I want to thank everyone, from the bottom of my heart, who has supported COTA in my honor. I want to share a bit of what my life looks like to really communicate how huge the impact this has on me and my health.

I have now been living in Pittsburgh, at my transplant doctor’s request, since June. Shortly before, I started renting an apartment in Brockport. I spent a total of two days (TWO!!) there between hospital stays and the move down to Pittsburgh. I,for a period of time, was still paying the mortgage (until the house sold), paying for my Brockport apartment (where all of my stuff is), and paying for the apartment in Pittsburgh. I currently live on social security, and I’m lucky to at least have that!

Health insurance is a regular stressor. My premiums are high, but they help me to maintain coverage, along with phenomenal insurance coordinators and social workers. Soon though, my insurance won’t be covering some of my necessary prescriptions, meaning that will be another out of pocket cost.

COTA funds have helped me to pay for this apartment in Pittsburgh. It helps me to make sure that I can cover my premiums. It helps to cover some groceries for me and Mom or Aunt Pam- I need to have a caregiver with me at all times. I am incredibly lucky that they are both retired and have the ability (and generosity) to be here, but driving back and forth every few weeks and paying higher prices isn’t easy on a fixed income.

Your donations to COTA in my honor give me breathing room- quite literally. I have managed to stay out of the hospital for 3 months now by being able to afford plenty of protein rich food. I have lowered my dangerously high phosphorus levels by being able to afford comparable items that have no or low phosphorus. I am gaining strength now, as I have been able to gain weight. I walk quite a bit everyday. Right now, my doctors say I am in an excellent place to manage to get through, and recover from, transplant surgery. All that’s left, with your help, is to maintain until I get that life saving call!