Great Strides 2009

Hello friends and family!
Yesterday was Chico, California's very first Great Strides walk, and let me tell you... It was a success!! Even though it was HOT outside, we all had a Great time with one another raising awareness and donations towards finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.
The tally hasn't been in yet, but I think we did exceptionally well in raising donations this year. Even though our economy isn't doing so well right now, people are still eager to give to such a good cause! It warms my heart to be surrounded by such caring people. Thank you!!
Our team leader (and fellow CFer) unfortunately had to be admitted into the hospital the night before the walk, so she couldn't be there with us, but like I told her: I'm glad she put her own health first. I was grateful to have some of my closest friends there to support me; I just can't thank them enough!
Here are a few pictures I took at the walk. I took a few others with my 35mm, so once I get those developed I'll be able to post more.

Home from a stay in the hospital

Friends and family,
I wanted to send a big thank you for all the well wishes I received from you during the past week while I was in the hospital. I'm happy to report that I was discharged last night after being poked, prodded, drugged, and watched over for the past 6 days in the hospital. While there I was running a fever (up to 102.4*), a white blood count of 18 (very high for someone post transplant/immunosuppressed), and in a great deal of pain (body aches). My doctors were very confused with what was the cause of me being so sick because all the cultures (blood, urine, and junk from the lungs) came back clean. My fevers and body aches have come down, so my doctors decided to discharge me before I were to pick up any unwanted bugs from the hospital. I'm still feeling pretty weak, running a low grade fever here and there, and body aches come and go, but I'm feeling so much better than this time last week! A big plus is that while in the hospital this time, my CF doctors were able to get me in for a bronch, only to find out that airway I keep having trouble with had closed itself off almost completely again. They went ahead and ballooned it open again and saw that behind the closure was full of nastiness that could have turned into pneumonia in the very near future. I am breathing a lot better than I had been, so them opening the airway was a huge help! It will most likely continue to be a mystery as to what caused all of the awful symptoms that got me admitted into the hospital, but I'm extremely happy to be home in the loving arms of my other half again.
On a side note, I just wanted to tell the world just how lucky I am to have Benito (my other half) in my life. He showed me these past two weeks just how supportive he can be, and I'm in awe at how much our love continues to grow. He brought me dinner every day after work and spent a few hrs holding me in the hospital while I was in such pain before having to make the hourr trip back home to get some sleep before work the next day.