July 3rd- Not just another summer day!!!

So for many people they have just one birthday.  Depending on the individual they may extend that special day to include a whole week of festivities.

However my dad could be considered a lucky man in more ways then one. He literally has TWO birthdays that both happen to be in the same week.  Last week on July 3rd he turned three years old!!  Then on July 9th he turned 61.  Bit of a gap huh? Well we see no reason not to celebrate both birthdays and give him a birthday week.  We even throw in some fireworks on the 4th for him :)

July 3rd marked my dad's 3rd birthday with his new heart. A birthday that comes with mixed emotions.  It is a day that my family celebrates!! It is a day that comes because of a donor and his gift.  A day in which we are extremely grateful.  July 3rd, 2008 was the day we received "the call" that a heart was on its way. I will leave out most of the details except the fact that at this point my dad had been living at UCLA Hospital for over a month. And we were starting to run out of options.  However the call still came as a shock.  Dad managed to get a hold of everyone..  Easier said then done.  But we all rushed to UCLA.  Once we had all arrived thankfully before they took him to surgery.  We all joked and laughed like it was no big deal just another day in the life.  A day that we all remember giving a "Go Team" and saying a prayer for dad and the other family in a cold white hospital hallway.  Only to be left standing there as they wheeled dad off to the operating room.  Standing there with all my siblings trying not to cry.  It was the scariest moment of our lives.

The surgery would last all night and we would be told it was a success in the morning.  However there would still be a few obstacles to overcome.  However none of that worried us. The hardest part was over.  The part of actually getting a heart and getting through surgery.  In those few days I can honestly say I thought very little of the family that was suffering, because it had been a very long time since we had so much hope at the Vessey house.  Later that week I would start to think about the other family and pray for them.  What is considered one of the best days of my life is someone elses worst nightmare.

So July 3rd is my dad's 3rd birthday but it is a day that is much more then that. It is a day that I send my thoughts and prayers to a family who lost a loved one.  A day in which I pray and am so thankful that someone and many other people have the compassion to think of others in being an organ donor.  Because they are giving such an amazing gift, a true blessing!!!

We do not just pray for our donor and his family on July 3rd.  We thank them daily all in our own ways.  For example Christmas morning we all pray together before starting the unwrapping of gifts.  The first gift is usually something that reminds us how thankful we are.  We have donated to causes or other organizations.  Then we receive a gift that we will have as a daily reminder. I have two beautiful pieces of jewelery.  A heart necklace that I wear often inscribed with "New Heart 7-03-08."  Every time I put it on I say a prayer.

July 3rd is a day in which I am so grateful!! Grateful to the amazing doctors at UCLA and now Cedar Sinai.  To the donor and his family for giving such a selfless gift during such a terrible time.  Because of that gift my dad is living an amazing life. I want to share a few memories he has witness because of our donor's compassion and blessing!!

Mikayla:

 First high school water polo game

First Citrus Belt League Title for REV 

 First CIF playoff games

 Swimming in CIF Championships

First few high school dances

Sean:

 First High School Football game

  Smudge Pot Victories 3 on Varsity 

Rivalry Smudge Pot 2011- Sean as the holder getting the ball down to win the game with no time on the clock. 

 Graduating High School

 College orientation at Northern Arizona

Brooke:

 Playing water polo in college

 Her 2nd shoulder surgery

Mountain West Conference President

SDSU Winning the community service award- presented at the MWC Basketball Championships

 All Mountain West Conference Swimming Honors (2009-2010, 2010-2011)

 Mountain West Conference Champions

Jamie:

 Last collegiate swim meet

Richard Deitts Scholarship Winner

 Undergrad Graduation from San Diego State

 Coaching two seasons at the DI level- helping to lead my team to a MWC Championship 

 Master's Graduation from University of San Francisco

These are only a few events over the last three years. Words are not enough to express my true feelings toward our donor. To the donor's family you will always and forever be in my thoughts and prayers.

DAD I LOVE YOU!!! Happy 3rd Birthday..

On a side note his 3 year check up went pretty well and dad plans to play in the transplant vs doctors game again this year.  Last year I believe he went 3-4 or something awesome like that. He even hit a jack!!! Guess he still has it :)

Little video of dad playing in the transplant game

He has even take up cooking... However I think he still needs to work on it!!