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Sunday, March 23, 2025 | Special Advertising Section6alarmed by her blood tests, delivered a diagnosis of hepatitis C. The rest of that summer saw Kingry in and out of the hospital again and again. She was put on a liver transplant list. She survived two comas, and doctors labored for weeks to bring her back from the brink of complete organ failure. By all accounts, she was not expected to pull through. %u201cI%u2019m one of the luckiest people in the world to have survived this situation, and I%u2019m under no illusion I would survive it again,%u201d Kingry said.When she left the hospital in September of that year, she felt like she was Corine Version 2.0. Corine Version 1.0 had become defective and no longer existed. The treatment she received was so successful there was no longer a need for a donated liver.%u201cI look at things differently now. This journey has taken me out of a dangerous, reckless lifestyle and taught me about the importance of time, gratitude and the lovely joy of just being,%u201d Kingry said. %u201cI was hopeful during my recovery because it never really occurred to me I might die. I recognized that fact yet never absorbed it because the only way to struggle through it all was to be present.%u201dTackett understands profound personality changes such as Kingry%u2019s because he sees the same thing in some patients/clients.%u201cComplex medical situations often force a person to question everything they think is important in life. They are likely using all their resources to fight for life, while also trying to make the best of the time they have left,%u201d he said. %u201cMost important are the close relationships they hold dear. Honoring these relationships and the personal values that he can provide some important service or assistance to others. Another critical skill is acceptance. Much of the suffering that comes with a medical problem is the internal battle with embracing life as it is, and taking on the challenges and assets that present themselves.%u201dAnother possible health event late in life is dementia and cognitive disability. In those cases, Tackett said, social contact and the help of a caregiver become monumentally important.%u201cIn the case of progressive cognitive disability, it can be challenging to participate in meaningful activities and maintain social connections. Caregivers often become a major source of support,%u201d Tackett said. %u201cAdditionally, social opportunities with familiar people, places and activities can help maintain orientation and positive mood for people experiencing cognitive decline. It would make a big difference if there were more resources for stimulating accessible social activities.%u201dMcLeod says he kept his spirits up with steady support from Heidi, friends and coworkers, and working his 12-step program helped him keep things in perspective and not sink into depression and gloom. He also found solace in music.McLeod, who turns 59 in May, returned to work last September, and says he%u2019s now as healthy as he%u2019s ever been.%u201cI am happily back on the motorcycle and going on adventures with my sweetheart.%u201d Profound changesIn a previous life, Corine Kingry, 59, was a bartender who bounced between Washington state and Key West, Fla., depending on the season. A few years ago, she survived a harrowing medical crisis that included two comas and changed her life in profound ways.It began on June 1, 2021, when doctors, connect them to family members and friends can be the focus of any therapy approach.%u201dKingry said her ordeal strengthened her family relationships, particularly with her sister, whom she calls her %u201crock.%u201d%u201cMy family is incredibly supportive, and we celebrate all the little things now,%u201d she said.Today, Kingry lives in Sammamish with her adopted dog, a small mixed-breed pooch she named Zelda Fitzgerald. She also walks other people%u2019s dogs as a sideline.%u201cI travel a bit, but otherwise have turned into a homebody who enjoys reading, puzzles and puppies,%u201d Kingry said. %u201cIf you ever wonder what happened to this wild party girl, I%u2019m happy at home with a good book and a cuppa.%u201dCorine Kingry now has time to work on Corine Version 2.0. (Courtesy of Corine Kingry)Continued from page 5!\Complex medical situations often force a person to %u201cquestion everything they think is important in life.Dr. Meredith Jan Tackett