After being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 11, the debilitating side effects of the disease came to impact my life at the age of 29.

The many years of brittle control of the disease, high blood pressure and a stressful lifestyle caused me to lose kidney function and I began hemodialysis and the fight to stop the diabetes from taking my life altogether.

After one year of unrelenting rigors of hemodialysis and several close calls with diabetic coma and seizures in the hospital, along with diminishing eyesight and beginning neuropathy in both legs and hands, I received the phone call that saved my life and let me begin a new one.

I was a recipient blessed with a kidney and pancreas dual transplant in October of 1990.

I was given another chance to lead a more healthy life and to be able to enjoy my family and friends once again.

There was a time when I thought I would not make it to the next day. I am very grateful and happy to say that I have been given another 3,832 days since and I was here to see my sister graduate from nursing school, see my mother resume her passion for painting, art and family, live to see my nephew enter high school and find the love of my life.

All of which was in jeopardy until the generosity of one family made all of that and the happiness of my friends and family to have me here with them, possible.

I say simply, Thank you and god bless you as well.

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