Wednesday, December 21, 2005

The wierdness that was Sunday night

Alright, one more thing to talk about before bed. Sunday night my brother was to fly home for the first time since he left for boot camp back in May. So my whole family gets together, and we drive to the airport to pick him up. We've got flags and signs all ready to go. We get there a little early, so we all get some Starbucks to tide us over until dinner. Then Mom mentions to me to keep my eye out for someone whom she says is coming to meet David, too. This is the first I've heard of this person. Apparently, he met her through some friends from high school. What friends from high school?? He knew like three people, and none of them are super duper people that I would want to hook my brother up. Anyway, so she's supposed to meet him there too. So now, we're not just looking for him to come around the security corner, but we've also got our eye open for anyone who might look like they are there to meet him, too. NO DESCRIPTION given except that she's his "special friend." What the hell does that mean??

Well, then he shows up. We all give him our hugs and handshakes welcoming him home. We're all also looking around for someone to come up and say hello to him too. Nothing doing. So we head down to the baggage claim and he heads off like a straight shot towards someone I've never seen before. He gives her a hug like he's know her for years. It's really creepy. We all get introduced, but then my sister, brother-in-law, other sister, my husband and I all stand around trying to figure the situation out. First, I decide the girl was smart enough to bring a friend in case he was a serial killer/rapist. Then, I begin to realize this is SO like him. To invite someone we've never even met or know anything about to his homecoming. He'll be home for like two weeks. Couldn't he wait until the next day to meet her in person for the first time??? Oh well.

So it turns out that the girl is Ok. She smokes, and that is a big strike against her. But she does have a job, and she is in school, and she's legal. So these are all good things. Sad when you have to check if your brother's new girl is legal. Says a lot about his previous choices in women. His last girlfriend was a good one, but things didn't work out.

I bet my sister Jessi has already blogged about this topic, and hers is probably way funnier, but that's ok. www.craigandjessica.com/blog

Oprah has been contacted

Well, I went to Oprah's page and submitted my idea for a show. I guess if I have tests before they contact me, I'll just videotape them and let them use that footage for the show. It would be way cool to have a show following the donation process. I'll wait to hear from Oprah's people, and if they want to do the show, I'll try and talk my aunt into doing it. Boy nothing like a million people watching to help you get your aunt to quit smoking so she won't die from lung cancer after you give her your kidney. And Oprah can be mighty influential herself!

I guess I should take some cough medicine and get to bed....

And it's a MATCH!!

So on Friday, Dec 16, I found out that I'm a match to donate a kidney to my aunt. As long as all my testing to make sure that I am healthy enough to donate goes well, I'll be a kidney donor sometime early next year.

I'm so excited that I can help her out. She's my godmother, and she's a great lady. I was so happy to tell her that I am a match. What is so fantastic is that I'm a better match than her own sister. Pretty cool. But I've just had this feeling since I found out she needed a kidney that I would be the one. So I am now doing all I can to insure that I'll be able to donate. I've cut soda out of my diet. I'm only drinking water, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. I'm watching what I'm eating and I'll start exercising when my sore throat is gone.

It's so funny that everyone keeps saying what a great person I am for doing this when my motives are completely selfish. All I want is for my aunt to live happily ever after with a kidney that works. I can do that for her. It means that I get to have her around a lot longer than if she didn't get the kidney.

I wonder if I should contact the Oprah show. Wouldn't it be cool to be able to show what it is like to be a donor?? Maybe more people would be willing to do it when they hear about someone they know who needs help. Yeah, all the testing might be a pain in the butt, and the surgery won't be any picnic, but I'll sleep through that, right?! :) Anyway, I know that Oprah did a show on the Steven Cujokaro guy who got a kidney donated. It might be a good follow-up piece. And hey, if I get to meet Oprah out of it, all the more worth it!!!!! Hmmm.........

Being sick during break sucks!

So, my break started on Saturday. As of Sunday, my throat started feeling a little sore. Then Monday, my throat was super sore. By the end of Monday, I couldn't even talk. Today I was on ibuprofen and acetemetaphin all day to keep the swelling and pain away. I just hate that when you finally get time to relax, you get sick. It sucks. Oh well.

So the reason I'm up so damn late is because I'm coughing and I don't want to keep Ben up. He's working super early this week to cover for a guy at work who usually does the early morning computer server stuff to keep their office running smoothly. I also hate that when I'm sick, I usually end up being up late at night, when I know I should be sleeping but I can't sleep for whatever reason. It's awful.

OK... no more bitching... moving on to happier things.