Encouraging news!

http://youtu.be/3TrW5bRlX9s

The National Kidney Foundation has encouraging news for people awaiting transplantation as well as for those currently on life-saving immuno-suppressant drugs. Check it out! 

The best part is that it's from '09, so while they say it's a 10-year plan, this means we/they should already be taking steps toward it!

 

Inspiring Blogger Award - Thank you, Leah Oviedo!

Today I was honored to receive the "Very Inspiring Blogger Award" from someone who inspires me more than she realizes, apart from her ImpowerYou blog (that can make you say "ouch!" when you realize you may not be living up to your potential) and the books of hers that I have read (such as the one I purchased for my niece, I Am More Than Just A Girl and the one I read more recently, How Will You Create Positive Change?). Leah Oviedo, presenter of this award, has been in my life more years than I can say, and her words truly mean something, for I have seen her evolve from a cocoon into a butterfly, and know that she is truly the deserving one.


ImpowerYou.org is about empowering women of any age - but it seems to me especially the pre-teens and up, when they are most impressionable - to recognize themselves, ourselves, as more than society might have us believe. Women are different in every fathomable way, and that's okay. In fact, it should be celebrated! Beauty and goodness come from within. Empowerment comes from within. None of these things is something anyone - man or woman - can give us. It is something we bestow upon ourselves. At least, this is the message I get from Leah's blog. Please, read it for yourself, and correct me if I am wrong!

Leah asserts that she nominated me for this award "Because of your commitment to health and a better organ transplant system." I hope to live up that, and keep working toward my commitment, with the help of my readers, my friends, my family. People like Leah, and people like you. So thank you, each and every one! You have helped to make this blog and my commitment stronger and more real each time I see the number count of readers go up on this blog. Truly.

Like most blog awards this one requires each participant to follow a few rules which are posted below. Enjoy! The rules: 1-Display the Award logo on your blog. 2-Link back to the person who nominated you. 3-State 7 things about yourself. 4-Nominate 15 other bloggers for this award and link back to them. 5-Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award requirements.

Seven things I am:

1. Empathetic
2. Thoughtful
3. Funny
4. Kind
5. Creative
6. Accepting
7. Interested

Unfortunately, I don't know of fifteen inspiring blogs (although I'm sure they are out there), but here are some that I have found) in no particular order as they are all great blogs to follow:

1. The Collection Cup - - Articles having to do with the mind, body, and soul; connection
2. The Better Man Projects - - My vision is that “The world needs better men.
3. ImpowerYou - - empowers individuals with real life tools
4. Happsters - - Happsters are all about happiness
5. Advocacy in Action|NKF - - National Kidney Foundation
6. Happy Wives Club -- On a journey to prove love and marriage still go hand-in-hand
7. Time to Start Loving Yourself - - Images and words to inspire
8. Lori Hartwell - - After... 4 kidney transplants... being taller than I look is a state of mind
9. My Chronic Kidney Disease - - A personal blog chronicling the experiences and learnings of a person diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) 
10. Food Babe - - achieving health, happiness and ultimate wellness  

Nigeria and Organ Transplants

A young man requested information on how he can donate a kidney in forum called Kidney Transplant Donors and Recipients on Facebook. Without looking into his background, I automatically provided a public link to the National Kidney Foundation's website.

MARCH: National Kidney Month

Here it is, the third day of March, and I only just realized that it is National Kidney Month. So says the National Kidney Foundation. And they would know!

For anyone that is concerned about the possibility of kidney disease, they are offering free screenings. How do you know if you should be concerned? High blood pressure is one factor to consider.

If science telling you this just isn't enough, consider reading the story I just did about a woman whose husband is awaiting a kidney transplant because he didn't realize he had high blood pressure and it all crept up on him and before he knew it he had kidney disease so severe that he is awaiting a kidney transplant. I think I have the facts straight. Check out her blog: Twenty-five Seasons.

Take care of those kidneys. While it's true that you only need one (yes, this woman's husband can get a live donor!), you CANNOT live without ANY. Give your kidney(s) plenty of fluid. Be careful with that salt shaker. Eat 'live' foods - i.e.; produce. This won't just do your kidneys good, but your whole body.

Now raise your glass (of water!) up and say cheers to your kidney(s)! Love 'em and care for them because they are just one more organ or pair of organs that are working hard to keep you alive and well.