Linda & Orchidlady, thank you for welcoming me and letting me know I'm not alone. Thank you Linda for sharing a bit more of your story.
I think you're right, the 4 days I spent in the hospital were a truly life-changing experience, and I don't often use that word. Now that I'm looking at things a year out and kind of allowing myself to breathe somewhat of a a sigh of relief because my mom is doing well now and we're optimistic and everything, I guess I feel like I can allow myself to devote more time to what the experience meant for me. In a way, I've been pushing it away and not dealing with it because I was more consumed with worrying about my mom and I also threw myself into my work.
While I was preparing for the transplant, I was full-steam ahead. My co-workers, my family, and my friends would say things like, "You're so brave," and "You're giving the gift of life," and I still cringe at that because it just...doesn't seem like me. I went full-steam ahead because I knew it was what I could do to help my mom and if there was a way to get off the sidelines I would do it. I was focused on doing something for my mom, but the thing is, I never thought about how it would change me! I guess I'm doing that now, even though it's sort of after the fact.
Like you, I've always been someone to be interested in volunteering or in some way "making a positive contribution." Now more than ever, I want to do that and really make the best use of my talents to do some good, whatever that might be. I'm 28 and I'm a college advisor at an university, and I really like working with college-age students but I know now I'd be happier doing something more than academic advising to encourage my students to see the bigger picture. It's hard to get outside the 9-5 grind though. I thought joining this forum might be one way I could communicate with others in the living donor community and maybe help a few people too, in a small way. I'm so happy to have come across it. Thanks so much for reading. Take care and good luck with your career change, whatever it may be. Hope your children are doing well in school. With my job (and I'm not too far removed from college as it is...), I know all too well the challenges and opportunities at college!