I never knew it would feel so good to come back for a bit

So - I am a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, a women's music fraternity. And now that I'm gradumacated I've been a member of the Alum chapter for the past 7 years. We thought (ok, I thought) it would be fun to put together a musicale for our end of the year meeting. No stress, just fun. So today I went to the home of one of the lovely SAI's to rehearse and pick out a couple of songs.

Side note - this SAI was my group piano teacher at Iowa and I'm sure the only way I passed Group II after my horrendous in my head keychange of the Star Spangled Banner was because I was an SAI and she was our advisor...

Anyway....

So I picked out a few songs to try out from college. Then she started playing and I started singing. And it was awesome amazing and better than I could have ever expected! It felt so good. Kind of like pulling out an old dusty toy you haven't played with since you were a kid and playing with it again for the first time and realizing it was just as fun as it ever was. There were no grades, no professors bringing me down or stress - just the piano, the music and my voice. All for fun - nothing else, purely for the joy of singing and making music.

It's taken nearly a decade, but I sang for the pure love of singing and music. Man, it felt great! And the cool part is that I wasn't half bad! Sure a few of those high A's didn't pop out like they used to, and my phrasing was lacking majorly....but you know, it's awesome what a few years growing up can do to your voice.

Aaron asked me when the last time was I actually sang. Like, sang for real. I've done a few weddings here and there - but that's not when I pull out the opera/classical voice, that's for sure. So I thought about it, and the sad thing is, I don't remember when. My guess was for that senior recital picture below.

So - what is it you haven't done in a long time that you should dust off and try again??

Dave’s Story

Univ. of Nebraska Medical Center Weekly Newsletter

April 14, 2008

My family and I entered the complex world of
transplantation in January 1989 when the physicians
at an Air Force hospital told my wife and me that what
they first thought was a deadly cancer in my liver
really was a disease that adversely affects the bile ducts
called primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

We were elated with the news until Byers Shaw, MD,
and his team at The Nebraska Medical Center told us that
without a liver transplant I would most certainly die.
"Die?" I said, "How could that be?" I obviously knew
very little about transplantation, so in my ignorance
and motivation to keep current as a B-1B, B-52 and
potential B-2 instructor pilot in the Air Force, I said,
"Fine, then get me a new liver and I should be good to
go, right?" Not hardly. Dr. Shaw explained to us all the
varied aspects of transplantation, like how people get
placed on the waiting list, receive a new liver if they’re
lucky, and about the post-operative challenges my
family and I would face.

What really got our attention was that because of the
shortage of organ donors and the slow progression of
my disease, I probably wouldn’t be listed for another
eight to 10 years. We were a very scared family for the
nine years following my PSC diagnosis. I didn’t know
anyone who had had an organ transplant, so
everything that happened to me before my
transplant was very upsetting. Once we got
more transplant facts, like how few people
actually donate their organs; how many people
were already on the waiting list; and how sick
patients must be before actually transplanting; it was
clear that my future was tenuous at best.

My wife kept a very detailed diary of our experiences
with my transplant. She, along with our kids were the
ones who kept me motivated and as active as I could be
before transplant. Our kids at the time of my transplant
had only seen me well about half of their lives and
barely remembered me as a healthy person. I appreciated
their optimism and support even though my health
kept me from participating much in their lives at the
times when I was really needed. I thank my wife for
holding things together for all of us at home. We also
thank our church family who continuously helped out
and offered prayers for us.

As it turned out, Dr. Shaw’s predictions were about
right. I was grounded from flying in 1992 when my
liver disease made me a Type II diabetic. I finally retired
medically from the Air Force in June 1997. I immediately
underwent a very extensive transplant evaluation
at The Nebraska Medical Center. I was placed on their
waiting list right after the evaluation. The arduous task
of waiting began.

By the grace of God, I received my "gift of life" April
17, 1998. I was fortunate to only have to wait 10
months on that list. I was released from the hospital in
nine days and I was back to work full-time only three
months after surgery.

Thanks to my very generous donor along with a transplant
team second to none, I was present for our kids’
college graduations. I experienced the thrill and honor
of walking our daughter down the aisle at her wedding
in 2001. I was present for the birth of our grandson,
Rhys, in 2005. And, it was my honor to be the best man
for my son’s wedding in 2006. In July, my wife and I
will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary. Obviously,
none of this would have been possible without the generous
gift from someone I never met! But, my story
does not stop there.

