Life on this Journey...(Tammy)

Hey everyone...normally Eric writes blogs here but I asked him if it was OK if I gave it a try.  He is an amazing writer and loved to blog a lot on this journey.  It was healthy and cathartic for him at times.  But I understand why it became difficult.  It is like a child waiting and counting down until Christmas but for him, it is counting up and waiting for a life saving gift.
I thought with the fund-raising page it might be nice to have my perspective as well.  This is not meant to be about me but what we both go through on this trip.  And today happens to be 2.5 years on the list exactly...August 22, 2014.  So here I go, bear with me.
There are times in life when you know that you are not alone on a journey but there are days when you feel there is no one else but the 2 of you pushing through this.  Then people from your past, and even present, become a shining beacon and you are so grateful for the friendships you made that are still there to encourage you to keep going.
People come and go in life and we have to be thankful for each and everyone of them.  Woman were often taught to be dependent and reliant on others.  I wouldn't categorize myself as dependent on others but never really saw myself as "strong".  Then I sat back one day and reflected on the things in my life and realized people don't experience some of the things I have without coming out stronger.  I survived a car accident at 18 that I never should have, much less remained a functioning human who could take care of myself.  I have experience death of loved ones, a young niece and nephew too soon, that I thought would never stop hurting.  I lost my father a year and a half ago and he was the strongest, most stubborn man I know and I felt the tears wouldn't stop.  And you know what...I am still here and stronger than I ever believed.
And there is Eric...he has gone through so many things in his years that I cannot even imagine.  He has endured heart surgeries from infancy, heart procedures through his life, the loss of friends and family, and now the journey of transplant.  He is one strong person and I hope I can keep up.
We all make choices in our lives, some that others don't understand.  But I, even through this journey, have never questioned my choice to be with him by his side through it all.  No we are not married, no I am not bound by a paper to be here, but we wear rings and yes I am here and I am staying here.  (For those of you that don't know me...I am the sappy one.  When we found out about transplant, I needed him to know that I was not going anywhere.  So we exchanged rings as our commitment to each other)
So there it is...life is never easy but it is what you make of it.  You can go through life angry and resentful but that only hurts you and the ones closest to you.  I am not trying to say that our journey is harder or more difficult than anyone else because you never know what anyone else endures within themselves,  But we have an amazing, beautiful new home, we try to laugh and joke every day and some days are not perfect, but we always make sure at the end of the day, the other knows we love them.  Relationships are never easy, and they require work, and at the end of the day, it is worth it when you go through the work to make them special.
I hope you enjoy this...I would like to continue as we move along on to transplant with Eric.