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Just over 18 years ago, I had to have a liver transplant. I was only 22 at the time, but had been diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, which caused my body to malfunction and attack my own liver because it recognized it as a foreign object. As a result, the doctor said I had the liver of an 80-year-old male alcoholic, and if I didnt get a transplant right away, I wasnt going to make it.I was in denial at first, thinking, Just give me a shot or some antibiotics to see how this plays itself out, but Im not going to die. I went home that night and started throwing up bile. I was completely dehydrated, swollen, and I was too weak to walk on my own. The livers function is to clean your blood, and mine had gotten to the point where it wasnt filtering any of the toxins out, so I was completely toxic and had to be stabilized. I wound up hospitalized for a week. Thats when I was like, Oh, this is for real.It took 18 months before a donor match was found, and my doctors prepared me for what surgery was going to be like. They never sugar-coated things and helped me manage the fear as well. They said, Imagine what it would feel like for a Mack truck to run over you, and whatever you think that could feel like, amplify it by 10 because thats how youre going to feel after the surgery.The liver is located toward the back of your body, so what they had to do was open my chest up like a book. Theres a vertical cut that starts in between my breasts that goes down six inches and then horizontally across on both sides. They peeled my skin back to expose my rib cage and broke a rib on my left side to have better access to my liver. After they replaced it with a new one, they had to reconnect the bile ducts and all the major veins, reset the bone and then closed me up with sutures and staples.?The whole process took eight hours.During the recovery process, its mandatory to give blood every week so your doctor can monitor whether or not the liver is functioning properly. The average hospital stay after surgery is about two to three weeks. I was so tired of being sick that I checked out in eight or nine days. The staples didnt come out for another week or two.Theres nothing you can do to prepare for the first time you see the scar. Its such a deep cut, and the lines are so huge that its not something that will ever completely close -- you will always see this huge upside-down T on me. All across the scar lines are the dots from the staples, which have faded over the years, but its still slightly pinker than my normal skin color, and the scar tissue makes it a little bit puffier than the rest of my skin. It looks very tribal.The scar felt foreign at first, and I had mixed emotions. Obviously, I was thankful to have it because it meant that I made it. I was one of the lucky people that was given the gift of a donor, and Im here to tell the story.But I can remember that first summer going to the beach and wearing a two-piece -- because I was a 20-something and thats what Ive always worn. I didnt even think about it until I noticed people staring.At first I thought, What are they looking at? Then I realized it was my scar. It was bittersweet because something that brought me life caused people to look at me with what felt like scorn. I dont think I processed it as curiosity or even concern; I processed it as if they were judging me for being imperfect.I dont notice the stares now, but that first year after surgery I was extremely aware of them. I was a young woman and was much more concerned about what others thought. It made me less confident around men and in dating because I was like, Oh, God, Im going to have to tell them about my experience. If things progress, hell see it and what will he think? Its not something that I ever get to walk away from.There were definitely times where I felt awful. I was so mad at my surgeon because the cut isnt a straight line. It sounds crazy now, but Id taken such good care of my body, and before the surgery I had no other scars. None. I never had an accident as a kid that required stitches or didnt heal completely. I dont even have tattoos. So I just felt ruined.Thankfully, my mom was there to talk me through it emotionally because she grounded me. Whenever I expressed concern about people thinking Im ugly because of the scar shed say, How can you worry about that when youre here and youre healthy? If a scar, which is something that was integral to making sure that you were even here becomes a deterrent, then that person has their own hang ups and is not the one for you.Im very proud of my scar now, and I have been for a very long time, but in the beginning it definitely helped me make a lot of smart decisions about people. If I was talking to someone who was very focused on physical perfection and what is and isnt beautiful I would remove myself because Im actually extremely imperfect. Im very comfortable with that, and my scar allowed me to be more aware of the kind of person I want to share my imperfections with.Another surprise bonus of my scar is that I can use it as a weight-gain tool. I dont have the luxury of saying Im going to put on 10 pounds, because whenever I put on weight the scar tissue stretches and it hurts. I immediately feel physically uncomfortable. It just feels like your skin is being pulled taut -- but from the inside -- so it itches. Because of that, its important for me to stay physically fit, so I work out regularly. Im only 5 foot tall, so my sweet spot is 118 pounds. At that weight I still have my curves and my tummy is flat. Thats when I feel my sexiest because a toned up Mitzi is a happy Mitzi.Although my surgery and illness is not the type of experience that I would wish on my worst enemy, I wouldnt take it back because its such a tremendous part of my life journey. It informed who I am today. Im a survivor, and my scar is a daily reminder that life is for the living. I was literally just two cuts away from dying. Theres not a day that I dont get up and recognize how blessed I am to be getting up, period.Anslem Samuel Rocque is Brooklyn-based writer whose has appeared everywhere from Essence and The Root to Complex and Penthouse. When hes not shopping for memorable socks, hes procrastinating about finishing his debut novel. