Two roads diverged in a yellow wood...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and neither will lead me out. One goes straight to the cemetery... so I am taking the other one. I will journey on as long as I can and hope for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. Transplantation is not a cure. But if all goes well enough, it will give me the opportunity to live for several more years.

A few more years in these woods.

In an earlier post I mentioned the amazingly talented Charity Sunshine Tillemann Dick, who has had two double lung transplants. After her first double lung transplant she did everything asked of her. She took her medicines on time, avoided crowded spaces, and did everything suggested to reduce her risks of rejection and infection. But, when she went for a regular checkup, expecting a clean bill of health, she learned her body was rejecting her new lungs. She was angry. "I feel like I've done my time," she wrote in a blog post, "and I was looking forward to doing some more pleasant time in the the coming years."

Charity explained that even though we do something well or we get through something challenging, it doesn't mean the work ends or that there won't be other challenges. She continued, "While I might not be "out of the woods," there is more beauty and love inside of them than I could have ever anticipated." Charity is right. Even though the road has been pretty rough so far, I have learned so much and have met some wonderful people. And, since I will never be out of these proverbial woods, I won't mind setting up my abode here for the rest of my life. I'll have plenty of visitors and some great neighbors.