PAUSE!

If only life had a pause button....At this time many wonder what happened to the blog....well it has not been forgotten.  I have been writing but the post is a long one...Its one that consists of 10 WEEKS as of today of Cody's Journey since transplant. 

YES!

June 29th, 2012

Was the start of a new life for us!

Cody is doing so Good its hard to keep him home and grounded.  He can not remember the last time he has felt this good!  He really thinks he has been sick since we met 10+ years!  It is fabulous!  Cody is doing things with his kids he has NEVER EVER been able to do with his kids before, since he has not felt the greatest.  They are loving it!

Don't worry will get our story posted soon...well cant promise anything...when life is good you don't want to slow down.

One last thing is we are truly blessed!  I can not believe this huge mountain we had to climb.  But as we are at the top now looking at where we just came from we cant do anything else besides get on our knees and thank the Lord for our many blessings and also for our Donor that has given Cody a second chance.  

Sending love...A

Where Has The Time Gone??

Really do not know where time really has gone...I do know a few things life is treating us well!  Cody has been feeling really good and continues to forge on forward.  We know the day is going to come, but it is almost a bitter sweet thought...makes us enjoy the moments that we do have now, so we can enjoy them later. 

Since January we have been having FUN!!!  We finally made it to Disneyland! 

 We postponed it last year, cause seriously a year prior to when we went, we did not know if Cody would make it an other 6 months.  Its amazing how things have changed!  It has been crazy, hard, emotional, fun, stressful, honestly just a year of waiting...  But really we have learned alot!!  I look back to where I was prior to all this and it was SO not where I am today.  I have more faith in the Lord,  confidence, knowledge of really what our plan here on earth is.  And I know that who ever is Cody's unselfish donor, they have not yet completed their mission, everything works like a fine tooth comb. 

Along with having fun we have been working our tail ends off!!!  :)  We have been working on our back yard for the little animals...

Anderson BEACH!!  Literally the size of a beach, but the boys love it and play all day long.  (Light sand is the beach, darker is the garden..temporary home of the toys.)

Lots of room to run...

HUGE Tramp for the boys to show us their tricks all night long!


So now it is time to enjoy our yard and have lots of fun enjoying life to the fullest while we can. 


Lots of plans for the summer...We recently traded the boat for a RHINO so will be trying to do lotz and lotz of camping (with lotz of dirt...I am going to have to get used to that!)


Also the Monkeys LOVED the beach when we were in California, so we want to go back when it is warmer- March wasn't the warmest time of year but it never stopped the boys from getting all wet.

Don't know if you can really see the oil rig way off in the background...but leave it to the 3 year old Disney Cars fanatic to notice them, and say that is what Finn McMissle drove on... as BELOW >>>

Seeing KACHOW was his favorite!  We are just a little bit of fans at our house!











So nothing but fun is planned for us...A Normal as Normal can be life...Its hard to always wonder how long, if we make plans will they be canceled?   Will we be able to do it?  Honestly I have come to terms with it...It really honestly took me a long time, but I have and know that we have  a huge future ahead of us.  I used to think that I wanted this all done with while our kids were young, but as time goes on and Cody ceases to amaze me.  I think that I am glad they will be able to see the kind of Man their DAD is...How he forges forward and will not let any of this get in his way of living his life as a Father, Priesthood holder, Son, Friend...honest to goodness really good guy.  We have been served so much in the past that we want to continue to pay it forward, since it is the only way we can pay  back what has been given to us.  We hope that by the time we die we can be close to the half way mark...We Hope


