Visit with Kourtney (11/5/2010)

A week ago, I had the opportunity to go visit my friend Kourtney at the hospital!!! I wasn't sure what to expect as my mom tried to prepare me but when I walked into the room ... all I saw was my beautiful friend, with a few pink extensions in her hair ... watching TV after an eventful day! You see, Kourtney stood up for the first time since her 1st transplant which was on July 22nd!!! That is over 115 days!!! Her mom said it was so difficult and painful, yet, she did it!!! The most amazing thing for me was how Kourt is still fighting with so much spunk after everything she has been through! Her situation is very dire as the organs inside her are dying so she needs a new small bowel, large bowel and pancreas asap which will provide her a 'new' chance at life that will still have its difficulities for sure but will be less pain for her plus she will be able to finally eat some whole foods along with TPN. Kourtney's situation really puts life into prospective. It doesn't change any or our own problems or challenges in life, however, she continues to fight to live after so much pain and suffering which takes incredible inner strength!!! She does get very upset about certain procedures, dressing changes, etc, that are very painful for her and she says those things are not fair but she doesn't ask 'why me' as she faced her terminal condition years ago so with the strength of her family, in hopes that medical technology will have a breakthrough to make these types of transplants more successful!!! Kourt will not give up as her spirit is stronger than any of us who do not have health issues to complicate our lives!!! I just feel so honored to know such a courageous little girl and hope that I can learn to embrace anything that life has to throw at me the way Kourtney has her illness because it will make me a stronger person, a more tolerate person!