Update: 12/22/2015 - Cleveland Clinic Video

As we ramp up for the holidays please remember - the gift - the gift that is most PRECIOUS and IMPORTANT - is LIFE. If you are BREATHING you still have FIGHT which means you still have LIFE. LIVE in the MOMENT. CELEBRATE the MOMENT. Cleveland Clinic Children's you have given us that gift and our holidays will be MAGICAL! We are forever grateful to our LIVER TRANSPLANT TEAM #BrodiesGoodVibeTribe #sliverofliver#TIGUEtough

Update: 12/15/2015 - Fighting our way Through

12/15/2015

Before this life challenge that has jolted our world – if you would have asked me what bravery was – I would have very matter of fact replied it is those who put themselves in danger and harms way every day – our military, fire fighters, police officers, etc. I was very black and white about it and quite sure that there was no other definition – or option.

As we have gone down this road I have been shown that there are different facets of bravery especially in the world of medicine. The indirect bravery I have witnessed has amazed me… You see being brave can mean so many things to all of us…

- It can be getting a diagnosis for yourself or a loved one that turns your world upside down

- It can be sitting and holding someone while they sob because they are in pain or shock or disappointed

- It can be walking into the hospital knowing that you won’t come out for days or weeks

- It can be waking up from a surgery and wondering about your road to recovery

- It can be sitting in the waiting room while someone is in surgery

- It can be supporting someone not knowing what to say or how to say it just being there

- It can be smiling or putting on a brave face while inside you are breaking into millions of pieces

And what is amazing is that these things happen every single day – hundreds of thousands of people go through all of these emotions daily. And the true defining moment of it all - is how will you respond? Will you be a victim or a victor? Will you rise above and find your way through?

My Mom told me a story on the way to the hospital one day…

A man received a diagnosis from the doctor who was treating him and in fact that he had terminal cancer and his life expectancy was very short. The man left the appointment devastated with the blow of the news.

Soon after, the doctor left for the day as well - on his way out to his car through the parking garage – saw a car with hazards on and someone underneath the car. The man underneath the car was in fact the man with terminal cancer.

“What are you doing?” asked the dr.

“Fixing the car” replied the man.

“I don’t understand” replied the dr. “You just received horrible news - don’t you have other things to be worrying about than someone else’s car.”

The man replied – “Listen you told me what was going to end my life but you cannot tell me how to LIVE my life.”

I have no idea if that is a true story or not. But I have thought about that hundreds of times since my Mom shared it with me.

Do not be defined by the challenges you are given, do not be handcuffed to a diagnosis, do not be trapped by others and their expectations. Live – rise above and LIVE.

People.com just featured 9 year old Hadley who is living with Biliary Atresia and just recently lived transparently through her journey with Biliary Atresia, Transplant and everything in between with her YouTube Channel - Transplant Tales from an 8 Year Old. Because she thought there are not enough educational support materials out there to share with people going through the procedures.

Can you imagine being 8/9 years old and doing this? Being brave enough to share your story? Amazing. What a little warrior. I am convinced that in this world knowledge is confidence. It helps, guides and allows us to crusade for victories with our brave face on.

These real world life examples or anecdotes are what help me through the worst and best times – and honestly why I keep sharing with you. We all have things we go through and we all need to have our mindset set on positive – victory is the only option – you define what victory means to you.

We are doing our best to raise Brodie and Harper to be victors in life and to be brave – always – because let’s face it if we can humanize our humans to have compassion, help others, be kind and be brave – anything is possible and this big scary world is better one little human at a time. ‪#‎tiguetough‪#‎brodiesgoodvibetribe ‪#‎sliverofliver ‪#‎thegoodstuff

 

Update: 12/12/2015 - Road Bump in the Hospital

12/12/2015

Our first road bump post transplant... Brodie has come down with a high fever and vomiting we have been admitted to cleveland clinic main campus early Thursday/Friday AM.

Poor buddy swings from being happy and no fever to high fever and miserable. Right now his fever is responding and being treated with tylenol - and we think it is from a virus.

Here is a pic of Brodie feeling well in between 102 temps.

Needing some good vibes to get our little warrior better. Even when his fever is spiking he still finds it in him to flirt with the nurses. Ha!

‪#‎brodiesgoodvibetribe ‪#‎sliverofliver ‪#‎tiguetough

Update: 12/09/2015 - BGVT hits the NEWSPAPER

Waking up in the morning opening the newspaper and finding yourself on the FRONT yes the FRONT COVER with Brodie's Good Vibe Tribe as the HEADLINE - I MEAN WHAT???????? Medina Gazette Rocked out a FABULOUS article on our story thanks to a great reporter - Elizabeth Dobbins! This article encompasses almost everything from start to where we are now. AMAZING!

