My name is MacKenzie, I am a 24 year old from Boston Massachusetts. I try to live my life the most positive way possible, but behind that positivity lies a life of hardship. My childhood memories, like most, are rather vague... but the astringent smell, lifeless bodies and empty cold hallways are things that have stuck with me forever.... http://breatheeasywithme.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/who-am-i.html?showComment=1395253646452

1. Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Who Am I?
Hello Everyone-
My name is MacKenzie, I am a 24 year old from Boston
Massachusetts. I try to live my life the most positive way
possible, but behind that positivity lies a life of hardship. My
childhood memories, like most, are rather vague... but the
astringent smell, lifeless bodies and empty cold hallways are
things that have stuck with me forever. I am the youngest
daughter of three, and also the healthiest. I watched as my
two older sisters struggled to survive, as my mother fought
against cancer, all the while still tending to her sick
daughters, and as my father walked out the door, unable to
handle anymore of life’s struggles. As the attention was
focused on illness, and the daunting absence of my father,
how was I, the “healthy” one, expected to survive? This is a
story to show my families struggles, the anger and hatred
that grew inside of me from it all, and how I was able to
find the path of positivity, despite all the factors that
seemed to be against me.
Both of my sisters were born with the genetic disease
Cystic Fibrosis (CF causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in
the lungs, digestive tract, and other areas of the body. It is
a life-threatening disorder that has no cure) From the start,
my life revolved around hospitals... My first memory was
when I was five years old sitting in the hospital room with
Lindsey, my oldest sister. I had a hospital mask strapped to
my face, and I was playing with one of the beanie babies
My Story
Who Is MacKenzie?
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2. someone had given her as a ‘get better’ gift.
Lindsey had been incredibly ill ever since she was born.
Always in and out of the hospital, and when she turned 15
she was told she had two weeks to live if she didn't receive
new lungs. Soon after the doctors broke that news to my
family, Lindsey was in St. Louis undergoing a double lung
transplant, and my parents were the ones donating (they
made medical history as the first parents to ever donate
lobes of lung to their child) It was thankfully a great
success.
Ashley was a little different when it came to her CF.
While she obviously had health problems, she wasn't
constantly in and out of the hospital growing up, like
Lindsey was. She was able to stay primarily out of the
hospital until she reached the age of 15 (she is 3 years
younger then Lindsey), and that is when the disease reeked
havoc on her body. She was told by the doctors that, she to,
was in desperate need of a double lung transplant, her
current lungs had almost completely failed her. And with
those words, my family took no hesitations, and Ashley was
in California getting a double lung transplant. This time
around, my two aunts were the donors (after Lindsey's
success at St.Louis hospital, few followed in her foot steps,
the next living related transplants they performed... 13
didn't make it) My parent's found California to be the best
option to complete the surgery during that time, as there
stats ranked high, and the man performing the surgery was
the first to perform the living related lobar transplant.
After both of their double lung transplants; both of my
sisters acquired diabetes, and unfortunately both ended up
needing new kidneys. Ashley needed her kidney transplant
first, and was given a kidney by my aunt... and soon after,
Lindsey's kidney failed and she was given a kidney by
another aunt (my aunt became the first woman in the world
to donate two organs).
After both of their kidney transplants... things, health
wise, had settled at the Dias residence... which was
unheard of! Unfortunately, that sense of calmness didn't
last.
During the summer of 2012 my sister was in the hospital as
she waited for her second double lung transplant. She was
placed on the top of the list for a cadaveric transplant due
to her rapidly declining health. For six long, and grueling
months, she battled this evil, malicious disease with every
part of her being. She took her last breathe on the
fourteenth of June. I watched my sister inspire the world as
she fought to survive, and then watched as the evil disease
won the battle, and the life drifted from her eyes.
I didn’t have time to grieve over Ashley’s death,
because shortly after, Lindsey was told she needed another
kidney transplant. All of this news was hitting me like a ton
of bricks; I walked down the hallway of the hospital, feeling
as if I was in a nightmare. The walls were caving in, and
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3. every thing around me began to spin, just like that my legs
gave out and I was curled up on the ground. I stayed on the
ground with my eyes shut tight, arms clenched around my
knees, expecting to be consumed by that awful rush of
anger I had grown so accustomed too. As I slowly began
opening my eyes, and releasing the tight grasp my arms
formed around my body, I felt this sense of confusion. I
wasn’t feeling that rush of anger, but instead I felt
something new and unrecognizable. It was as if something
inside of me clicked, and as dramatic as it may seem,
ultimately changed my whole perspective on life
Despite my hardships, I live life with the most optimistic
outlook as possible. This new positivity was euphoric.
Everything I was repeating in my head seemed so cliché, the
whole ‘you only live once’ mindset. As cliché as it may
sound, it is the way everyone should experience life. I saw
life taken from this earth far too early, I’ve seen, and dealt
with things that most people won’t have to deal with in
their entire lifetime, but I came out on the other end. I
want to show people that, although it seems easy to find so
much sadness in this world, it is just as easy to encounter
the happiness. I want to teach people to take each of their
hardships and use them as motivators to conquer anything
else life may have in store.
I was also just approved to be Lindsey's kidney donor,
and that transplant will be happening soon. UPDATE: I
donated my kidney to Lindsey on January 7th 2014.
I also completed my first novel, and can't wait to see whats
in store with that.
My life is hectic, but I think my families story can save lives,
and that is why I continue tokeep everyone in the loop with
what is going on.
Like my facebook page to get updates!
Facebook.com/breatheeasywithme
Me on FOX: http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/24451144/23-
year-old-sister-donates-kidney-to-sister-
with#.UtYHctoAIcQ.facebook
Here is my organ donation video for anyone who is
interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=dCEPnLtGG5k&feature=plcp
Here is Ashley's story on
NPR: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/05/29/153914790
/who-decides-whether-this-26-year-old-woman-gets-a-lung-
transplant
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/06/15/155140438/ashle
y-dias-1985-2012
Mac…
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4. Posted by MacKenzie Dias at 10:27 AM
Labels: beautiful, blog, CF, cure, cystic fibrosis, death, deep,
family, family story, hope, inspiration, inspiring, life, memoir,
organ donation, sisters, struggle, vlog
My email is: Mackenziedias123@Yahoo.com for anyone with
questions!
Thank you for reading.
Breathe Easy,
MacKenzie
Recommend this on Google
2 comments:
Transplant Friends March 11, 2014 at 5:50 PM
Beautiful post Mackenzie!
Please share your book with us on
TransplantFriends.com
God Bless You
Reply
Lori Hil March 19, 2014 at 11:27 AM
Beautiful story and while I am sorry for all you and
your family have gone through, I honor you for using
it to inspire others. Thank you
Reply Delete

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