Arlene Switzer:
CLASS OF 1978
Queen Elizabeth High SchoolClass of 1978
Edmonton, AB
Killarney Junior High SchoolClass of 1975
Edmonton, AB
Arlene's Story
Life
WOW!!! Hard to believe its been almost 30 years since high school!! Where did all that time go?? I know my life has dramatically changed since high school. I am very happily married to my husband Stuart. We are blessed to be parents of two awesome kids, Tim and Marlee. Having my kids has been the BEST thing I have done so far in this lifetime, that's for sure!! My husband and I own and operate our own business. I haven't worked other than for my hubby in YEARS. We were blessed to be financially able for me to stay home when our kids were young. A decision I haven't for one moment regretted. Funny, how fast the years go when your kids were small, blink and they are all grown up!! I have not enjoyed good health since I hit 40. I was diagnosed with a fatal liver disease, and told I had to have a liver transplant, without it I was given less than a year. I waited 5 months, and on August 12,2005, I received the "gift of life" from an anonymous cadaver donor. Yes, it is VERY important that we all sign our organ donor cards!!! Since the transplant, I am doing well with my "new" liver, but I have all kinds of ongoing medical issues that need constant care. I am on powerful immunosuppressants, (anti rejection) drugs that leave me at a high risk for infections, cancer, to name a few. My life is consumed with various Dr. visits, MR...Expand for more
I'S, CAT scans, weekly blood testing, biopsies, etc. but I am VERY grateful and thankful to still be here with my family. My kidneys are a constant concern, as I am very prone to renal colic (combination of kidney stones and kidney infection), and we have been told dialysis will be in my not so distant future.
I must admit, that it doesn't matter how bad things get, I am still VERY blessed to be here enjoying my life, and my family, when the alternative was certain death. I am now very active with the Canadian Liver Foundation, and the HOPE (human organ exchange and procurement program) at the University of Alberta Hospitals. I am a "liver buddy" to a fellow currently awaiting transplant. I also give talks about my transplant experience to various health care professionals, and visit hospitals during National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week. If I can get one family to know how important it is to donate organs and tissues all this will have been worth it. My illness taught me some very important life lessons, but, I think the best one is "don't sweat the small stuff".
It's not how LONG a person lives, its how WELL they live!!!
Anyway........ how carefree we all were back in high school!! Remember when we had "smoking bathrooms"?, you could "skip" a class without the dreaded phone call to your parents?, my, how things have changed!!!
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