Its been a long time since I have sat down and made time to write an update. Our lives have been full of blessings and happy moments with lots of new things keeping us busy. First, I'd like to say that Michael is doing AMAZING! He looks great and feels great. Michael has been off ALL immunosuppressant drugs since February of 2013. He is officially now one out of a handful of people in this world living with a donor organ and not needing immunosuppressant drugs. What an incredible blessing, its quite humbling. Life is "normal" again, and normal can really feel GREAT!
I'll back up a bit to share what has been happening with us in the last year. Back in July, our only daughter Jilliam got married and moved to New York. Her husband (Artie) is a Calvary Scout for the US Army (Hoorah!) and he is stationed in the bitterly cold and foreign land (to a Floridian that is) Fort Drum, New York. Planning a wedding and all the excitement that comes with it kept us busy with picking out a wedding dress, flowers, venue, DJ, food and the list just went on and on! The wedding was PERFECT and our joy and happiness was abundant...and then came the difficult day of moving our daughter away from home to over a thousand miles away. Though I was happy for her and Artie, it was quite difficult for me. Being an empty nester did not bring the moment I thought it would ring in, instead of confetti falling from the skies, angels singing and balloons being let go to fly up and way above the earth, I felt as if my world had been put on a free-fall roller-coaster....and I HATE roller-coasters. A physical piece of me was gone and boy, did it stink! This season became another part of life's endless chapters, another "newness" to get familiar with. It has been over a year since she moved away and its better but I do miss my "little girl".
Jilliam and Artie's wedding day ~ Tampa, Florida
Michael and Jilliam dancing at the wedding
Michael has been busy and back on the road and doing what he loves and what he does best....entertaining, keynote presentations and playing with people's minds. Among many projects Michael has on the table, he is also in the middle of writing a book which will focus on how to read a person's mind by reading their body - Pretty cool and useful if you ask me, right? We can't express how grateful we are to the study that Michael was part of and Dr. Lenventhal, as well as Northwestern Memorial Hospital for the excellent care and this pivotal opportunity at a new life. Was it a rough road? Yea, it was - very difficult at times but Michael focused on the light at the end of the tunnel...he never let his eyes waiver from that light and he had faith and determination that this study would work for him, he had total trust in it. I'm always in awe at his tenacity, positive attitude and braveness. He doesn't just "speak" positive messages, he truly lives what he shares on stage and I'm always in amazement at how he pushes through and smiles on.
Michael....back on stage.
"There is a light at the end of this tunnel"
My heart goes out to all PKD patients, your daily health struggles, the fears of what the future might or might not bring, the uncertainty that at times peeks it head around...but at the same time, I am at awe...at awe with the courage you have, the hope you so proudly hold on to, the smiles and laughter that you genuinely give and the strength that resounds in your souls. May God bless you...always, because through you I have been blessed. I love you Michael, you keep me in awe. :)
Published results on study.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23222893
God's Blessings....Lilly