Sending love to all!  -A-

A Year

I don’t know how to say it.  It has been way too long.   That is the normal reply you get for us lagging in posts. But life has been good to us and we are not wanting to waste it.  Our holidays were great, the best of all to come.  Cody is doing well.  Current MELD is 18.    Since last posting, he has had many procedures/screenings and appointments.  They were able to do the ERCP on 12/21 right before Christmas.  I was terrified that things would go wrong and he would not be able to be with our boys for Christmas.  But we are truly blessed and the Doctor was able to do all that he wanted to do.  Shows the disease has progressed.   Which is expected.  Cody has done all the re-screening to stay on the Transplant list and still they are telling us could be a few more years.  But it really is hard to say.  A year ago they didn’t think he would last past 6 months of being on the list..He is proving them wrong.  Honestly I think its Hilarious! Our last appointment the transplant team asks multiple times what they can do for him, but the thing is Cody is a Champ and does not need much.  They keep asking repeatedly: “You sure you don’t need anything?”   And he just says no, he will not let this disease get him down.  He has been lucky to work with my Parents and their Company and be able to do something he truly enjoys.  With that also I think its the reason he has been feeling good.  He is really busy thinking about work, has no time to think about being sick and with that he keeps the disease “mentally in check”  I know all he can think of is how last go around with being sick he got really depressed and had nothing to do but think about how he felt.  He knows he does not want to go back to that, alot of times its 90% mental and 10% sickness/disease.

Thru this last month we are hitting our “anniversaries” where 1 year ago……

–January 12th Met Dr. S first time, who was very confident and cocky, melt into a very humbled Doctor that was defeated by telling us Cody had no other choice he needed a liver transplant.

–January 24th 1 year ago met Transplant team for the first time.  Felt more calm about knowing we had a great team on our side.

–January 28th learned really what we are up against with Liver Failure/Transplant

–January 31st day of tests/scans and a run around the hospital

–February 22nd Approved to be on the Transplant list.

Looking at the past year we have had some time to reflect, like you always do at the end/beginning of a new year.  I wonder what would our life be like if we didn’t didn’t have to go thru this?  There are many many people that I would not even know.  There are experiences that I would not know about or even be able to experience.  There would be less heart ache?  More worries?  All I know is what we have had to go thru so far has been worth it.  We have learned so much about ourselves, our family ,old and new friends.    One other thing we have learned about ourselves is that it is proven why I am not the patient and Cody is not the caregiver.  New Years eve I was making a salad for our annual New Years Bash with our close friends and I was cutting a very unripe Avocado and was trying to get the pit out I decided to cut thru it onto my finger.  After me turning crazy and Cody trying to figure out what to do, eventually he convinced me I needed stitches, 10 to be exact.  In that hour and a half he realized.  He cant be the one waiting on somebody that is hurt.  And I can’t sit still long enough in a situation like this, I have to walk the halls find somebody to give me answers till they do, I have to decide what needs to happen next solve the coming problems before they start.  I can’t just wait it out holding still.  But after 3 weeks on the mend and doing well and we now know we can’t reverse rolls ever again!

So busy times but nothing exciting to say the least, honestly I avoid starting to write on the blog cause if I do I take a long time to write cause I sit and ponder as I go so it takes a long time, I am not a fan of a short paragraph post…I need to get over that!  Honestly finding me on Facebook is the best way to stay updated on Cody, as you can see from going 2 1/2 months without a post.  As for now we can rest any doctor visits for a few months, then start it over again for scans again.  Until then bless you all!  Thanks for the prayers I see them everyday, every time I see my Cody playing with my little animals.  Thank you <3

Cody’s Event Slide Show

So I saw an other AFAF recipient (thanks Smith family for the idea!) post their slide show and thought I should also..cause 1- I barely remembered it from that night and 2- I know many others that are close to us would like to see it again.

Thanks again to all those that truly helped us out that day and everyday since.

Updated For Thoughts??

