Life After Transplant

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 31 years. And people think transplant is a cure. But if anything, I go to my transplant center three times a year, I get my bloodwork. Even now after 31 years, I still get scared, like, what are my labs going to be like? I’m very vigilant, very Type A to the point when something's not right, I’m on it.

When you’re diagnosed with a life-changing illness, you put things into perspective a lot more. You know, you don’t sweat the small stuff anymore. You don’t get into people’s drama or your own drama. You just want peace because life is short.

The transplant journey has just been an amazing thing for me. It makes me feel that every day is a gift. I appreciate life in a way that I didn’t appreciate it before. I think most of us are guilty of taking the gift of life that we have for granted, but when you’ve gone through this, you feel differently about it.

I know what it feels like to have limitations prior to my transplant, so I’m taking every opportunity to stay active. I exercise, I listen to my body. Also, if my body says, Louise, today you need to stop, I stop. I want to live life. I don’t want to take this second chance for granted. So I take every opportunity that’s presented to me.

After my first transplant, I had two young boys and I was able to start participating in their swim events, baseball events—where previously, I was not able to do that. I wasn’t able to get out in the sun and wasn’t able to really do my job like I needed to.

Post transplant, we continue to work out with the trainer three times a week and I'm able to walk so much more than I ever have. My energy level is higher and I know the importance of eating healthy and of working out in order to maintain. That is at the top of my list and something that I do daily and I’m so happy and grateful to be able to do it.

I take great care of myself now, so I have picked up running. I’ve never run. I’ve wanted to run track since I was in high school. Never did. I have had a wonderful coach for the last two years. He taught me how to sprint. So I run the 100 meter and 200 meter, which I will be doing tomorrow, and that keeps my numbers perfect for me.