It's the beginning of 2018, that time where people get to reset and think about making their New Years resolutions. Historically by February, the resolutions are long forgotten and are already in the rearview mirror.

For me it's pretty obvious what I need to do and it's more of a lifelong resolution versus a New Years resolution. 2017 was one of the best year's of my life. Though my kidney function was declining for a majority of last year and I was heading toward dialysis, I still hold 2017 has one my best years. This is due to the fact that after a few years of waiting, I finally received a kidney from a live donor and childhood friend (John Pitroff of Clarksburg) on October 25th.

My New Years resolution for 2018 and beyond is to take excellent care of my new kidney. Drink plenty of water, eat low sodium food, exercise and maintain or even lose some weight. It's especially important now to keep my weight maintained because some of the medications I now take post transplant can increase the risk of diabetes. However, if I keep the weight down and exercise, I should be in fine shape (last check, my blood sugar level was 81).

My other resolution is to find a way to pay it forward. It was such an amazing gift that I received from John and I don't take it for granted. I would like to find a way to make a difference in someone's life like John did for me. I have a few ideas in mind but would love to hear/see your suggestions.

Happy New Year and here's to 2018 becoming a healthy and prosperous year for all!

More From WSBS 860AM