Well I should be in bed at the moment, in a matter of a few hours we are headed somewhere that is so much deserved for Cody.  We are going to Lake Powell, and so excited to be with family and just have a great time.  We get the opportunity to have a special vacation to create good memories, to help us endure what is to come.  Yes granted we will be ready to be home( there will be 29 “Anderson’s on one house boat!)  But still so excited about the trip.
Recently Cody went in for a MRI and MRCP – routine procedures while on the wait list.  Pretty much they are cancer scans to verify that there is still no cancer and also to check progress of how the Liver is doing.  It is hard that for those that do find cancer, they have to solve the Cancer before they can be “back on the list”  If something like that happens then you are put on a hold status till cancer free.  Seems rough! We still have not gotten results, but where Cody’s MELD score is lower they focus on patients according to their score and also no news is good news.  But it is still its hard where we will be out of town might miss the call  Other Doc appointments have all turned out good nothing to worry too much about.   And Cody overall feeling okay, he has his days.  I have noticed the fatigue is getting him more now, but he still will wrestle with the boys, take them on four wheeler rides,  and just being the great Dad that he is…Sometimes its hard to watch them cause one day he wont be able to do that…The times I think of it is at nights after family prayer they all have just a sweet moment that will be terribly missed when the time comes that they will be apart for who knows how long.  Breaks my heart for all 3 of them.  I just keep trying to tell myself that he will feel better one day and be able to do it even BETTER in the future to make up for lost time.
Its funny how our life has changed in so many ways these past 8 months I look at it and ponder about it.  One experience that has really changed is how we are treated… I am still trying to decide if all of it is good?  Or Bad?  Its really hard to explain, it is almost frustrating how some people almost act differently to us now??  I don’t know! Just can not explain it.  Cause I think we just are told and/or not told in light of our circumstances?  One thing that I have loved though is knowing how many people do love and care for us.  It is amazing how you can only meet some people just once for an instance and you already care for the well being of them, and them for us.  We have met so many amazing people in our life that are only enriching our lives and many others too.   Sorry such a bum post but wanted to give an update but needed to get my thoughts out??  Love to all, thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.  luv always – A

Our Definition OF Friends

This is a photo of Cody and his best friends, they all came to support Cody at the Event.

I wish this photo was better quality but is not but to us it is still worth more then a million words!    These Men are amazing!  All I had to do was ask, they were there with everything I needed and a lot more.  In the beginning it was really hard for Cody to ask for help with the fundraiser.  But we both knew that we wanted his friends involved I called them and they were so willing to be there for me.  Not only them but their wives/significant others too!  If it was not for them I do not know how parts of the Event would have worked out.  They did it, they helped us have the success that Cody deserved.
Its funny how when I first met Cody I found it so odd that he was still bestest friends with those from his childhood, they were really too good of friends!  They have all been through a lot together and will still be together through thick and thin.  But now after 9 years of knowing them I call them some of my own, best friends.  They were and are there for us.  I remember last time we dealt with Cody’s illness when he was not able to work prior to his big surgery I sat and bawled my eyes out to one of them of my concerns my stress and anxieties over everything and he simply just asked: ” What can I do Amy?  Tell me what you need?  I will do it.”  Simple as that I told him, and he was there.  Not to mention the next time and the time after that, and still last December when this all started unraveling again he was there not alone but in ten fold with all their friends to help Cody through this rough battle that we call life.
So this is a special thanks to those that I know do not want to be named but you know who you are.  You have helped make this journey more bearable knowing you will be there when I need you to be there for Cody thank you from the bottom of my heart.   You are the true definition of what a Friend is.
Lots of Love and Gratitude  -A-

This poem was written for Cody and I.  It was read to us the night of the event, by Brenda Smith (she was the only one that could have held the emotions in)  My dear sweet Aunt/Cousin had it written for us by a friend, just by someone reading my jumbling of words from this blog.

A Softer Way To Land

In a spinning rush of swirling air

A free-fall; building speed.

Suddenly the world goes quiet-

At the point of greatest need.

Looking up there is a parachute-

A softer way to land,

And he rides the gentle wind to earth

On its freely offered hand.

