Trisha Update–One long Scar.

On the 24th of November at 5 AM Lynda (Trisha’s aunt) went into surgery to have part of her liver removed as a live donation to Trisha.  Several hours later Trisha would begin her operation which involved the liver transplant, the removal of her spleen, and the associated blood vessels.
Apparently, the spleen takes over for the liver as it loses functionality, but in order to do that that the blood supply is re-engineered and a mass of intricate blood vessels is created.  These all had to be removed and I presume sealed so that they don’t leak.
Everything went great.  Trisha now owns a scar that goes all the way across her belly like a big arching rainbow.  Since the operation she has been up and walked around.  It will take weeks to recover, but she states that she is feeling good.
I talked to my brother last week about Share Life, the organization formed to raise money to support the non-insurance covered expenses of the operation.  He indicated that they had raised around $15,000 dollars so far.  5 radio stations in Montana are supporting with advertisements and sales events have been held around Montana.  They are looking to turn this into an ongoing 501C3 corporation in order to help others in this same situation.
The recovery is long for both Lynda and Trisha.  Also more operations will be needed for Trisha as this was all to get her ready to under go the removal of her colon as a way to stop her underlying disease.   So your prayers are still very much needed and appreciated.

Related articles

• Trisha Wilson Liver Transplant Support Fund (other-dribblings.blogspot.com)
  
• Trisha's poster (other-dribblings.blogspot.com)
  
• Trisha Update III (other-dribblings.blogspot.com)
• Share Life on Facebook (ShareLifeFoundation )

LiveJournal Tags: Digestive Disorders,Liver,LIver Transplant,Live donor,Montana,Trisha,Ulerative Colitis,Share Life

Day 212–Transition–Networking Part III

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It’s a conspiracy of sorts.  I started the idea for this series of post on Networking; got into the middle of it and then got lost.   I had a plan, but I’ve been hesitating on moving forward.  Mainly, my plan bored me, so I’ve been waiting for something better to come along.
Sometimes networking sounds like a conspiracy of sorts.  Sometimes it seems so contrived and dishonest.   We all have seen those people that are overly self promoting; people the come on so strong you want to run and hide from them.   Now looking for work it seems that everyone is saying that I need to become this person.  That I need to be putting myself out there.  I think I have been guilty of this at certain times in my life, times that I look back on as a lesson in how not to be.
I’m a bit strange in that I like to  be in front of groups; I like facilitating groups.   This is more strange because I a somewhat introverted person.   Introversion doesn’t mean that I don’t like to be with people.  A great definition given to me a few years looks as introversion/extroversion from the perspective of energy:  an extrovert is a person that gains energy by being with more people and feels depleted when isolated and an introvert is a person who gains energy with fewer people around and expends energy when with larger groups.  Introversion and extroversion are the two ends of a continuum;  each of is unique in where we fall on the scale.  This changes depending on particular situations and can also go through major shifts through out your life.
As an example of particular situations making a difference, I become much more introverted in situations in which I’m unfamiliar.  Attending an Networking Event , at a place I have never been, filled with people that I don’t know is a recipe for me becoming a uncomfortable wall flower.   While if I was attending a family or a work pot luck you would find me in the thick of the party  talking to many people and catching up on the latest in their world and updating them on mine.  Both of these are examples of networking.  We all do networking, and I think for the most part many of have an edge where the networking becomes uncomfortable or unnatural for us.
Part of my hesitation in moving forward with this series was in being able to understand and articulate this discomfort. 
Another part that has been holding me up is in having a concept of the whole.  As a systems thinker,  I need to see the whole before I can understand the parts.  This is synthesis, it is the reverse of analysis.  In analysis you take something apart and examine each pieces in order to gain understanding.  In order to understand the whole I need some sort of definition which defines the scope of what networking is.  I ‘m sure it includes the new tools like LinkedIn and Facebook but these aren’t all of it. It must include these things called business mixers that have become popular of late.   What else should be included?
A friend sent me a note this week and it crystallized a few of the ideas that I was struggling with:

you've blogged a couple times about "networking". that word and that concept just bugs me. strikes me wrong.

Day 200–Transition–The Saga Continues

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I can’t believe that this is day 200.  This journey continues with little or no end in site.  Today I learned that 13,000 people will lose extended unemployment benefits in just King County later this month.  That is a lot of people being affected and that is just one county in the state (though  most populous).

Over the last week and a half I got my hopes way up high and had them crashed to the ground.  A job I interviewed for, seemed like they were going to extend an offer, but in the end they did not.  I really thought this was going to be the one.  I was a fool. 

Today I had the privilege to  a keynote presenter at a local community college staff workshop.  It was nice to do some work in my field, something I that I really enjoy doing, as opposed to searching and filling out job requisitions.  I did an 1 1/2 hour session called Leading from the inside out.  This was a series of exercises designed to help people find the passions that they can use to drive their personal leadership.

Day 195–Transition–Networking Part II

In the last posting, I wrote about what has changed that has caused networking to be so important in today’s job market.  In this posting I wanted to cover the things that I am doing for networking.  Then in future postings go a little more in depth about some of the tools I am using and what it can do and also the things that I have told that I should do, but haven’t yet.

This blog has been used for two purposes.  The first is just for myself, as a way to deeper understand and learn from what I am going through. The second area is for external purposes.  These include helping people in a similar situation by sharing what I’m finding and how I‘m approaching things, so that others can improve upon and then hopefully share back what they have learned.  This has happened several times.  The latest being the additional links on elevator speeches that were provided for sharing with others. 

On occasion, I publish links to the blog through my Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.  For social networking those are the big three that I use.  I try to keep a fairly constant presence on these.  Linking back my latest Twitter posts to my blog.

One of the ways that I provide value on the internet is by sharing thought provoking articles.   Over the last couple of months I have grown to find Google reader invaluable in keeping up on articles and blog posts.

 
Writing has also been a way of networking. The first was by creating a two part blog posting for a international systems thinking organization that I have been associated with for many years.  I also write short reviews of other’s blog posting on this site.  This keeps my name out in front people and the published articles are now a part of resume. 

Day 192 – Transition – Networking Part I

Image by Robert S. Donovan via Flickr

Everywhere I turn for knowledge in this job search the term networking comes up and how important it is in today’s job search.  I think it always has been important but even more so today.
I’m thinking of doing a few blog entries on networking because this is such a big and seemingly amorphous topic that I hope that I can bring a little shape to the subject.
First, what has happened in the last few years that makes networking so important?
It has always been the case that knowing people helped in getting a job.  The son of the owner, a friend of a manager, or just friend putting in the word that you are a normal person and not some whacko off the street has always made a difference; maybe not if you are that whacko off the street, but otherwise it has.
But what they are talking about now is a change has taken place where knowing someone makes a crucial difference 30 % to 40% of the time.  The internet has made deep changes in how people look for a job and how companies screen and this has caused a overwhelming job for hiring managers.