Diana's 25th Anniversary Transplant Celebration Letter

Hello to all My Loved One’s, Family and Friends from before this great gift was given to me and the ones who I have come to know after….

First, let me Thank my very Special Angel from Heaven above, for giving me the Gift of Life..

This SO Beautiful Person who took the time to sign a donor card and tell their family that this was their wish.. “If anything happens to me please donate my organs to save a life”. With this most beautiful, most selfless gesture, I was given a second chance at life.

Twenty-five years have passed and I want to share what my Angel and all the Doctor’s and Nurse’s and all the love that my family and friends have done. ESPECIALLY My Wonderful, Loving, Strong Husband David who has sacrificed his time and his dreams to devoting all that he can to research Everything and Anything! Coming with me to every medical appointment! Making sure I am as healthy and happy as can be!

I want to share really, just a small bit of what has happened since God and my Angel gave me a second chance at life….

First, All of the Beautiful Children who came to be! So far there is David, Justin, Cheyenne, Nico, Antonio, Autumn, Caitlyn, Nathan, Evelyn, Brynn, Calib, Lovelle, Francisco and soon in August, a new Baby Girl will join Our family!

I also want to tell you about My own babies, My Fur babies, that have given me so such happiness and heartbreak. Before my Transplant and after, I had my beautiful “Sam”. He was, like David, my loving caregiver. He was by my side constantly making sure I was loved and never lonely. Even when he became blind and in the end very ill, he would always find his way to my chair where we sat lovingly together. My Sam was with me / us for over 18 years! After losing Sam, I went to The Humane Society and found Our beautiful Snowshoe Kitty “Cisco” (named after my Dad Francisco). Cisco was the Sweetest, most vocal Kitty! He Loved his Daddy, going for rides in the car and giving the most sweetest kisses. Cisco was “the young spirit” in our lives making us smile and laugh every day! We lost our boy in September of last year after a short but devastating illness. I still hear his voice and feel his sweet kisses...

We got “BooBoo” our little girl, also from the Humane Society, to give Cisco a friend to talk to and cuddle with. She is very smart and is a Momma’s girl. She gives me lots of love everyday!

Of course with new life comes the time when other loved ones leave us.. Dad, Mom,Two Grandmother’s, One Grandfather, My Mother in Law, Many Aunts and Uncles, Cousins and Dear Friends. Each one has been and will be, dearly missed but will be forever in my memories and loved in my heart.

I have been able to travel with David to experience wonderful things we have created forever memories in Wales, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Canada and all over the United States enjoying good food, music, people and beautiful sights! Much of it while David would push me around in a wheelchair!

But with all the good times comes the hard.

We went through a tough time in Texas where we moved for a job opportunity. We bought a home and very shortly after moving in we lived through an arson fire which burnt our home and all of our belongs to the ground.. it was after the fire that I got my first diagnosis of the Arthritis disease.. Avascular Necrosis in my right hip which turned into the first of six total joint replacements in both hips, both shoulders, both knees, plus an ankle fusion.. and way too many other surgeries to mention here. It’s been a tough battle but with David’s help and love I have been able to heal. Pain is a constant but life is good I am able to do all the things I love.

All of you know how important music has been in my life. I performed professionally for manys years. After my transplant I had the honor to sing the National Anthem at a Rockies Baseball game for the University Hospital Transplant day it was a great experience singing by myself, to 76,000 Rockie’s Fans!

One day David took me to The Colorado Springs Opera Festival’s rehearsal of the Opera, Aida and managed to get me involved as a “Super”.. an extra performer on the stage. It was there that I learned of The Colorado Springs Chorale. I auditioned the following year and with that I was back singing again! I was apart of many Opera performances including Madam Butterfly, Don Giovanni, Turandot, Lucia di Lammermoor, Carmin (twice) and many other staged performances. Singing with the Colorado Springs Chorale and the smaller group Mosaic has been my JOY! I remember standing with the Chorale on the beautiful Pikes Peak Center stage with the 120 voice choir and the Orchestra singing Beethoven’s 9th or the Messiah for the first time. The beauty of the music and the power of all the voices together brought tears to my eyes! It was and continues to be a wonderful feeling and my absolute JOY!. I have recently re-connected with my Dear Friend and Music Partner Chuck Lucas, we have managed to, in spite of health stuff and work commitments put together some music to share with some retirement communities around town. It is fulfilling and is a wonderful way to give back and say thank you for this life!

I hope you can come and enjoy the day with David and I at my 25th Celebration of life! on Sunday September 3, 2017. I would love to see you share some food and create a New Memory to this Wonderful, Challenging, Beautiful Life!

My Love to all of you!

Diana