In November 1998, The Nebraska Medical Center opened
the Lied Transplant Center. I feel that God himself was giving
me a call when I was asked if I would consider joining
the staff to work with patients and families going through
what we had just gone through. I accepted this opportunity
remembering very clearly how it was for me and my
family and what I might be able to contribute to the care
of these people. I could not think of a better way to honor
the gift that I was given.

I have been working in this capacity for nine years. I
know I have touched many people’s lives through my
work. I take particular satisfaction in helping patients
who are frustrated, scared, and ready to give up. When
I tell them that I am a recipient and can validate their
concerns, they feel better about continuing their
transplant journey. They really appreciate talking to a
recipient and seeing for themselves that transplants not
only work but that life is definitely good after transplant.
It is very rewarding to have the opportunity to
participate in the "transplant miracle" at The Nebraska
Medical Center almost every day.

April is National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness
Month. I ask everyone to take advantage of this observance
and get the facts about organ and tissue donation,
sign a donor card, and verify that their driver’s
license indicates that they want to be an organ donor.
Most importantly, they must discuss organ donation
and their decision with their family. They need to be
assured that their family knows that they want to be an
organ donor and also know what their family’s desires
are as well.

I am about to complete my 10th year as a recipient and
will ever remain thankful to my donor for giving me
the "gift of life."

To learn more about organ donation in Nebraska and
how to register as a donor, visit www.nedonation.org. If
you live in Iowa, visit www.iowadonorregistry.org.

One year post transplant

April 17, 1999

My Senior Recital at the University of Iowa. I was so blessed to have my whole family there to celebrate that milestone, but more importantly the health of my Dad. It was awesome!

Did you know that this month is also Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness month?

The PSA's just keep on coming!! Who knew you could come to this blog for some good ole fashioned information.


Some of you know that my Dad had a liver transplant nearly Ten Years (yes, I'm capitalizing it!) ago. He is in amazing health and doing really well. I'm going to post a little bit each day of his story, through my eyes, on his road to a new liver, and ending with a great article he just wrote.


This Thursday, April 17th, marks his transplant date. And with an amazing amount of humble gratitude and thanks, we also remember that day as the day a family lost their dad, husband and grandpa.



Tonite I'm going to talk about where I was and how I heard about his transplant.

The Eggers - December 1996 (about 16 months pre transplant - people would comment on Dad's "great tan")

The Spring of 1998 (and second semester of my Junior year of college) I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad. For various reasons I decided on Swansea, Wales. My Dad had been pretty sick, on and off for years. He was still working, although jaundice and a bit mental, but was doing ok. My Mom (who had really been keeping our family afloat for the last few years) told me inexplicably that once I was there I would only be allowed to come home for a funeral.



Two days before I left for Wales, a friend invited me to sing at her church. In the middle of my solo I literally burst into tears because I looked at my Dad and felt so strongly that that would be the situation. Thankfully I recovered enough to finish and by the grace of God also met a family after the service who had just gone through the same thing. All the woman had to do was look at Dad and see that we were in the same boat her family was in before her son had a liver transplant a year or so before. My mom and I talked to her for a long time.... It was amazing the amount of hope and insight she gave us and I felt ready to go on my trip. And of course, Dad wanted me to go - if he had asked me to stay I would have.

New Years Eve 1997 - about 2 weeks before I left for Wales

Fast forward through amazing friends and memories of my study abroad experience to Easter. Swansea had a whole month break, which I took traveling solo to all my roomie's homes across Wales and England. I also checked out Scotland and Ireland. On my way through Birmingham I had Easter with the Duffy family, one of my roommates, and had an amazing time. After dinner I got a call from my Mom that Dad was hospitalized. I'll leave out the ugly details, but basically his intestines were done working and things were....ahem...backing up and he was in an incredible amount of pain. Luckily he got to the hospital in time for them to fix that problem and they decided to keep him a few more days for observation. This was a good thing because he then moved up the "list" since he was getting so much sicker.

Whiskey Tasting in Dublin - yes, this was right before I got toasted and fell on the bus on the way home!!! Look at all those cups!!

View from my B&B Window

Optimistically I headed to Dublin and then on to Galway hoping for the best. Once I got to Galway I booked into an amazing B&B overlooking the ocean and woke up refreshed and happy, but with a nagging urge to call home. I had just talked to my Mom the night before to check on Dad and all was well. However, I felt the need to call again. It was 8am Ireland time, and only 2am USA time, so that wouldn't have gone over very well. So I ate breakfast, took a walk along the beach, wrote in my journal and hit the town to shop/sight see. At 11:30am I couldn't wait any longer and decided that 5:30am was somewhat acceptable since Mom would be up to get ready for school soon anyway.

