What a day!

Somedays you just can't plan.

Today has been one of those days.

I had a feeling it might be hectic, but I didn't realize how many things were going to try to push and shove their way into my day. Funny thing is, I didn't mind a bit. I just had to do a bit of juggling.

This first thing didn't add or subtract from my list of the day, but is fabulous news and this is a perfect time to talk about it.

Last night we got a phone call that my husband's brother was going into surgery for a liver transplant. He'd been ill for about a year and now that I think about it, it was almost exactly a year that we first heard about his illness. Since Tom and I are pretty well versed in the liver transplant road, we were a good source for the family.

His brother was placed on the transplant list in November of last year I do believe and has been the only person on the list for that blood type in that hospital (University of Michigan) the entire time. They don't do a lot of transplants there, but from what I could gather, they have a good team. I certainly wish that they would have come to Jacksonville and be a part of the Mayo Clinic, but U of M was literally in their backyard, so they stayed. Things are MUCH different at U of M. I don't know what to make of what they are telling me. I know he's out of surgery, he's in recovery and he will be "out" for a few days. The doctors actually said that he would not be awake for a few days. That is just so foreign to me - unless there are major complications, post liver transplant patients at Mayo Clinic are up and walking within 24 from the end of surgery. They aren't sedated for a few days. So, as I said, this is totally foreign to me. I'm not going to freak out and I'm really not stressing about it, but it's hard to help when I don't understand the order of things. The blessing is...that he had the surgery is doing well. Isn't it something that both of the children in this family had the same problem? Different diseases, but same result.

I rent condos to transplant patients, as you probably know and I had one of my tenants move out this morning. This left me with only one rented and two empty. That's scary. I keep the rents really close to cost so that it is affordable for these folks who are usually paying another mortgage at home, plus all of those delightful medical bills, but that means I need to stay full.

Last night before I went to bed I said outloud "I need a renter. One who wants a small unit and needs to be in right away." and then I went to bed.

So bright and early this morning, I helped my tenants pack up the last of their things and waved goodbye. A few moments later my dear friend Steve called me from California. I hadn't talked to him in ages, so it was delightful to hear from him. I got a phone call in the middle of the chat, I decided NOT to take the call right that moment because I was in the middle of the other call...but I crossed my fingers that they'd leave a message.

I got off the phone a few minutes later, listened to the message and guess what?!! It was someone who needed a rental condo and would like it today :) The wife in this couple, had had a heart transplant last night and they needed a place for a few months post transplant. I met the husband and the son, showed them the unit that was ready to go and the unit that had been vacated just an hour earlier and they took the one that was ready to go, signed the papers, wrote the check and moved in.

Goodness! I love it when a request is answered. The Husband of the heart patient told me "I thought it was going to be difficult to find a place, but last night I told my son that we needed a small place for a great price that was ready to move into and the social worker gave me your name this morning. Funny how that works." I think the universe heard our request and got us together.

I still feel a little bad to have not taken the call the second it came in, but it drives me nuts that people click over to answer calls when voice mail will answer it for you. I just think people can wait 5 or 10 minutes for a call back. Obviously it worked out well :) and I got to finish my conversation with my friend Steve.

Tonight we are going to birthday party/farewell party for some support group friends. They came back for a three year post transplant evaluation and since we all like to gather and chat, we're having a little get-together. Since it's someones birthday, we'll have cake and ice cream, too. Anything to have cake and ice cream LOL

The only thing I planned today was to say goodbye to my tenants.

I love it when a plan comes together :)
Have a great Tuesday!
Kristin