Feeling blessed to have purpose, is how JA looks at her life.  Not everyone knows that feeling.    It hasn't always been that way.  She used to feel like she knew her purpose but was cursed with a body that would never allow her to fulfill it.    Then God blessed her with the life changing miracle of a second chance and a better understanding of the journey she'd been on.

JA was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus in 2006, after six years of not being diagnosed or mis-diagnosed.  She struggled with being a single mom who was  always sick, in the hospital, having surgeries or simple procedures and finally landing in dialysis.  She would go on to be on dialysis for eight long years, as she watched her body slowly deteriorate.  Finally, after at least four fistula procedures on her dialysis arm and more than a handful of catheters placed, she decided that she was not having anymore surgeries or "simple procedures" short of transplant.  She wrote or her Facebook page, "...if God wants me here HE will make a way".  That was a Friday.  On Sunday, she was blessed with the gift of life.  She received a kidney transplant at The University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital.  As of when this was written she has had the kidney going strong for two and a half years.

Over the years, she has found herself able to encourage others going through some of what she has.  As well as educate others on the struggle and the disease.  "You cannot really tell someone how to go through what you have never gone through.  Having gone through allows me to relate on a level that doctors, counselors and ministers cannot, unless they themselves have been through it or something similar.  They can empathize but cannot go play by play like I can.  I did not go through what I went through in vain."  In other words, there is purpose in the pain.

In her book "In The Morning: Where The Beginning and The End Meet", JA discusses her journey.  Her ups and downs, physically, emotional and spiritually.  Her hope is that is uplifts, inspires, educates and promotes awareness about Lupus and Chronic Kidney Disease.  To God be the glory for everything HE has done in JA's life.  So stay tuned for the whole story coming soon.