THE BEGINNING - I'm a 53 years old and am living with end stage Autoimmune Hepatitis and an inevitable liver transplant in my near future.  Here's my story. First of all, apologies for being a bit distant on and offline. Those who know me, know that though I’m relatively a quiet person, I’m not that quiet. There is an explanation, and that is I’m facing a liver transplant as a result of cirrhosis and inflammation of the liver stemming from a genetic, non-alcoholic liver disease called Autoimmune Hepatitis. It all started in March of 2017. I went from essentially sprinting up 3 flight of stairs, working and going to school, to barely being able to make it from the car to the stairs. I began to notice unexplained bruises.  While I’ve never been a thin person, I've always been active, but never small, I noticed I was putting on weight but only in my stomach area. Like any one woman, I took it as bloating and kept moving along. Then breathing became an issue - to the point to where talking was hard. I was referred to a cancer specialist because leukemia was lining up with my labs.  Dr. Kraut ordered a CT of my abdomen and called me on March 31, 2017 to tell me I did not have cancer but I was very sick.  A physician I worked with at that time used her "pull" to get me in quickly with a Hepatologist on April 5, 2017.  The day before my Dads birthday. I  met with Dr. Michael's and he reviewed my Cat Scan and lab work and that's where I heard, for the first time, the word “ascites”- an accumulation of fluid In the abdomen that’s typically related to cirrhosis of the liver and end stage liver disease. After countless rounds of tests, scans, and bloodwork, I was diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis and a liver transplant was inevitable sooner than later. I remember hearing him say "6-18 months without a transplant ".  How was I going to tell my family that I had been given a death sentence?   I was started on massive doses of diuretics,  I had no appetite and in the span of less than a month, I lost 68 pounds.  This took a toll on my body.  I was so tired, would fall asleep anywhere in an instant.  In the following weeks, I went to the ER at OSU Medical Center and admitted.  I was started on different medications,  IV Albumin and fluids.   Fast forward to the present day. If you see me now, you’ll see I’m doing much better - breathing, able to walk a bit further, able to TIE MY SHOES without passing out.... all of the little things in life.  I thank God for the privilege to continue  to work.   I’m working and things are ok financially, I’m not working at the capacity I’m accustomed to because I do get tired and fatigued now, and as this process progresses and my transplant is scheduled, there will be 3-6 months of recovery time including a large window of time when I will be doing very little work. This brings me to this fundraiser. So many of you have asked what you can do to help, here’s my answer - consider contributing to my fundraising campaign. The average costs of a liver transplant is upwards $600,000 - $1,000,000 for the transplant itself, and I expect insurance to cover most of not all of that cost. However following the transplant, I’ll be back and forth to the hospital, on expensive anti-rejection medications, off work for an unknown length of time and well.... that life thing and its everyday expenses.  So there you have it. You now know why I’ve been a bit quiet and also what’s going on with my health. You now know why I’ve opted to text rather than talk (I am easily winded and short of breath).  Even though I have lost my spunkiness,  I still have my sense of humor and a smile for everyone,  and that puts me in a better position and condition to have a successful liver transplant. I’ve been approved by the transplant evaluation team and listed now for almost 10 months. I’m incredibly grateful for all of you, and I definitely know you’ve been praying, and God is continually answering those prayers. A big thank you to Dr. Anthony Michael's, Dr. Sylvester Black, my regular hospital team at OSU Wexner Medical Center, when I'm admitted for bouts of hepatic encephalopathy or ascites.  You helped me to get through some of the hardest times not just as a result of your medical expertise, but also because of who you are as exceptionally decent human beings.  For Tyler, my parents, my friends and family,  thank you for your support and prayers.   Any donations made and not used after I return to work will be donate to Lifeline of Ohio to help others with their expenses. I’ll leave you the scripture that has (and continues to) get me through every single difficult time in my life- “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” - 2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:8-10