Happy Transplantiversary, James!

James is celebrating being three years post-liver transplant! I'm writing this blog to tell you about our wonderful and courageous son and share a little bit of his transplant journey.

James was born with an extremely rare liver disease called Biliary Atresia (BA). It causes the rapid destruction of liver cells, cirrhosis, and scarring. Currently, there is no known cause and no known cure. To survive, most infants require a liver transplant within their first year. So on January 8, 2019, James received a life-saving liver transplant when he was just eight months old. He received a piece on an adult liver from his Auntie Elise, who selflessly donated 20% of her liver to save James' life.

Today, James is thriving, happy, healthy, and full of energy. His battle with BA will never be over, as he will remain on medication and deal with its effects for the rest of his life. But James is a warrior, and he fills us with strength and joy every single day. I am so proud of him for his bravery, determination, and super sweet soul. He is the sweetest little boy you will ever meet despite everything he has been through in his short life, such as the needle pokes, pain, and suffering. He loves to socialize, give everyone hugs, and love on everyone in the family, including extended family and friends.

Every day that I wake up and get to love on him is a blessing. I can't imagine a life without him, his precious baby sister, and his Momma. James doesn't know it, but he showed me I have a strength within me that I never knew I had. I feel that if my family and I can get through a transplant together, we can get through anything life throws at us.

I look forward to celebrating James' transplant journey with him, our family, and friends. To me, this celebration is better than any holiday or birthday because I get to celebrate WITH him, and I thank God every day for that.