On the beach, killing some time before the shops opened

I used the annoying phone card at an open phone box right smack in the middle of town and the taxi queue. It rang several times and my Nana picked up. I was a little surprised at that, since I didn't know they were in town. The conversation went a little like this:


Me - Hi Nana, I didn't know you were home?


Nana - Oh, well..who is this? (she had early stages of dementia at this point)


Me- Um, it's me, Kristen, I'm calling from Ireland!


Nana - Wow!


Me- Is Mom there?


Nana - No, of course not!


Me - What??


Nana - Don't you know? Your Dad is getting his new liver!


Me - (bursting into tears) WHAT?


Nana - He's getting his new liver, didn't you know?


Me - Of course not, I'm in Ireland!



And then the details followed. Dad was woke up by a nurse at 2am (that's 8am Ireland time) and was told there was a match - it was TIME! Calls were made, my brother round up from the bars in Lincoln by his roomies, family and pastors on the move!


I was a wreck. When I hung up the phone, the cabbies were looking at me like I was crazy. I went into a pub (what else could I do??) to get a drink and meal and regain my composure. Once again, people were staring at me. I went to the bathroom to freshen up and realized that I had been walking around with mascara running down my face - I look like I had been beat up! After my meal I walked around Galway, found the nearest church and sat down in a pew and cried some more. The evening rolled around and I was back on the beach - praying again, hoping all was well and a nervous wreck.


I stayed up well past midnight Ireland time to get ahold of my Mom - he did great in surgery and all was well. By the time I headed back to Dublin the next day, I was able to talk to Dad on the phone at the Ferry Station back to Holyhead. He sounded great!

Three weeks post-op at at wedding. My friend met me in London and brought it with him so I could see how great he looked. Remember life without digital pictures?

And now here we are - 10 years later - It's just amazing.......

Today is Raise Your Voice for Type 1 Awareness Day

One of my friends wrote a great blog about her daughter who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 2 years ago. Please check it out here.

A little story

One year my Mom thought it would be HIGH-LARIOUS to buy Clap on-Clap off lights for my Dad for Christmas. Little did she know that he also thought it would be a laugh a minute to buy Clap on-Clap off lights for her. So come Christmas morning they both opened each other's gifts and thought they were the absolute funniest people on earth. They found they could only use one light at a time in a room because they would both go on or off if you clapped (or in my Mom's case - snapped because she has the loudest snap of all time). So Mom now has the clapper on her bedside lamp and I have no idea where my Dad's went.

But Abby (the black lab that I wanted so bad and got my Jr. year of high school and who I told my parents would "be a comfort in their old age") got the last laugh. When Mom and Dad would go to bed, she used to sleep at the bottom of the stairs and if she started barking, the lights would go on and off poltergeis style and scare the bejezubus about of them in the middle of the night.

Abby - you were awesome....we miss you, girl.....

Random Thoughts

1. Rhys loves to shout, "I LOVE YOU, MOM" when we're out and about. I love it and I'm not embarrassed at all.

2. I hate doing a bunch of laundry and when the last load is in the dryer, find a lone sock on the stairway. Man........

3. Even depressing movies are good sometimes....you gotta get the cry out.

4. Not much tops a home grilled marinated bloody steak.

5. Or getting a bit sunburned on the 5th of April while picnicking with your kiddo.

6. I think there is a hair color called greasy. Or maybe it's just dirty blonde. I can shower at 9pm at night, wake up at 7am and be greasy. WTF is right.

7. I love to barter. This week I'm cashing in some good times with a massage and haircut on Thursday from past doula gigs. But not at the same time. Just the same day. I can't wait to feel good and bring out the funk - my hair hasn't been cut since I talked about it in January!

8. I love to sew when my sewing machine works. I also love to wear my glasses when I sew and the needle shatters and "pings" off my lenses. Thank God for glasses.

9. Despite all the dieting and exercise I'm doing, it's ok to go for a Culver's double deluxe burger with everything and cheese curds on the side when you have been craving it for 4 days straight. I enjoyed every single bite.

10. Once is still the only CD I have listened to in my van for about a month straight. I finally broke down and got the movie from half.com and I'm watching it tonite. It was my 10 pound loss prize to myself! Whoop whoop!

I like my booty(s)

I have 7 friends/family due during the months of March-June. So I wanted to come up with a fun and easy to ship gift. One of the items are these booties:

Under the Sea

John Deere Lovin' Uneven prototypes, but I like the fabric - the cabbage patch kids won't mind them.
hella cool

I have a bunch more to make and may even sell extras at BabyMatters for $10 or so....