It’s a new year!!! And I’m still very optimistic for what this year will bring, however, it definitely started a bit bumpy…

I finally received the approval from my cardiologist to move forward with my transplant work-up, so I finalized the last procedure and testing to be listed for a kidney (woohoo!!). Then I receive a call from the transplant clinic saying they are no longer accepting my insurance and I need to either change my insurance or find another hospital to get the transplant. Seriously??? I was THISCLOSE to finally being able to get my transplant started and now this? Sigh…

I’m now in the process of trying to get listed with a different hospital. When I called to see if they accepted my insurance, they said they did, except for “transplant services”. What??? I obviously need more info about what that includes, so I’m hoping to talk to them tomorrow to find out. If they DON’T accept my insurance, I’m going to have to start all over again to find another insurance plan that I can afford that includes all my docs, meds, etc. The hard part is, I have a very small window of time to work with b/c if I’m to change my insurance plan, it has to happen before March. So, here I go again with my race against time. I pray that this hospital is able to just take my insurance so I can finally get this show going again. I’ll say it again, there is something seriously wrong with our health system that it is this difficult to get anything done! It definitely makes moving to someplace like the UK (who has a more socialized health system) much more attractive!

On another note, after getting my final endo/colonoscopy done, I was diagnosed with GERD. It’s weird because I don’t have any issues at all with acid reflux, but he said there’s definitely signs of damage. So, almost as if by the power of suggestion, my stomach suddenly decided to present me with the gift of creating some absolutely earth-shaking burps! I’m not kidding when I say that out of nowhere, I’m literally opening my mouth to deliver some marvelous, rip-roaring, Tyrannosaurus-sized belches that I’m sure my neighbors are hearing! On one hand, my lady-like etiquette coach is absolutely cringing in shame, however, my inner teenage self is fist pumping knowing how many guys I could have beat out in a contest! Last night, simply by turning my head, I let out three enormous belches that I think scared my cat enough to run out of the room. All I could do was stand there laughing!

The negative side of this is that now I have to take more meds and eliminate even more food that I love from my diet. I will work on this, however I’m not so sure I can cut garlic, onions, and tomatoes completely cold-turkey. I mean, come on… give up Tex Mex food?? Me???

Link to donate – TBD

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Things I’m thankful for today:

1.  My GI doc said I’ve been doing very good with my Celiac management!

2. The holidays were very busy, but so much fun! We decided to restart our family annual Christmas party and I was excited to see that most people were thankful to have it back! I love visiting with family and sometimes this is the only time I get to see some of them, so I’m going to try to keep this tradition going.

3. The accomplishments of my friends and family! I have several friends who have started new and better roles/jobs that they are loving. My sister has started her masters studies to become a librarian (her dream job). My best friend of almost 40 years (gasp!) just got married. I’m surrounded by great things happening right now and I couldn’t be happier for them all!

4. While this isn’t a happy item, one of my friends in the dialysis clinic was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer and was told he has just days to live. He was the first person I met when I started dialysis there and has been the most positive and supportive person I’ve ever met. Not only was he on dialysis, but he had to get his foot amputated, and now is suffering the final chapter of his life with cancer…and he’s done it all with a smile and praise to be alive at that moment. Amazing. I’m heartbroken that something so horrible could happen to such a good person, but I’m so thankful that I was able to call him a friend. God bless him and I hope his next chapter is nothing but bliss.