Many days have passed uncertainly

Too many nights in sleepless fear-

But when darkness seemed to smother,

Friends arrived- the way to clear.

A Dentist with a loving hand –

To ease a crushing weight,

And family who could take the kids –

And not even hesitate.

When health can be elusive,

And the patience starts to thin-

A loving wife with quiet strength

Has been there to pull him in.

Waiting fills their waking hours –

And like a thief it steals their sleep,

And yet with tender mercy –

A host of hands, their vigil keep.

Now the wait for Cody’s lifeline

May seem much too hard to bear –

And to those who may stand watching,

The path he walks may not seem fair.

Yet he and Amy know a secret,

That not all are blessed to know;

That the hands of love extended,

Only cause their faith to grow.

Now the parachute will carry them,

And lead them gently to the ground-

To wrap them warmly in the miracle

Where love and hope is always found.

–Vicki B Wright

*May 31, 2011

My Selfish Feelings

Well I still need to post my thoughts on how the event went but I am waiting for pictures cause my words just can not do its justice!  Once receive those will post right away I have written most of the post just wanted those pics!
But I had an experience that was so much fun!  Many ask Becky Anderson(Founder of Anything For A Friend) how she can help so many people and do all that Anything For A Friend does.  She always answers: "It is really kinda selfish the reasons that I do. "
Well this last Thursday Becky asked me to go down to a recipients meeting due to her needing to be at an other recipients meeting.  I of coarse was excited to go now that we can pay it forward.  Me and my Mom and boys in tow headed down to West Jordan to Samantha Milborn's Grandmothers home where her committee was meeting.  We listened and added any input we could.  As the night was going I realized that I was the expert, I was the one they came to.  Yea these may be bad thoughts to admit out loud but I am a person that likes to be in control and the one that likes to be in the know.  But I felt like what I was doing was helping but...was so very selfish!   I totally understand what Becky is talking about!  It is so exciting to see somebody get a sense of relief from a simple comment or their lost thoughts start to be found.  All this may sound very selfish but, paying it forward is going to be great!  It is amazing the people that you can meet in life, at that meeting there were many that were hurt by the recent diagnosing of Samantha, but are coming to realize that what they are doing will really help Samantha and her family but will also help themselves.
I was asked later about all the many wonderful people that are involved with the Anything For A Friend family and how they are all very special people and all so loving and caring.  I believe we were all to be together for this purpose, we were all meant to have these trials so that we could meet and then learn the real meaning of life and then serve our fellow brothers and sisters.  We are all children of God sent here to learn, and to serve one an other.  We as a family have forever been changed by Cody's recent diagnosing not just due to the trial itself, but also because of our hearts have been opened to so many wonderful people that we will never be able to pay back, the only way we feel to pay others back is by helping others the way we were helped in our time of need.

Standard Examiner Article

We made the news! 

But some info was left out about our fun filled day of Fundraising.  Our city is helping also through a benefit BREAKFAST at: Stake Activity Bldg 1500 W 250 N, MSC from 8-10 am.  KSL news anchors Keith McCord and Dan Pope will be there handing out door prizes.

So grateful for our ward/City helping us out in a time of need.

To read the Article go to: www.standard.net/topics/features/2011/06/01/coming-together-help-top-utah-man-others

PSC Not All Wiskey and Drugs

A lot of times with any liver disease most often you will get stares that wonder how you got your liver disease to the point of failure and need a liver transplant.  Due to drinking? Or was it Drugs?   Luckily with living in Utah we do not get too many of those questions or stares but I have gotten a few.  But to some of my fellow liver transplant blogging friends they have had this issue and it comes more often then not.  I would like to blog along with them on PSC.
Cody’s condition comes not from anything he could have prevented.  He was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis in 2006 and with UC the liver function is most often compromised.  March 2010 was when we started noticing Cody’s skin, and eyes turning more yellow-jaundice like so we decided to see a doctor about it.  Our doc that we normally went to was too booked and could not get us in soon so we went with an other doctor that we went to in the past.  He scheduled us for a liver biopsy in April.  From then we were advised of he had Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis or PSC.  And handed a written prescription to start taking.  With that we did not ever asking any other questions.  And honestly were never told the severity of the disease.
December of 2010 Cody started showing signs of bleeding internally.  We ventured up to the hospital where after a scope was performed they found a bleeding ulcer below his stomach.  Also while admitted the doctors started raising their concern of his yellow color.  Normally in December work for Cody slow’s down and this year did not, so we kept putting the Doctor appointment aside.  While speaking with the doctor(the Doc we should have gone to in the beginning-our doctor) he advised us the severity of the disease and what it all entailed.
Then began the Journey of “The Wait”  as detailed in many other post before.  But this is me on my Soap Box to let everyone know that liver failure is not all Whiskey and Drugs.  When someone that has an issue with any of those sort of things they do not get the same  luxuries as We get.  The have to prove themselves before they are even considered to start the process.  It is sober for so long admitting themselves to any type of meetings needed.  It is harder for them.  But when it comes to Decision day it does not change.  Still same guidelines:  1st Local/Regional -also considered Status one Acute Liver Disease less than 7 days to live. 2nd Local blood/tissue type, current MELD score, and body size.  3rd Regional (outside of our state) blood/tissue type, current MELD score, and body size.
So really you need to be sick and to the point that you will not survive.  It is really hard to understand that. Cody has been feeling so good lately, sometimes I find my self thinking how our life is feeling “normal”  I think I might jinx us by saying that.  Cause that is how I felt last December, getting ready for Christmas (early might I add!!-yea I am a total procrastinator!) and now anything can happen, at any time.
Its funny how through any life changing event yes you think you get back to normal but does it?  Our family has been dramatically changed, but for the good.  We are now taking our life to Pay-it-Forward.  I can not wait for the opportunity to do what others have done for us.  There is so much they have done.  But we will save those for an other post I am getting off subject.

We all have big changes in our life that are more or less a second chance.  But for me that change is a second chance at life.

Cody Anderson

May we all take this chance we have today to make the best of it.  Many have the chance to understand the reasons behind a disease or may judge the reasons behind it.

Just have to show of my so cute Birthday/Mothers Day gift!  Have to be some of the cutest kids I have ever seen!!!!

Whats An Other Year To You?

A year to me, Hutton will be 6 and finishing Kindergarten.  Huston will be 3 and running even faster then he already does.  Cody and Amy sorry leaving out the age here Who knows what they might be up to!  But to the point of the post….

Cody went in for his check up on the Tuesday the 3rd.  And all is well…actually better then well.  They were surprised at how well he was feeling, alot better then in January/February when we saw them last.   We talked about the current symptoms  that Cody currently has and any secrets to make them any more tolerable.  Cody has a bad case of itching, which is very very common for PSC or any type of liver disease.  They added to his medications to see if they could help him stop itching a little.  I hope so I am tired of seeing the injuries he gives himself from scratching too much.  Over all labs looked great there was a small spike on some of tests but not enough to worry.

Now they are telling us since his MELD score went down (was a 16 at listing and as of yesterday a 15) that it could easily be another 2 years before we will get a liver.  So it was a little rough to hear that.  Is it wrong I want my Husband to be sick?   Yea it sounds wrong in its own degree, but I feel like our life is going to stay on hold that much longer.  Are we going to be able to progress?  Or we on a stand still for the next 2 years?  Yes granted Cody will actually be able to have a decent summer and get to do some of the things that he wants, like our exciting Lake Powell trip that we have been looking forward to.  And of coarse the camping trips with the boys that Cody has so desperately wanted to teach the boys about.

At least for now and this summer we will be able to enjoy it and go do the things we wish and not worrying about missing the chance for a liver(yes if you go out of town you take the risk if losing a liver if one comes available, and you are not close enough to receive it.)

