Layla was discharged from the hospital on Aug 13th!

We are at our rental house in Salt Lake. We have mostly been sleeping, recovering and playing when Layla feels up to it. Layla’s labs are looking wonderful and show that the rejection is still well controlled. Doctors are very happy with how everything is looking and so are we. Transplant life is a big transition. The surgery and hospitalization were intense and absolutely overwhelming in every conceivable way and now Layla will continue to be monitored very closely for the rest of her life. It’s been a lot.

We also feel incredibly blessed and lucky to have had an angel donor give her this new healthy life. We have had our wonderful community of friends, family and even strangers support us in so many ways. From helping us pay the relocation and transportation costs, to sending Layla care packages, cards and gifts to keep her busy while in the hospital and in our self imposed quarantine while immune suppressed. We have been blessed and supported and prayed over and we can’t be more thankful for how our village has shown up for us.

Layla has honestly been more resilient through this than we could have ever imagined. It wasn’t easy, in fact, it was really hard, but she’s doing her part and doing her absolute best. She’s kept a mostly positive attitude with a few exceptions, like telling her surgeon “I will fight you” when having a particularly hard morning. Her surgeon put up his dukes and gave her a couple air jabs and got a smile out of her. We are beyond proud of her and love her so much!

August 19th would have been our scheduled surgery date with Nicole Gunter. We will never forget Nicole’s bravery and generosity. Layla has had so many blessings in her life and definitely a couple angels looking out for her as well.

We love you all and are thankful for each and every one of you.