Writing the Donor Family...

Today we received a packet from UNMC that will allow us to write to our donor family if we choose to. Craig and I both want to write to the donor family but we are encouraged to wait till after the holidays our of respect for the donors family. I think we will put the packet up for now and wait till after the new year to write our letters. We would never want to make it harder on the family, especially during the holidays.

Reason For It All...

It is very important that through your progress after getting a transplant, that you remember your reasons for wanting the transplant. For our family we wanted the transplant to save my husbands life so he could enjoy being a father. Our son Elijah was our inspiration for everything!

Elijah Playing at the park

 Craig and Elijah Making Snow Angels

Choosing Your Blog's Colors

Choosing colors for your blog can be an important make it or break it step. You want to make sure the colors are something that can be associated with your topic. My blog is on organ donation, so I chose to use blue, which is one of the main colors when dealing with Donate Life an organization here in Nebraska that helps to promote organ donation. Picking colors that are associated with your topic will help your reader to relate while not getting in their face and making them uncomfortable.

Tips for Designing a Blog

When it comes to designing a blog the key is to keep it simple. Making sure the blog catches the reader’s eye without making them uncomfortable while reading it. You want to make sure the font, colors, and size are all appropriate for the audience you will be attracting. You also want to make sure that the design of your blog either ties in with your topic or is neutral. You don’t want to pick something that is completely different than the topic of the blog. Overall the best advice is to keep it simple.

Woman Asks for Kidney Donor on a Billboard!

Hey Everyone, I don't know this lady but came across her interview through friends and family. Please take the time to go to the link and share it on your facebook feed. As someone who would have gone through anything to get my husband a kidney, I know what its like to look outside the box! http://www.kwch.com/news/local-news/woman-asks-for-kidney-on-billboard/-/21054266/23459520/-/irdv1iz/-/index.html

Social Media Presence

"The List"

One of the most frequently asked questions was always about "The List," people thought that since we had been on the list for 3 years, that our time automatically had to be coming soon. I never quite knew how to explain how the list worked, until I read the following.

Contrary to popular belief, waiting on the list for a transplant is not like taking a number at the deli counter and waiting for your turn to order. In some respects, even the word "list" is misleading; the list is really a giant pool of patients. There is no ranking or patient order until there is a donor, because each donor's blood type, size and genetic characteristics are different. Therefore, when a donor is entered into the national computer system, the patients that match that donor, and therefore the "list," is different each time.  - organtransplants.org

I like how they took the time to explain just how "The List" works, because even as a caregiver it was hard to explain and understand it. I really wish I would have seen this before, as it would have definitely relieved some of the anxiety that I had leading up to the transplant.