An Event To Change Your Life!

Last night we had the opportunity to attend Bob Eggett's Anything For A Friend Event.  It was amazing and then some!  The feeling that you felt was really honestly indescribable.  It showed really what the true meaning of Anything For A Friend really is.  We did not know many there, but you felt like you were amongst family.  They had an amazing turn out numbers were reporting around 1000+ they ran out of food and raised about $18K!!!  They had a kids corner that our little monkeys adored... Really did not see them most the night they were way too busy playing!
At the event Bob and Ingrid Eggett introduced the upcoming recipients Us, Cyndy Tangren, and Mila Garcia.  We had photo ops with all of the recipients from past and present, that came to support Bob and his family.  Please go read all of these amazing peoples stories.  I would tell you but Anything For A Friend's site tells it better.
It calmed alot questions that Cody and I have had in our minds.  We have been so very fortunate for all the many many people that have donated to our event.  Cody and I at times have not felt deserving of it.  But seeing what we saw in others eyes at the event calmed alot!  We know having that event and accepting the help really helps others.  From the event makes us just so much more excited for the many many events to come.  We have big dreams for Anything For A Friend just like they do.  We see our event as one of the first stepping stones of what is to come.  The next stepping stones will come in time but they will be close together and easy to acheive with our "friends".
We met some people that were friends of a past recipient, did not know Bob, besides his picture from the website, but were following their new "friends" and the last things they said to us as the left was: "See you on June 4th!"  Honestly that is what Anything For a Friend is really all about!
It was an amazing night, one I would not have missed for the world!  Can't wait for the many more to come!

Therapy

Well it has been quite a while since the last post.  Alot has happened, Cody continues to feel "all right?" he has felt a little pain with a slight fever and some major sleep insomnia but still great spirts and trying to stay active, seems to keep him feeling better.  Most days has to take a nap with Huston but over all doing good!  Just how we want it-I guess?-
Fundraising has gotten underway and is rolling really fast!  This week has been rough since the meeting on Wednesday I have gotten hardly any sleep! Always running up to my Mom's to talk about the fundraiser.  With AnyThing For A Friend by our sides we have and can accomplish alot.  Anything For A Friend had a "special" ran on them right after conference and has become ever more popular!  There was one "Angel" that watched the episode and then decided that she wanted to help, boy did she help!  Honestly can not even explain how many things she has donated!   Chantelle is a true example of a Daughter of God!  She told us she has been looking for someone to share this with and felt we really needed it.  Honestly we do not know eachother and have never met but she still has done so much for us and still finding more to do.  To see the many things donated by her company of Diviine Modestee go to Anything For A Friend and look under the donations.    We keep getting more and more people that are so willing to help us out.  There really are some great people in this world, I wish I could write about them all and thank them.  I hope I can one day.
Well my "therapy session" by what I mean is the starting the fundraising planning being fully engulfed in the planning and everything has been so very therapeutic!  It wipes out the negative completely.  It feels good to be able to do something and stay busy and feel like I have control of something.
We decided to change the 5k run to the same day as Cody's Mom was planning the benefit dinner.  With all the Cons it just seemed better to have an afternoon "fun run"  along side the dinner.   So it will be a great party, we are going to see people that we have not seen in the longest time.  Those people seem to be coming out of the woodworks!  It is amazing the people that we have heard about, ran into that know and care so much.  So we are having a meeting on the 16th at my Mom's house and in need of more people.  Leave a comment and I can give you the info you need to get there. 
Stay tuned in for more event info We will be doing pre-registering for the 5k and are working on getting that event page set up to have that started.    Will try and keep more posting coming I know I have forgot some things, till then  Love you all...A

Fear Not! Doubt Not!