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @iamARocque. Bud Dupree Jersey . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. L.C. Greenwood Jersey . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. http://www.cheapsteelersjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-terry-bradshaw-jersey . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Sean Davis Jersey . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Jerome Bettis Jersey . On Mar. 16, coming off a "fight of the year" performance at UFC 154 the previous November, St-Pierre faced Nick Diaz at UFC 158 in what would be his eighth defence of the welterweight title. Using his superior athleticism, St-Pierre cruised to a five round, unanimous decision victory setting up a much-anticipated title defence against number one contender Johny Hendricks. With more action this weekend than a Bruce Willis movie, how is a sports fan to keep up?Sleep becomes an optional extra if youre wanting to stay on top of everything; you also need more than one screen in your house unless you plan on wearing out your remote quick-smart.Rather than write about everything taking place this weekend, weve gone through the must-watches of the NBA and NFL. Get yourself into a comfy position and settle in for the sporting smorgasboard.NBAChicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat (Live on ESPN, Friday @ 12pm AEDT)The Bulls produced their best start to a season since the 90s, when a guy named MJ was on the floor, only to follow up with three losses straight. Now theyre on the second night of a back-to-back against Miami Heat. Coming off of two days rest, the Heat should be primed and ready to go against the Bulls. With Hassan Whiteside leading the charge, the Heat are eighth for defensive rating compared with the Bulls 25th. Can the Bulls run over the Heat or will the tired legs from a heavier weekly schedule be their undoing?Odds: Miami $1.77 vs Chicago $2.05ESPN Pick: Miami to lock down the Bulls. 91-79Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Washington Wizards (Live on ESPN, Saturday @ 11am AEDT)The defending champions opened their season with a perfect 6-0 start, defeating two Eastern Conference rivals in the process, and now they travel to DC for a showdown with Washington. The Wizards, meanwhile, won only one of their opening five games. Can John Wall lead a Wizards resurgence or will King James continue to rule over the Eastern Conference?Odds: Wash $3.5 vs Cleveland $1.3ESPN Pick: Cavs to continue their dominance. 107-82?New York Knicks vs. Toronto Raptors (Live on ESPN, Sunday @ 11.30am AEDT)Both teams are playing on the second night of a back-to-back, which could make for some interesting viewing. The Knicks have played some exquisite basketball at times this season, only to follow up with a complete shambles of a performance. Raptors players and fans, meanwhile, have marvelled at the work of DeMar DeRozan, the star guard averaging 33.7 points per game through Torontos first six matches. Can the Knicks worst-ranked defence somehow slow down DeRozan, or will the Raptors roll?Odds: Toronto $1.5 vs NYK $2.55ESPN Pick: Toronto at home will feast on the Knicks. 96-87?NFLAtlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Live on ESPN, Monday, RedZone from 5amm AEDT)Philadelphia started the season like a freight train, storming through their opening three opponents and making the entire City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection dream of what could happen.dddddddddddd Then came the bye, and everything fell apart; they have since lost four of their next five games and now find themselves fighting it out for a wildcard spot. The Falcons are a different story with the elite offensive duo in Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, and theyre second in the NFC behind only the Dallas Cowboys. Ryan needs 20 more yards to tally 3000 passing yards for the season, while Jones needs only 30 yards to boast 1000 receiving yards.Can the Eagles regain their early season form or will the Falcons claim another scalp?Odds: Philadelphia $1.86 v Atlanta $1.95ESPN Pick: Falcons offence to run riot. 34-16?Kansas City Chiefs vs. Carolina Panthers (Live on ESPN, Monday RedZone from 5am (AEDT)The Chiefs are stuck in the group of hell; with a 6-2 record they sit just behind the AFC West-leading Oakland Raiders (7-2) with the Super Bowl-winning Denver Broncos (6-3) nipping at their heels. The Panthers, the best team in the regular season last year before reaching, and losing, the Super Bowl, lost five of their opening six games before the Round 7 bye. Coach Ron Rivera sent his team away to get their heads right, and theyve responded by winning two in a row.Can the Panthers continue the momentum and push towards a Wildcard spot or will the Chiefs join the Raiders atop the AFC West?Odds: Carolina $1.55 v Kansas City $2.45ESPN Pick: Chiefs to steal one on the road. 24-20?New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks (Live on ESPN, Monday @ 12.30pm AEDT)The 2015 Super Bowl rematch, and the past three games between the two sides have all been decided by four points or under. This season has been a different story, with the Patriots steamrolling their way to a 7-1 record with Super Bowl performances while Seattle have stumbled and fumbled their way to a 4-2-1 record that sees them sit atop the NFC West. A win against the Patriots will truly shake up the standings and help the Seahawks move closer to securing a Wildcard appearance.Odds: New England $1.27 v Seattle $3.70ESPN Pick: Patriots at home to prove too strong. 27-17 Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '