Best Year Ever

With the hours of 2009 ticking down, I look back in awe at everything that has happened this year, and it does not take long to come to one simple conclusion. 2009 was our best year ever.

Although in was not without it's fair share of drama and challenges, we can look back now from where we are and smile. Despite those challenges, the highs far outweigh the lows.

Just thinking that a year ago today, I was barely able to get up from the couch, too sick to do almost anything. We are now flourishing in a life we have dreamt of for years.

There were so many great moments from this year, it is hard to sum it all up. I was able to come up with a top ten list though. There were far more moments that made this year so amazing, but I limited it to the top ten. Just by looking at this list though, it is easy to see why it was such an unforgettable year.

Top ten Moments from 2009

10.) Lake Cumberland

9.) Cruise to Cozumel

8.) Hot Air Ballon Ride

7.) Making and distributing the Homeless bags

6.) Vegas

5.) Having the opportunity to share our Healing story at our church service.

4.) Puerto Rico

3.) Melissa's Successful Surgery

2.) Liver Transplant #2

1.) Braydon (every moment with him)

Like I said.

BEST. YEAR. EVER.

Not So Bad

Despite some moaning and groaning about the weather over the last few days, we actually had a really great time in Cleveland. Our purpose here was to visit with friends and family, and that is exactly what we did.

We stayed at Melissa's grandma's house, which is Grand Central Station for her family. Four of Melissa's cousins have kids that are two years and younger, and they all got together today for pictures. Of course, getting four children, let alone babies, to look at the same camera at the same time is a scientific impossibility, but we had fun trying.

We also got to visit some friends from college, all of which have kids as well. It was fun catching up with them, and laughing about how much things have changed since our college days.

Late this afternoon, after some convincing (begging), Melissa and I went to a near by park to go sledding with some of her family. As you can see in the pictures below, we were not messing around. We covered every square inch of skin several times over. If there was some way to cover our eyes and still see we would have done it.

We both grew up in this type of weather and spent many childhood days skiing and sledding. It was fun to act like kids and run back up the hill after racing down in a sled.

Next stop: Chicago.

Forecast: More snow and ridiculously cold. Can't wait.

Melissa before we even got out of the car.

At the top of the hill braving the elements. (Melissa is wearing her old skiing jacket from high school. Classy, right?)

Ready for the first run.

There was a big bonfire at the base of the hill which we visited often.

There is also some video of me attempting to snowboard, but it mysteriously disappeared. I would say that I did awesome. Melissa might say differently.

Two Words: DAMN COLD!!!

Yes, it is still snowing.

Yes, it has gotten colder.

Yes, we survived our drive out to visit friends on the wintery, messy roads.

Yes, the weather is supposed to be just as bad, if not worse tomorrow.

NO, we are not leaving the house tomorrow.

Still Snowing...

It hasn't stop snowing since last night. I was outside for 30 whole seconds to take these pictures. I thought I might freeze to death.

Luckily I was able to warm up when I came inside after all the work it took to take off the eight layers of clothes I had on.

We are heading out to see friends in a little bit. Google maps says they live 30 minutes away. We are planning on 90.

One Word: COLD!!!

It took about two and a half seconds to remember why we left Cleveland and moved to Florida after college. That first blast of winter air sent shivers down to the bone. Braydon does not seem to be a fan of the cold either.

As much as the cold weather is dreary, it is preparing to go outside in the cold that is making it hard. We are used to throwing on a pair of flip flops and making sure we have our sunglasses to go out. Today it was a whole process of putting on the sweatshirt, jacket, hat and gloves, go out to the car, turn on the heat, get to warm in the car. Then take off the jacket, hat and gloves, only you put it all back on again whenever we get where we are going. Fun stuff.

On the bright side, here is the weather alert I got on my phone tonight;

Local Severe Weather Alert for Cleveland, OH

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL

6 AM EST MONDAY... THE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CLEVELAND HAS ISSUED A WINTER

WEATHER ADVISORY FOR

SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST MONDAY. SNOW WILL MOVE ACROSS

THE AREA TONIGHT. THREE

INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED WITH LOCALLY AS MUCH AS 5 INCHES OF

SNOW. THE SNOW WILL

TAPER OFF DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPARED

NESS ACTIONS... UNTREATED

ROADS WILL LIKELY BE SNOW COVERED AND

SLIPPERY.

Here are some pictures from

before the snow began. We will

see what it looks like tomorrow.

Not Our Typical Vacation

I have a hard time calling a trip in which I packed no sunscreen, flip flops, swim suit, hiking boots, skis, or climbing equipment, a vacation. I am not sure what to call it, but we are heading out tomorrow. North that is.

We will spending the next week split between seeing Melissa's family in Cleveland, and my family in Chicago, along with a friends in both places. I have checked the weather forecast and I may not see 40 degrees while we are gone. I am not too sure how I am going to handle that.

We are Floridans through and through. We have jackets and hats packed, but I am not sure anything can prepare us for that first blast of cold air as we step out of the airport terminal.

We will be staying with family in both places, and I am not sure what internet access will be like. I will post as internet and the thawing of my fingers allow.

Braydon's First Christmas

Before

After

Reading "The Night Before Christmas" Christmas Eve night.

Christmas Outfit

He got the opening presents thing down.

Dreams Come True

About three years ago, Melissa had a dream that she will never forget. In the dream, we stood together, during a Candle Light Christmas Eve Service at our church, and held our son in our hands. Tonight that dream became a reality.

My favorite Christmas tradition is reading "The Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve, just before going to bed. I have done it the past several years with just Melissa and I, each year hoping that the next year, I would be able to read it with our child. Tonight, that became a reality.

Christmas could end right now, and we would have everything we ever wanted.

Blessed

I had a rather ominous start to my winter break today. I had to go in for iron infusion therapy, which is not unlike the blood transfusion I had a few weeks ago. The biggest difference between the two, other than I was getting iron instead of blood, was the location. Instead of being in the hospital in a private room, I was at the Florida Cancer Institute in the Chemotherapy Room.

I sat in a chair, amongst cancer patients getting there chemotherapy treatments. To my right was a man who was going to be getting his first round of radiation that afternoon. The doctors told him he would likely not have enough energy to go out on Christmas day. To my left was another man would was so nauseous from the chemotherapy, he had already decided to stay home alone on Christmas rather than have Christmas dinner with his family.

I can feel sympathy for this people. I was in similar shoes this same time last year. Today served as another reminder as to how blessed I am am this year.

What a Difference a Year Makes

Last year, around this time, I sat in the auditorium of my church and watched the yearly Christmas production. I was sick. I was tired. I held a firm grip on my cell phone in the hopes that the hospital would call. I held on even tighter to my faith that soon I could return to my life I faced a future that was uncertain.

Tonight I sat in that same auditorium watching this year's Christmas Production. This year was different. I feel more alive now than ever. This year I held tight to my son as he starred wide-eyed at the lights. My hope this year was not for a phone call, but for no more of "those" phone calls. I am now able to look forward to a bright future together with Melissa and Braydon.

When the production was over, we went to post-production party with friends. As usual, we stayed to late, especially for a Sunday night. On the way home, I couldn't help but smile.

There is something about this time of year that lends itself to reflection. As I reflect back on where I was a year ago, and where I am now, I cannot help but be amazed. At this time last year, there was the possibility that I would not even be around to celebrate this Christmas. Not only am I here, I am here with our son.

It is said that Christmas is the time to celebrate, and we have plenty to celebrate his year.

New Additions

With our new addition of Braydon to our family this year, he has brought other new additions to our house. Up until recently, we have been able to avoid having our house over come by baby toys, but that tide is beginning to turn.

At Christmas time, Braydon has brought along some other additions as well. Since our first Christmas together back in 1999, Melissa and I have bought a new personalized ornament every year. This year, finally, we were able to get these.

Then there is this change.

Last Year.

This Year.

This may not seem like a big deal, but hear me out. Melissa bought those stocking hangers about 3 years ago, in the midst of one of our IVF cycles. The hope being that the following Christmas, we would be able to use all of them. It didn't quite work out that way. So over the subsequent years, as we decorated the house for the holidays, we would get to the box with the stocking hangers. We would take two of them out, look at the others still in the box and think next year will be the year. Well next year is finally here. In fact, this year, as we finally hung that long awaited stocking, I think a tear or two might have been shed.

It's Officially, Official

As mentioned before, the reason we had to take the blog private was due to some potential complications with the adoption. Those concerns also forced us to bump up the date of the adoption finalization.

Adoption law is so that the adoption is not final until 90 days post-placement and three home visits. November 25 was the 90th day post placement and the earliest we could finalize. We happened to be in Vegas on November 25. With the lawyer's and the judge's guidance, and with the help of our hotel in Vegas, we were able to legally finalize the adoption while in our hotel room, in the presence of a notary public, with the the judge and lawyer on speaker phone. At that point and time the adoption was legal and finalized.

Here we are in our hotel room in Vegas.

We were still encouraged to keep our original court date to come in and meet with the judge and lawyer for an reenactment of the finalization. Our original court date was today.

So at just past 11:00 this morning, we stepped into the court room, followed by 15 friends and family. We were sworn in, answered a few simple questions and listened as the judge legally placed Braydon in our family. Despite being reenactment, it was still emotional.

When it was over, the judge presented Braydon with a teddy bear, and we took pictures with the judge. This was a proud day that we will never forget.

It was a relaxed and fun atmosphere.

A gift from the judge.

Our great support system.

Low Iron

That is really the only answer that we were given at this point.

My body is not producing enough iron, which is what produces hemoglobin. They are putting me on an iron supplement and sending me to another doctor to look into why.

More follow-ups to come.

Topped Off

Back home from the hospital from the transfusion. Feeling OK. No news on any test results. Should know more tomorrow.

Blood Sucker???

Unless you have been living in a cave, on the moon, or wearing a blind fold with your fingers in your ears, you have probably heard that Vampires have taken over Hollywood and Pop Culture. To this point, I have been able to avoid this recent craze. That may have ended today. No I have not opened a Twilight book or watched one of the other dozen or so Vampire movies or TV shows, but vampires have affected me, or at least that is one theory. I will get make to that in a minute.

As I write this, I am back at the scene of my transplant. I went almost a full year without have to come back to this hospital, but that streak ends today. Over the last two months my hemoglobin and red blood cell count has been steadily declining to the point that it is now at only 50% of what it should be. So I am back here at the hospital for a blood transfusion.

They will draw some blood first to run some labs and try to figure out what is wrong, and then I will get two units of blood. At two hours a pop, plus waiting on the blood typing, it is looking like a long day.

The working theory of the doctors right now is that the drop is a side effect of some of the medication I am on. That is one theory. Then, there is my vampire theory.

I have noticed recently that Melissa has stayed away from garlic and shudders every time she sees a stake. I am not saying that my wife is a vampire that is secretly drinking my blood little by little every night, but I am not ruling it out.

There are of course a few holes in my theory. She still goes out during the day and is counting down the days until we head back to Puerto Rico in January where she can soak up the sun all day. There are no fang marks any where on my body either. That, plus the fact the vampires don't exist...or do they?

We'll keep you posted.

Why Private?

So the obvious question I've been asked is "what made you decide to make the blog private?"

Well without going into a long, drama filled details, we simply felt it was the best way to keep our family safe. About 3 weeks ago we had a hiccup in the adoption process, and got some details we hadn't had earlier. We decided that we simply needed to keep things as private as possible. Even though the blog was anonymous, we prefer not to take any chances. We would much rather be overly cautious.

To continue reading...

If you are reading this blog right now, it means that you have been invited. However, if you do not have a gmail account, you will only be able to read for 30 days. If you would like to continue to read beyond the 30, and do not want the hassle of setting up a gmail account, you can use this generic email address to access the blog;

username: thirdchanceblog@gmail.com

password: brianmelissa

This username and password will give you access to the blog at any time

A New Beginning

As my first post on the private blog, I would like to finally introduce ourselves...

Our Family

Brian

Melissa and Brian

Braydon

Here is to new beginnings.

Going Private

Due to some recent events, we have been forced to make the difficult decision to take this blog off the public forum and go private. I cannot get into details right now as to why, other than saying it is in the best interest of my family.

So what does that mean?

Basically it means that only people that I allow to read the blog will be able to read it. I have every intention of allowing every one who currently reads this blog to continue. As of Friday when you go to check this blog, a message like this will come up...

_____________________________________________________

This blog is open to invited readers only

http://thirdchanceatlife.blogspot.com/

It doesn't look like you have been invited to read this blog. If you think this is a mistake, you might want to contact the blog author and request an invitation.

You're signed in as ------------------------ - Sign in with a different account

____________________________________________

If you would like to continue to follow this blog, please email me at thirdchanceatlife@gmail.com.

I will invite as many people as I can ahead of time to have access to continue to read.

Although this was not an easy decision, we are looking forward to the next chapter of this blog. For starters, we will finally be able to use our real names and show real pictures of us. Can't wait for that.

We hope that you continue to following this blog. I have a feeling that the adventures of this family are just beginning.

"Every new beginning, comes from some other new beginning's end."

I

A New Meaning to Thankful

I year ago I sat here and wrote about how I am Thankful for my health and family. To get a true understanding of what follows, check out that post here.

I hate to be repetitive, but this year I am once again thankful for my health and family. The reasons are very different.

Last year my health was in steep decline. I was dying. Less than two months after that post though, I got the call from the Transplant Center that saved my life. Now here I am. The same person in the same place. Only I'm not.

I am not taking my current good health for granted. I am making sure that I make the best of it. I know what is is like to be beaten down by a disease so badly, the thought of walking to the kitchen would mean I would have ben done for the day. Now, I am contemplating icing down my legs after doing too much hiking the last few days. But if it came down to it, if there was a mountain the climb today, I would do it.

I have let far less opportunities pass me by the last year. It has resulted is some bumps and bruises, some late nights followed very quickly by early mornings, and "I can't believe what I am seeing" moments. At the same time, the results have created more memories, laughs and "I will never forget this" moments than years prior combined.

Yes, I am thankful for my health. And I hope to never forget it.

Then there is my family. What a difference a year make. That word alone has taken on a different meaning. It still includes all those friends and family that have stood by our side over the years, but now it means so much more.

It means the tiny little guy, playing on his mat in front of me as I type, is now my family. Every sound he coos, every smile he makes, every moment we share, is a culmination of a dream. I am thankful that all the heartache and pain we had to experience to get to this point are now worth it.

This Thanksgiving Dinner, as we sit down as a family for the first time, some of those memories of heartache will come back I am sure. But they will be overcome by the wonderful new memories that we have already created, and thoughts of thousands of more to come.

We can move forward now, especially considering the fact that as of yesterday morning, the adoption has been finalized, complete with lawyers, judges and birth certificates.

More then ever before, we truly are Thankful on this day.

We hope that all of you happy, healthy and especially grateful Thanksgiving Day!

Heading Home

As we get ready to wrap up our first family vacation, i would have to say that it was everything that we expected and more. I got my two big hikes in at Red Rocks, plus the smaller one with Little B. We even made one more trip today just for some photo ops.

We also did out fair share of the tourist stuff and Little B was a champ through it all. We only hope that his second flight in a few hours is as good as he first.

Here are a few other tidbits from the trip I my have left out;

• We stayed at The Element Hotel in Summerlin. If you every have a chance to stay at an Element, do it. They are very Eco-Friendly, the staff was great, the rooms where nice and every one has a full kitchen. Plus, they had full blown breakfast buffet every morning, complete with breakfast sandwiches, burritos, eggs, pancakes, muffins, and best of all smoothies. Add to that the nightly reception with drinks and appetizers, and it is hard to beat.
• This being our first trip traveling with a baby, we weren't sure how many diapers and formula to pack. So we didn't. About a week before our trip, my wife ordered diapers and formula online at diapers.com. They were shipped right to the hotel and were ready for us when we checked it. Plus they didn't take up any space in our luggage.
• Restaurants.com. If you haven't tried it yet, check it out. Once again my brilliant wife went online a week before the trip and ordered several gift certificates for local restaurants. (She got $25 gift certificates for $5). This way we already had an idea where were going to eat, and we saved a ton of money.
• Little B has a new favorite place in Vegas; Fremont Street. If you have eve seen Fremont Street you know what I mean. Little B has this small toy that lights up and play music. Freemont Street is like that toy on steroids. Little B was in a complete trance watching the football field sized screen. Plus it was on the ceiling, which is perfect viewing from his angle.
• The final result from the tables; +$165.
• Final number of pictures; 1,277. I have a feeling a Christmas card picture is in there somewhere.

Vegas Day 4

"It doesn't have to be fun, to be fun."

I heard that line once, and it stuck with me. Today's hike up Turtlehead Peak was a perfect example of that saying.

When we arrived at the parking lot, we were the only car around. It was 39 degrees when we stepped out of the car. Despite growing up in Chicago, I am now a FLorida boy through and through. Heck, I turn the seat warmed on in my car if it dips below 60, so 39 is down right freezing.

The amount of work we had ahead of us soon made any concerns about the temperature seem small. The longer we walked, the higher we got, and the layers of clothing began to peel off.

The sign at the trailhead classified this trail as "strenuous". I would disagree. This trail wasIncredibly Strenuous. We climbed over 2300 vertical feet in just under 2 miles. Most of the climb was amidst loose rock scree, which is the equivalent of trying to walk across hard word flooring covered with marbles. When we weren't walking through scree, we were climbing over boulders, which at the time wasn't so much fun since I was gasping for breathe most of the time. (My wife on the other hand would have beat me to the top by an hour if I wasn't holding her up.)

The final ascent felt like a 45 degree incline. It was hard to tell if my lungs or my legs were burning more. The payoff once we got to the top made every step worth it. Panoramic views of mountains to one side and Vegas to the other. We stayed for almost 30 minutes just enjoying the view (and catching my breath).

The descent was easier on the lungs, but harder on the legs. Hiking down the loose scree was like downhill skiing on a beg of rocks, with 100 foot drops on either side.

Turtlehead was a great hike. There were times that I doubted whether or not I would make it to the top. Happily we did. Here is the proof.

How I See Vegas

Talk to anyone who has been to Vegas, and they will tell you that they know the best way to see Vegas. In my opinion, this is the best way to see Vegas...

If you look closely enough, you can see The Strip.

More to come later...

Vegas Day 3

Today was a rest and recovery day between hiking days. That is not to say we did noting though.

After taking our time with breakfast, we drove down to the far end of the strip and checked out the Stratosphere and the Adventure Dome at Circus, Circus. M and I took a ride on Insanity at the top of the Stratosphere. If you are not familiar, it is just like one of those carnival rides that spin you around, only you are suspended 1000 feet above the ground with nothing between you and The Strip but air. Insanity is a very appropriate name for this ride.

The Adventure Dome at Circus, Circus, is basically an indoor, year round carnival. We took Little B on the Ferris Wheel, and got way too into the carnival games. I have no idea what we are going to do with the five stuffed animals (2 of them monkeys) that we won.

Right now I am just hanging in the hotel room with Little B and preparing for our hike tomorrow, while M is trying her luck at the Casino with her dad. Tomorrow's hike is a big one. If all goes according to plan, we will be on the top of Turtlehead Peak at 6,300 feet around 11:00. Wish us luck.

Vegas Day 2

It was all about the hiking today.

The three hour time difference actually works in our favor as we were up and moving before many other visitors to Vegas even get back to their rooms.

We headed out to Rocks Canyon and found a short and easy trail that we could take Little B on. He was strapped to the front of my chest by a baby carrier, and we were off. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the trail. It was recommended for children, so I wasn't expecting much. The trail was just over a mile long, and it had it's fair share of boulders to climb and vistas to enjoy. It ended at a seasonal waterfall, which was dried up. The canyon created by the waterfall was quite impressive though, and it was cool standing underneath where the water would be falling. This hike was of course just a warm up.

After the first hike, Little B went with M's dad back to the hotel, while M and I tackled Ice Box Canyon. We learned quickly why it is called Ice Box. The walls of the Canyon are so high and narrow, that sunlight rarely reaches the ground, which makes for a cold hike. Having to hop, climb and jump up, over and around boulders the size of cars helped to keep us warm though.

It was a three mile trail, with only the first quarter mile on flat ground. From there, it was more of a bouldering route then a hiking route. This type of trail is why I love Red Rocks Canyon. This trail too ended at a dried up waterfall. We couldn't go quite all the way without proper climbing equipment, but we got as far as we could.

I have been looking forward to this day of hiking for a long time, and it lived up to every bit of my incredibly high expectations.

This pictures can do far more justice to the majesty of the hikes than my words.

End of the Trail at the dried up waterfall.

I felt small. I can only imagine how Little B felt.

The easy section of Ice Box Canyon trail.

The entrance to Ice Box.

This is what most the the trail was like.

Up and Over.

Deep inside the canyon.

The final stretch.

This is about as far as M made it.

I worked my way up a little more, but not much.

The view back out from the end of the canyon.