Dear ‘Still Waiting…’

I'm Still Waiting. How Do I Keep Going?

Dear Transplant,

I'm tired of waiting.

I'm tired of appointments, tests, uncertainty, and wondering when the phone will ring.

Everyone tells me to “stay positive.”

What if I can't?

— Still Waiting

Dear Still Waiting,

You don't have to stay positive every minute.

You just have to keep going. Take it one day at a time; one hour at a time if you need to.

Some days, hope looks like making plans for the future. Other days, hope looks like getting through today.

Don't be afraid to acknowledge that waiting hurts.

You can celebrate another person's transplant and still wish desperately for your own call. You can be happy for someone else while being sad about your circumstances.

Those feelings can coexist.

Find people who understand the waiting. Let yourself be supported.

And remember that your life is happening while you wait—not only after the call comes.

Keep making memories. Keep laughing. Keep loving. Keep advocating for yourself.

Remember This: Waiting is a chapter of your story—not the entire story.

OTS Connection: Peer support can provide something family and friends sometimes can't: someone who truly understands the wait.