Just call me Optimus Prime

It's 3:30am exactly as I start typing this.  In about 2 hours, 6 months ago, my family was coming in to see me after have finally having received my lungs. I know I've written a lot about the journey, but I honestly can't explain through words the treacherous fight it was to get to that point.  The past 8 years have been constant suffering health wise, and yet, in that suffering, God poured blessing upon blessing, and never ever gave me any reason to lose hope, or joy in him.  What an incredible God we serve.

6 Months... It feels like everything just happened yesterday, and yet feels like it's been this way forever at the same time.  Although my bones are still healing from surgery, I have no pain or aching. I breathe as if this is what I've done my entire life, and although I can remember how it was like to breathe before, and I remember ECMO everyday, when I'm dancing, or play wrestling, or doing whatever I do now, my best friend says "Sometimes I forget how it was before." And even though I remember, sometimes I forget, too.  This life is so good, and so much more than I ever even imagined. 

I'm dancing again.  I'm working again.  But it's better than before.  I don't have to calculate thinking about breathing into my picture.. it just happens.  I don't have to stop and take breaks because I'm so breathless, or pop some percocets because I have numerous ribs cracking at a time from coughing so hard.  I can walk and talk at the same time.  And just to toot my own horn here for a second, turns out without having to do 2 hours of breathing treatments and therapy when I wake up, I can get ready in 10 minutes!

And guess what else?  I joined a gym!   My stomach tube which I relied on to sustain my life is no longer needed, and out!  I don't have ANY medical apparatus in me!  Sometimes when I'm wearing my headphones, I have to just smile that the cords are for something I enjoy, not something that's keeping me alive (although, I'm not sure I'd be able to survive without music.. :P)

It's now 3:30am.. I just finished my homework.. (well kind of.. still have one more class' work, and a thesis to write.. but got A LOT accomplished tonight!) I'M A FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENT for the first time in my life!  Who would ever think I'd be able to type that sentence?!  I'm talking about homework, and thesis' not oxygen levels and infections!  This life is incredible.  I can't say that enough.  Jesus Christ is beyond incredible -- that i REALLY can't say enough.

The LORD will uphold him even on his sickbed; You will transform his bed of illness into health.

Psalm 41:3

My life is transformed because God is love.