What a week! Nothing crazy happened but just a rough one.  Don't worry all boys(big and little) are doing great! I have had a very rough week, I found a blog of a former liver transplant recipient(2007) and I stayed up way way too late and spent too many hours to count one night reading.  I thought when I started reading it, that it was good for me to know.  But as I climbed into bed that night and could not fall asleep I started doing too much "thinking" a few hours later finally asleep and the anxiety began.  It is amazing how your mind can dream up things.  After 4 days of emotional outbursts I was told by Cody I am no longer allowed to read that blog.  My poor family has had to deal with all of this! I compare this week to when we found out Cody needed the liver transplant and do now know which was worse since I knew more detail this time around. 

But gotta love Cody first he was mad that I let my mind wander that long before I said anything and that I read it.  But with the most sincere way any husband could, he calmed me of all my fears.  It is preatty bad cause he is the one getting the transplant not me!  And for ME to get anxiety is rare! He's always been the one that does enough worrying for the both of us.  But after that I felt better, of coarse still knew I had stuff work through I was able to finally "act" normal.  Still struggling a litte we went to church and had great lessons as always and we were reading in the New Testiment and honestly can't tell you what the lesson was about cause around the beginning we read a scripture: Matthew 14:31  

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

After that someone spoke up Fear Not! Doubt Not!  Then said again directly to Cody and patted him on the leg.  Little do they know what impression that they made on me.  Honestly it was what I needed to hear.  I know that if I fear not, and doubt not He will stretch out his hand and help me in my time of need if I keep my faith and do not doubt.  I always knew that but sometimes your mind gets away from you.  Well gets ALOT away from you.  I am grateful they were insipred to speak up in Sunday School today. 

On a lighter note Fundraising is underway moving along greatly!  Marjean has gotton the June 4th event going and it is running very fast.  She has some very chosen sisters that have been so willing to help us in our time of need.  April 6th is our first meeting for the Walk/Ride/Run 5k hope to be scheduled for July 9th.  We have also been accepted by Anything For A Friend a nonprofit organizaion that will help us get the word out about the 5k and really help us with whatever we need.  We are really lucky to have Anything For A Friend besides us. 

Mom and I went and met with Yes!Utah we want to help with donor awareness.  We met with somebody that wants to help us and help get others to be at our fundraisers to help create more awareness, they also have a fun old fashion taxi cab that they said we might be able to have at the 5K possibly.  So that is exciting that we have then on our sides too!  So we have had alot of happy things happen this week dispite my "episode" but are so greatful for all the support we have.  Thanks love you all!   A

Food For Thought

Just saw this fact and found very interesting.....

In the US there are about 19 liver transplants per million population.  This is about twice the heart transplant rate and about one third of the kidney transplant rate.  Each day, about 77 people get the organ transplant that gives them a second chance, but 19 other die waiting for a donated organ.

HHHMMMM Thoughts????

Launch Of Cody's Blog!

Well with some of the exciting "coverage" we will be getting with the " House 4 Hope" and thankfully Anything For A Friend organization.  I decided I didn't want too much of the "little animals" online.  So this blog will stay the same and updated the same but a little more family/personal.  Cody's blog will be updates on the fundraisers and anything exciting but so will this blog.  So just to warn ya they will be a lot alike! So expect repetitiveness.!

http://change4cody.com

I sit here thinking about what can I write that has happened recently.  Honestly our lifes are wild and crazy which is the way we like it and alot has happened really.  But I reflect back not too long ago when our first born came to our family.  I just had the opportunity to sit down with him tonight and have a long serious chat, one that really I don't believe I would have stopped for if I didn't have an issue to address.  I realized how fast time can slip you by that you have your baby turning 5!  Yea just a few days ago he turned 5, breaks my heart that he is that big, he is like a little man.  He came walking down the stairs the next day telling me:

"Mom, I really feel so much bigger now that I am five!

I always reply with: "I know! Now you are a full hand full."

