Media attention

So, in the midst of recovery and all this fun, there was also a minor media storm going on. Since I was the first double lung tx at Children's, this was media-worthy, but not until I was out of the CICU and it was sort of a 'guarantee' (if anything with tx is a guarantee) that I would make it.

It's kind of funny, because the weekend before my tx, I was in the paper, too, to bring publicity to the state's BMV donor registry, which you could now do online (DO IT RIGHT NOW....link to your right (lifeline)!!!). A Dispatch reporter and photographer did a nice story, with pictures of me playing my piano (Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," my favorite) and a pulled quote and headshot deal. It was actually quite a nice story. But anyway.

So about a week or so after the surgery, the hospital held a press conference with Dr. A, Dr. G, "God," and my parents (they may have been more but I forget). Originally I had thought I would do it too but the day of I was a little out of whack, emotionally, so I didn't. But my parents did a good job. If you google my name you can find the articles. :)

There was print, TV and other media, and the story went all over the world! I even found it in foreign medical journals (again, courtsey of Google). It was really kind of amazing. It was also ironic--my whole life, I had tried to keep the CF as underwraps as possible. Now, the whole metro area knew, and then some, along with the tx story!! But since I had the bully pulpit given to me, I now use it to the best of my ability. (If you want a Donate Life bumper sticker/window decal for your car, email me and I'll send you one...we've got to spread the word, kids!)

Of course, the surgery was filmed, as was the press conference, and we're trying to get copies of both. The next time I would see this much media would be THE DAY I went home....in early August.