Melissa Blevins Bein

Guts - Hearts, Liver, Kidneys, Pancreas and Heart Devices - these are the subjects of my days and nights. A Virginia girl - born, reared and educated. Clinical career includes Emergency Department and Transplant Nurse Coordinator and - cut to - currently Director of Solid Organ Transplant Programs at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, AZ. Before all this - I received an undergraduate BSN, RN via Lynchburg College in Virginia and graduate degree via Clemson University. Since then, I've become a lifelong learner. A student of life.

The middle born of high school sweethearts, Phillip and Sherry. Older brother, Rodney is father of four and younger sister Jessica is mother of one. I'm officially off the hook. A Realist, Writer, avid reader and from a long line of colorful characters and Virginia Tech football fans. Though I've moved far away from my Virginia roots, the Southeast spills out occasionally in the form of "ya'll", and "butta".

Speaking of high school sweethearts - I married mine too - just a little later in life. March 12, 2012 I married Ronnie Bein - my first and last love. After 27+ years apart - my heart is home - at last. With the marriage came an awesome freak-of-nature-and-I-mean-that-in-a-good-way son - Marc. I am the lucky one.

Passionate about promoting organ donation and decided in 2010 to walk the talk. Donated right kidney to friend, Risa Simon on June 8th, 2010. One of the highlights of my life - becoming a living kidney donor.

Love LoVe LOVE books. Better than food - is how much I love books. (but not as much as I love my husband - just saying). Do not enjoy cooking or anything related to labor in the kitchen - I do the cleaning up part. Enjoy writing, "piddling" at home, and reading those books.