And honest to truthness he tries to act like he is bigger, sometimes you have to do a double take to make sure he was the one that said it.  He's one that in this dark hour helps the light shine through.  I have been asked so many times then I can count if I knew what my future held with Cody that we would still have had our boys when we did, "Isn't it harder?  Wouldn't you have waited?"  The honest truth is NO! I remember when Cody was sick and on his worst days with UC.  Having Hutton's smiling face and laughter around is what pushed us through.  (Honestly one of Hutton's favorite memories of his Dad was "sneaking" a milkshake up to his hospital room.)  Yes we had a rough road and that was not to stop us, if we were blessed to have his health back and the ability to have more smiling little faces we wanted it to work out.  Sure enough we have Huston, a little spitfire of a kid but also the apple of our eyes.  And again we get asked: "If you had known?" 

NOPE!

Would not change a thing.  Yea would be easier but everything happens for a reason.  They chose us.  They knew what they would be coming to before they took the slide from heaven.  I am just grateful for the trust that my Heavenly Father has in Cody and I to take 2 of his favorites so that they can teach us many things and know that we have a big reason to fight. 

Cody and I recently read a book "Untill My Heart Stops" written by Paul Cardall, recent heart transplant recipient, song writter, and musician.  His goal or moto he started with was "Living For Eden"  Eden was his daughter.  We all have reasons to fight of coarse alot of us choose our kids.  But one thing that he kept expressing was how he was blessed to be able to have the experience he did.  (He was born with a heart disease and was not expected to live a week, thru multiple surguries through his teens and then to the point where in 2009 he was told he would not survive without a transplant, but with this transplant he needed a very special heart one that could work with his anatomy of his heart since he had so many different types of surgeries it needed to be just right)  He continued to state he was blessed to have the opportunity to be where he was each day. 

I kept thinking one of these chapters is going to be negative it has to be! Can you honestly say that you are blessed to be sick?

I can't speak for Cody but, after many weeks of thinking about it, yea you can think you are blessed to be sick.  I look around and see what I have: materially, spiritually, physically and eternally.  Yea I am blessed I have 2 boys that really are the light in our dark tunnels some days.  I have a roof over my head that my husband gave me, my health to get all 4 of us through this, friends and family near and far, and the knowledge that I know that it is all going to work out the way it is supposed to. 

Honestly didn't know what this post was going to be like just felt like I needed to express!  There is so much more that can be expressed on a Computer while your family is asleep and you can think by yourself in silence.  Love You All.

One-Third of the Thirds

Well we were fortunate to get a letter from the Transplant office yesterday that is confirming our listing on the Liver Transplant list.  One other detail they mentioned was they advised us we are in the top one-third of the list.  So we are not near the bottom we are near the top and working our way up. 

We do not need to go back till May where we need to get more labs done and a office visit with the doctors for a check-up.  From the labs and the check-up we will be able to see if we need to be higher on the list.  But by those labs will also tell how "sick" Cody is.  So we were excited to get that letter yesterday. 

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Well honestly can't say it enough! tonight we got a very little knock on our door and Cody opens the door to find a pile of FOOD.  Honestly as tall as our kids.  No name was given so I sure hope they know how much we appreciate it.  Really I would like to know who it was so that I could give them a big ol' bear hug.  But I understand that they want to stay anonymous fine by me, but just so they know they are so verry verry appreciated.  I now know that my kids will NOT go hungry.

One thing we know for sure is after this is over and life gets back to normal is that the only way we can pay back everyone is by just doing the same to others as they have done to us.  We know we will have the opportunity to help many others to come(not that we wish it upon anyone but we will be able to help many others in our travels.)  We have known since we were told that Cody needed a Liver Transplant that what we learn from this is something that will help many many others in one way or an other.  Each day we take a step at a time and learn what we need to so we can grow from this experience. 

Thanks so very much to everyone just for your prayers.  They are felt and we appreciate them so much!

Thanks so much Luv ya all....A