Here I go again...

I'm a small town girl from my beloved hometown of Thunder Bay, ON. For the 2nd time in 10 years, I am back in the city of Toronto, living near the Toronto General Hospital counting on the world-renowned UHN Transplant Team to save my life again. In the struggle to breathe, ironically I have landed in the town known as "the big smoke"! In 2005, after a 22 month wait, I received the gift of a new life in the form of a new heart and both lungs. To this day, I do not know who the generous donor was, nor do I know the loving family who made the ultimate choice to help a stranger. We have exchanged anonymous letters, so I know they are admirable people & that my donor loved life and was truly loved by family and friends. I have done well with my new organs, but while transplant is a gift of health & time, it is not a cure. Over the last 5 yrs, I have developed Chronic Lung rejection or Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS). As a positive, I will chalk it up to my body having a good immune system & has fought from keeping these new lungs. So....next step for me, another lung transplant. Heart/Lung transplant recipients have received 2nd lung transplants successfully, although it has not been done to date here in Toronto. Yay for me, I just love going first...(argh, hated having a last name that started with B, always front of the line for shots in school!) I hope for mostly positive days, but I could use some support with that. Please forgive me when I do allow myself some pity parties, its all part of the game.