Category: donate life

The ladies are coming today………..

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This is my family.

My mother, myself, my sister Laureen and my sister Donna.  My mother and sister Laureen lives in Florida and my sister Donna lives in Virginia.  Today they are flying and driving to come here to my house today.  Then tomorrow we are off to Old Orchard Beach Maine to spend time together.   This will be the first vacation we all take together, since we were kids.

After the last couple of years, we are now learning how important it is to just do it.  We always had reasons before not to be able to just say “let’s do it”, but now every moment is precious. Normally I would fly to Florida once a year to see my mother and sister, but this past year it will be the 3rd time I see my mom.  It is hard when they live so far way.

I am blessed t have my family, so now it’s time to enjoy being together.

Look out Old Orchard Beach, the ladies are coming to have fun.

Lynne

Buddies, Lauren and Joe

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Lauren and Joe Whalen

Yesterday Lauren went to visit one of her best buddies.  They have a special bond that only they will know.

They both had a heart transplant.

We met Joe and his family when we were living in Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston Ma.  Lauren already received her heart at the time, but having so many complications after the transplant, it took Lauren 5 months to recover.  During that time, we met Joe.

Joe was on the heart transplant list, he had a LVAD.  Medical reasons at that time he needed to be hospitalized for his waiting time.  I remember Joe walking with his machine doing laps around the hospital floor all the time.  Joe wanted to keep his body as strong as it could be, plus to be honest there wasn’t really anything else to do.  Walking the floor you can at least talk and meet people.  That’s how Lauren met him.  After talking with Joe, we found out he lives about 10 miles from our house.  Joe and Lauren instantly became friends.  They were great support for each other.  Joe received his gift of life in April.

Since then Lauren and Joe have kept in touch.  I feel blessed that Lauren has someone in her life that she can talk with, laugh with and I’m sure cry with.

Joe is a music teacher, so when we were living in the hospital, Joe created a song about living in the hospital.  We would joke and call the hospital the Cardiac Hotel. Please take a moment to listen to it.  It Is beautiful.

Lynne

IT’S A NEW DAY

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During my life, I have realized that every morning we are blessed to be able to start a new day. This morning, I woke up (that’s a blessing) made a coffee and said “It’s going to be a great day”.  I took some time to reflect on my life.  I live in a beautiful house, […]

New Beginnings……..

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1437940979_love_valentines_day_11                         Our site is called new heart = new beginnings

 Life is full of new beginnings to all of us.  I am sure everyone will relate. 

                                    
                               NEW BEGINNINGS

It’s only the beginning now
…a pathway yet unknown
At times the sound of other steps
…sometimes we walk alone

The best beginnings of our lives
May sometimes end in sorrow
But even on our darkest days
The sun will shine tomorrow.

So we must do our very best
Whatever life may bring
And look beyond the winter chill
To smell the breath of spring.

Into each life will always come
A time to start anew
A new beginning for each heart
As fresh as morning dew.

Although the cares of life are great
And hands are bowed so low
The storms of life will leave behind
The wonder of a rainbow.

The years will never take away
Our chance to start anew
It’s only the beginning now
So dreams can still come true.

Lynne

A update on Lauren’s results from her Biopsy

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News from Boston

Lauren had her biopsy, a couple of weeks a go.  As I said, there was no rejection.  They wanted Lauren to have her blood work done again in  week to recheck her taccrolimus levels.  They were a little low, so they upped her dosage for a week and then have it rechecked.

Tacrolimus
Drug
Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressive drug used mainly after allogeneic organ transplant to reduce the activity of the patient’s immune system and to lower the risk of organ rejection

Friday Lauren’s Dr. from Boston called and said, they have to make another adjustment.  So now they lower it a bit, and also lowered her potassium by one capsule 750mg.  Lauren has been taking 5 a day so now 4 a day.  Tacrolimus can interact with your kidneys.  So Lauren’s kidney levels were elevated. They also adjusted her torsemide from 100 mgs. twice a day to 50 mgs twice a day

Torsemide                                                                                      

Torsemide belongs to the group of medicines called loop diuretics. Torsemide is given to help reduce the amount of water in the body in certain conditions, such as congestive heart failure, severe liver disease (cirrhosis), or kidney disease. It works by acting on the kidneys to increase the flow of urine.

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These are all the meds Lauren has to take every day.  I sometimes feel like  small pharmacy here.

Since the transplant, I have learned the lesson that medicine is a science.   It takes a lot of adjusting.  Factors can be the time she takes them, food Lauren eats, exercise and most important fluids she drinks.

Lauren takes a total of 26 pills through the day.  We fill her pill boxes once a week so everything is organized and ready for the day.

We have a new phrase around here ‘It’s that time of the month”, meaning refill time.

Lynne

Lauren was named Chicopee’s Ambassador for Donate Life New England

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Today was a special day…Chicopee has a new Ambassador.

Lauren Meizo, was given the official title of

Chicopee’s Ambassador for Donate Life New England

Pictured with Lauren is Matthew Boger, State Relations for Donate Life.  They were at the Chicopee Registry this morning, spreading the word.

Lauren’s duties will be to educate, inform and tell her story about organ donation.

If you have an organization, or event that you feel Lauren would be an asset, to the event to speak on this topic, please feel free to contact us.

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My daughter, amazing, strong, beautiful, with a strong willingness to help others.

A very proud mother

Lynne

A note from Lauren ***

I am honored to be thee Ambassador of Donate Life for my community. Spreading the importance of organ donation has become my new passion. I am one of the lucky ones who actually was able to receive an organ, my heart in time. This is not true for all. Currently, over 123,000 people are waiting, many with their lives on hold to hear those five life changing words, “we have found a match!” while others may never get that second chance, all due to a shortage of organs. Before I went through all I did, I never put any thought into organ donation. So now that’s why I am here to encourage others in becoming Organ Donors!

With sincere love & all my heart,

Lauren

Ambassador for Donate Life, NE