Kevin's Blog

…so many things this Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for the fact that just over five months ago I was told I needed a third kidney transplant. Even though that in itself isn’t the greatest thing, I am thankful for amazing doctors and medicine that make it possible to even have a transplant

I am thankful for my mom who, without hesitation, offered to donate her kidney this time. And after all the testing, she was approved as a suitable donor

I am also thankful for the process of dialysis that has been keeping me alive since August 18th. Although it is one of the most mundane things that I have to do, the fact is I wouldn’t be alive today without it. And as boring as it is, the amazing nurses and staff at the dialysis center do a terrific job to make each patient as comfortable as possible.

I’m also thankful for my grandpa, Paparon, as we didn’t think he would even be with us this Thanksgiving. After being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis last year, the prognoses was not good. But Paparon soldered on to celebrate his 90th birthday earlier this year, and is still with us today.

I am thankful for the prayers of so many that have kept my faith strong and carried me in my weakness. You prayer warriors are one of the greatest blessings I have.

Lastly, I am thankful for the AMAZING group of friends that I have. Honestly, I would have been a crazy person by now (maybe I already am!) if it weren’t for the love and kindness that I am constantly surrounded with. And the people that I consider my closest friends I have known for almost a year now, so it’s amazing how God can put people in your life that you grow so close to in such a short amount of time!

Anyways… there was a lot to be thankful for this year. I can’t wait to see what I will be thankful for next year!

I feel extremely blessed to have been surrounded (and still am) by the greatest people I know. Friends are a large part of what makes life worth living for. To see a familiar face; a friendly smile; to exchange a hug with someone… all little things that make such a huge difference.

But it’s not just the pleasant times that make friends worthwhile. It’s also when friends care enough to kick your ass because they know you’re being stupid. And I’m not just talking literally here. I would say friends are most valuable when having to confront you on actions that need challenging, or when your character needs investigating. But, doing these things out of love is the difference, and it’s the key. As difficult as it may be, I would rather have someone care about me enough to challenge my character, my thoughts, my actions… than to continue to just be a distraction, although sometimes that’s what you need.

So thank you, ALL of you. You are all friends. Don’t ever doubt how instrumental you are in someone’s life.

-Kevin

This is a question I get asked almost anywhere I go. And I guess now that I have this blog, I can answer that question for a lot of people! And although it will change almost daily, here’s where things with my transplant stand as of now:

It has been 5 months now (June 15th) since I was evaluated for my third kidney transplant at UCLA. The time has gone quickly, and I am almost to the goal. But there are still two more tests that need to be completed before I am given a transplant surgery date. These two remaining tests will allow the surgeon to look inside my bladder and make sure my “plumbing” is intact and working correctly. I tried having these tests done about a week and a half ago, but they weren’t completed successfully. So, I am waiting for the tests to be rescheduled, and this time, I will be under anesthesia as to lessen the pain that goes along with these tests.

So… we are close! I would have had the tests done last Friday, but unfortunately ended up in the ER instead due to stomach pain. Luckily, it didn’t turn out to be anything serious, but it caused enough concern that the tests had to be canceled. Oh well.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. I honestly don’t know how I could do this without being surrounded by so much encouragement. I look forward to sharing more good news with you all soon.

Lately I have been finding myself staying up later and later each night. Not having to work now means I can sleep in as late as I want, and go to bed as late as I want. This is probably a bad habit to get into, but hey: I’m enjoying it while I can!

What time do you usually go to bed? And when do you have to wake up? Let me know by leaving a comment!

Hey folks!

So… this is my new blog!  Pretty cool, huh?  I’ll be posting more stuff as I get around to writing.