Today I had a support group class were we were all officially introduced to one another. Just the people waiting for transplants were part of the group. Most people have a support person with them weather it's their husban,wife,child, brother,sister or a friend. They are there to help with the process of waiting for transplant and are generally the person who is going to be with them after the transplant. Helping them make it to appointments, meals and groceries, keeping a person motivated to go to physio every day, tasks such as bathing and getting dressed. What ever kind of support a person would require before and after transplant. They have separate support group for the support people. The social worker and hospital Chaplin were the ones heading the meeting. Everyone went around and introduced themselves and said where they were from and told a bit about themselves and how they deal with there disease if they wanted to. Most people were pretty open with everything and talked about there disease and asked questions. Some in the group just listened. And I well I cried while each person told their story. I'm not use to hearing people talk about them being sick. It's usually me that is telling everyone about my life. One lady talked about how she has to still be sting because she is the mom and wants to be there still for her children and how she coulnt believe that she needed a transplant already. It hadn't sunk into her mind yet that she was as sick as she was and was needing a transplant. Another man was told two years ago that he needed a transplant and had worked around chemicals his whole life so he thought he was to blame for his disease and didn't deserve a transplant. He said he had nothing to live for before but now he has grandchildren and had a reason to live so just recently started the transplant process. Another lady younger then me talked about how she felt guilt for not being able to help her husband out at their business that they owned and how she found out that she had a rare lung disease and not to long after found out she needs a transplant. Another lady talked about smoking, drinking and doing drugs and that friends were bad influences on her. After she cleaned up she found out the damage that had been done to her lungs and she two needed a transplant. Everyone had a unique story of why they were all their now awaiting for a lung transplant. Also the previous group joined the class and spoke about how the program has helped them and what they were going to do to keep sting after going home. When it came to me speaking I had to apologize. "I am usually the strong one" "I don't cry" but when it was my turn to talk and tell my story I was ok I think because I had heard my story before several times. Hearing there stories for the first time just got me especially when I realized I have something in common with everyone of them.
I had a surprise visit tonight with my friends dad who I grew up beside and think of them as my second family. I had an awesome supper Gordon brought me take out from the Keg. I got a steak,baked potato,mushrooms,veggies,bread,ceaser salad and an awesome shrimp appetizer. And I ate pretty much all of it. To top it all off he even went and bought me some new workout gear from lulu lemon for the gym. Love the new gear! Truly an amazing family friend!
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