Just a clarification I wish we had a Lakehouse - it is not our Lakehouse it is a friends so please do not be offended if you have not been invited to it ;-)when and if we ever have one all BGVT will have unlimited invitations!

http://www.medina-gazette.com/Breaking/2015/12/07/Brunswick-mom-donates-part-of-liver-to-save-infant-son.html

 

 

Update: 12/05/2015 -

Update 12/05/15:
When divine intervention just smacks you in the face and you realize how small this big, big world we live in truly is…

Harper and I were invited out to join a group of Moms and kids for a playdate. It was a group we didn’t know very well, however most everyone there was/is part of the BGVTribe and had been following our story – true BGVTers.

Upon our entrance mostly everyone gave me hugs and love out of the gates. After the excitement had died down – I sat down and struck up a conversation with a Mom sitting next to me. She asked about what was going on in my world as she wasn’t familiar with what we were talking about.

I began to give a brief overview of our story and said – “Well my son and I just went through a successful liver transplant about 5 weeks ago.”

Her face was unsettled and looked a little surprised (as most people do when you drop the bombshell of a transplant. I mean in reality most people are talking about flus and colds – the last thing you expect someone to say is a baby needed a new organ)

So I tried to comfort her and I said “I know it is a lot – but we are doing really good.”

And she still stared at me.

Slowly she said – “My son had a liver transplant as well.”

"WHAT. I mean WHAT??" And now it was me who had shock on my face

I blubber out – instant tears in my eyes. “What do you mean?”

I am sure at this point I looked like a complete hotmess-goof. I think I repeated something like – “Ummm you mean liver? A liver transplant? Like your son got a new liver?”

Her response “Yes.”

My world. Rocked.

You see I have been wondering, reflecting, praying, thinking about what life is going to hold for little Brodie.

How will he grow? What he will be like? How will life be like for him? What will life be like for him?

Thank God for social media because there have been some amazing Mommas that have reached out to me to share with me the success and the beautiful little babes who now are big babes – that went through transplant and are years out that are absolutely loving and living life. It has been so comforting knowing “the life after part.”

But this was different. This was in person. Right in front of me. There was something that was so amazing about the shock. I mean what were the chances. What were the chances that someone who had gone through a different diagnosis and had a transplant – a LIVER transplant with their child sitting right next to me. In a group of 7 Moms. I am not a statistician but I can promise you the odds are bananas that this would ever happen.

We sat there and told our stories. She shared with me how great her little guy has been doing and what their life is like. How they recovered and got through the stage that we are at now. I sat there dumbfounded still on how this could be possibly happening. He wandered in the room with the rest of the crew of rugrats 100% undetectable that at a small age he too had an incredible life test. Eyes sparkling, handsome, little guy just having fun playing Legos.

My friend Shannon who has been one of my number one supporters throughout all of this sat there with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes – I looked at her and said “Is this real life? I mean seriously? Is this really happening right now? Can you believe this?”

She looked at me and said “If you would have asked me if this would have been possible two months ago I would have said - No Way. But this. But now. Through all of this. I have learned that anything is possible.”

See this little journey is teaching me and others about POSSIBILITIES and GOOD – not just about the journey of transplant world. But paying it forwards and taking care of others and compassion and love – is there. It exists. I don’t know why it stays hidden. It is under our noses – we can choose to share, to laugh, to love, to spread hope, to be who and what we want to be.

This world. This world. Is so sad lately. It is so harsh. It is so mean. It is so confusing for us all. It is a world of hate – where our commonality is to worry and commiserate. We are constantly beat up by others, exposed to others negative thoughts, by what media and social media puts in front of us.

It is hard to believe in good any more. But there is SO much good. There are so many good things that are happening.

Did you hear the story of the couple who grew up in poverty and just gave $500K to the Salvation Army – to make their deceased Dad proud? What about the CAVS who just stopped in at the Cleveland Clinic to say hi to Pediatric patients? What about the church congregation that just tipped a pizza guy $700 – just because? Have you seen my BGVT stories about Kroger and American Greetings? Do you watch Ellen? If you don’t – start – as much as you can. She is always sharing the good. There is an amazing story of a Toledo teen who is kicking Cancer in the tail feathers right now – she is winning (I will share the video).

People. Organizations. Humans doing great things.

We can be what we want the world to be. We can be the news we want to hear. We can be the good. We just need to choose to.

Be the start of good. Choose to help others. The possibilities are endless and it starts with you.

Who knows? It could be possible that you are just sitting next to someone who needs to hear exactly what you have to say.

Let your light shine bright.

Sending love and light to you all. 
XO - TT

‪#‎brodiesgoodvibetribe ‪#‎sliverofliver ‪#‎tiguetough ‪#‎thegoodstuff