! My lung function was down just a tiny bit. I’ve been struggling more with tightness and getting out of breath but Dr. Boyle said there really isn’t much we can do about it right now. I can’t go up on my steroids because I am on the highest level allowed for getting a transplant. Antibiotics won’t help because I don’t seem to have an infection. So I’m just doing my best to breath. It is making me really excited for new lungs. When I make the bed and get out of breath, or put away dishes and have to rest, I am reminded that there is an end in sight…next November I won’t be feeling like this. My goal is to run the 5K Turkey Trot at HCC with my Dad and Jonathan next Thanksgiving. It makes me cry to think about. I’ve watched Jonathan run over the finish line several times, and I’ve watched Dad and Jonathan run over the finish line, and next year I get to do it with them!!!

Our next appointment is on Tuesday. We have a 2 hour long meeting to learn about what kind of care I will need after the transplant. Should be interesting…prayers are always appreciated!

And now for some non-transplant stuff! I am SO excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas and the wedding!!! I have lots of Christmas decoration which I bought on black Friday last year, we bought a fake Christmas tree (because I can’t have a real one after the transplant), and I’ve already started Christmas shopping (which is really early for me!). I am so excited to have our first Christmas as a married couple! I promise that I am more excited than all the kids I know : ) Jonathan said we could put the tree up on Thanksgiving so I’ll be sure to post some pictures!

- Rachel

Here is Dad and Jonathan at a CF Foundation benefit 5K last year...