(written for an english class senior year Roanoke College, after her transplant)
After an 18 hour labor process and a c-section, I was welcomed into the world on September 5, 1982. My first few days of life in Salem, Virginia were short; soon after I was born the doctor who delivered me found a blockage and I was airlifted to Charlottesville to have emergency surgery. I was only five days old and I was already a unique little person with a big, sophisticated, interesting name to live up to. I was named by my father, Onjelique Christine Stevens; it comes from one of my Dad’s favorite Doobie Brothers’ song. Oddly enough, my dad doesn’t even call me that, he calls me Christy, as does his immediate family. In preschool I got tagged with the nickname Onjo; they could not say my full name, and is has stuck ever since.
After my surgery I was diagnosed with a genetic disease, Cystic Fibrosis, which affects the lungs and digestive systems. Many people with this disease have many childhood illnesses, and are in and out of the hospital all the time. But not me. I was exceptionally healthy and active as a child and did not get sick until my freshman year of college. When my disease finally started to invade my body, I fell fast. My doctor at UVA said I needed a double lung transplant; my parents did not tell me this at first and finally told me on our family vacation. We were all scared; I never thought it would come to this point–I had always been so healthy, not sick like so many others. I was scared and angry, but it was a choice of the matter– have the transplant or die. Shortly thereafter I started the screening process at UVA to make sure I was eligible for the transplant and to be approved. My name was put on the national donor list; now it was a waiting game. I waited for 14 months and time was running out. My doctor suggested that I explore Duke; that they had a great program. I found Duke to be much more advanced with transplants and more familiar with the procedure. Some of the best doctors are there, some even world renowned. I had to go through there evaluation process as well; I went down on my fall break of my senior year, 2003. After getting tested, poked and pried again, I was finally put on there list in early November. Then I went back on December 17 for a follow-up. At this point I was struggling for every breath I took, I had no energy, I wore oxygen constantly, and I was in pain–angry at the world. The doctors could see how sick and desperate I was; later that day I was “activated” and became number one on the donor list– 10 days later I got the life saving call.
It was 11:27 on Sunday night, December 27, 2003. I can remember exactly what I was doing. My best friend Brooke and our other friend Carrie were just having a chill night, hanging out. We were all talking and having a great time when my cell phone rang. I immediately recognized the area code “919”, Durham, NC to be exact; my stomach dropped and I was filled with such anxiety, excitement and anticipation–I answered, it was Julia, my lung transplant coordinator from Duke; it was time, they had found a match–a set of A+ lungs. After talking with her for a few minutes, we hung up and I called my parents to say that it was time. They rushed over and we left shortly thereafter.
Through this amazing journey I have learned so much. It has made me a stronger person, physically and mentally. I have met so many amazing people in my same position, waiting, and then in the end hopefully receiving; but I have also experienced death of my friends waiting, or not making it. There are good days and bad ones, but you have to take it one day at a time, and know that everything happens for a reason and there is a plan for you and everyone. I now have a second chance at life, and I truly believe that I was left on this earth for some purpose and I am so thankful each and every day for the breaths I take. Currently a business major, with only one class to finish in the fall, Policy, I have no desire to work in a “business world”. Through my incredible journey I now desire to work in the medical field, perhaps a doctor or physicians assistant, I am not really sure yet, but I do know that it is very important to me that I give back, and help others. I feel that through my experience and journey along the way, I have become even more unique–I can now really live up to that unique name. I feel very special and grateful for my second chance, all the doctors, friends, and family support, but mostly grateful to my donor of whom I don’t know his name, but know that he was a 26 year old, full of life that got cut to short– to save my life.
In conclusion I want to leave you with a quote that I live by each day; “life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”. – unknown.
After an 18 hour labor process and a c-section, I was welcomed into the world on September 5, 1982. My first few days of life in Salem, Virginia were short; soon after I was born the doctor who delivered me found a blockage and I was airlifted to Charlottesville to have emergency surgery. I was only five days old and I was already a unique little person with a big, sophisticated, interesting name to live up to. I was named by my father, Onjelique Christine Stevens; it comes from one of my Dad’s favorite Doobie Brothers’ song. Oddly enough, my dad doesn’t even call me that, he calls me Christy, as does his immediate family. In preschool I got tagged with the nickname Onjo; they could not say my full name, and is has stuck ever since.
After my surgery I was diagnosed with a genetic disease, Cystic Fibrosis, which affects the lungs and digestive systems. Many people with this disease have many childhood illnesses, and are in and out of the hospital all the time. But not me. I was exceptionally healthy and active as a child and did not get sick until my freshman year of college. When my disease finally started to invade my body, I fell fast. My doctor at UVA said I needed a double lung transplant; my parents did not tell me this at first and finally told me on our family vacation. We were all scared; I never thought it would come to this point–I had always been so healthy, not sick like so many others. I was scared and angry, but it was a choice of the matter– have the transplant or die. Shortly thereafter I started the screening process at UVA to make sure I was eligible for the transplant and to be approved. My name was put on the national donor list; now it was a waiting game. I waited for 14 months and time was running out. My doctor suggested that I explore Duke; that they had a great program. I found Duke to be much more advanced with transplants and more familiar with the procedure. Some of the best doctors are there, some even world renowned. I had to go through there evaluation process as well; I went down on my fall break of my senior year, 2003. After getting tested, poked and pried again, I was finally put on there list in early November. Then I went back on December 17 for a follow-up. At this point I was struggling for every breath I took, I had no energy, I wore oxygen constantly, and I was in pain–angry at the world. The doctors could see how sick and desperate I was; later that day I was “activated” and became number one on the donor list– 10 days later I got the life saving call.
It was 11:27 on Sunday night, December 27, 2003. I can remember exactly what I was doing. My best friend Brooke and our other friend Carrie were just having a chill night, hanging out. We were all talking and having a great time when my cell phone rang. I immediately recognized the area code “919”, Durham, NC to be exact; my stomach dropped and I was filled with such anxiety, excitement and anticipation–I answered, it was Julia, my lung transplant coordinator from Duke; it was time, they had found a match–a set of A+ lungs. After talking with her for a few minutes, we hung up and I called my parents to say that it was time. They rushed over and we left shortly thereafter.
Through this amazing journey I have learned so much. It has made me a stronger person, physically and mentally. I have met so many amazing people in my same position, waiting, and then in the end hopefully receiving; but I have also experienced death of my friends waiting, or not making it. There are good days and bad ones, but you have to take it one day at a time, and know that everything happens for a reason and there is a plan for you and everyone. I now have a second chance at life, and I truly believe that I was left on this earth for some purpose and I am so thankful each and every day for the breaths I take. Currently a business major, with only one class to finish in the fall, Policy, I have no desire to work in a “business world”. Through my incredible journey I now desire to work in the medical field, perhaps a doctor or physicians assistant, I am not really sure yet, but I do know that it is very important to me that I give back, and help others. I feel that through my experience and journey along the way, I have become even more unique–I can now really live up to that unique name. I feel very special and grateful for my second chance, all the doctors, friends, and family support, but mostly grateful to my donor of whom I don’t know his name, but know that he was a 26 year old, full of life that got cut to short– to save my life.
In conclusion I want to leave you with a quote that I live by each day; “life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”. – unknown.