COUNTY LIFE

‘He was going to save my life;’ couple shares liver transplant

Published

7 years ago

06/02/2018

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The Gresham family: Jessica, Mackenzie, Jonathan and Boadie. (Courtesy photo)

By BARBARA GREEN
In 2005 Jessica Gresham was a happy, healthy 23-year-old enjoying life with her high school sweetheart husband and raising their teenage daughter.
However, 13 years later she has battled a serious liver disease and is recovering from a live donor transplant provided by her husband Jonathan.
The transplant surgery took place on April 10 and on May 12 the couple was able to return home after four weeks at an onsite recovery apartment near Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.
For this close-knit family it has been a long road to finally discovering first what was making Jessica ill and how to deal with its effects as they further impacted her liver. Today, they are reveling in returning to their home just outside Bowie and focusing on getting better.
The Greshams are both hometown kids, born and raised in Bowie. Jessica is the daughter of Teresa and Bobby Staats and Jonathan the son of Nancy Gresham.
Jonathan graduated from Bowie High School in 1999 and two weeks later was at a U.S. Army boot camp fulfilling his dream to go into the military. He served eight years as a combat engineer and after active duty went into the National Guard, during which time he was deployed for a year to Iraq in 2005.
Jessica graduated in 2000 and they were married in May of her senior year. After she graduated she moved to Killeen where her husband was stationed at Fort Hood. Their family soon grew as Makenzie was born later that year.
After John returned home from Iraq he went to work running a motorgrader for two local companies before taking a job with GE Oil and Gas, where he has worked the past 10 years.
Getting sick
While her husband was deployed in the Middle East, Jessica began to get sick with what she first thought was her gall bladder. However, tests showed high liver numbers and her spleen was enlarged, so she was directed to a liver specialist who discovered her body was rejecting its liver. It was the beginning of many years of battling this disease only to be told in 2017 she would have to undergo a liver transplant.

Read the full feature in the weekend News.

COUNTY LIFE

Gold-Burg prepares for area one-act play

Published

6 days ago

04/10/2025

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Gold-Burg High School students will perform at area one-act competition at 9:30 a.m. on April 11 at Grayson County College.
Director Linda Fitzner said they present “Lady Precious Stream” followed by Newcastle, Irivium Academy, Sulphur Bluff, Avery and Bryson. She called it a “tough, tough area” as Bryson was at state the year before. Gold-Burg also has made a state run last year.

COUNTY LIFE

Nocona Library staff presents Easter storytime

Published

6 days ago

04/10/2025

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Nocona Public Library and Friends of the Library will be hosting a children’s Easter story time at 10 a.m. on April 11.
Dean Prine will be reading to the children before they make a craft. Dean always makes it a fun story time. All children are invited to attend.
Summer is quickly approaching and the library is already making plans for our summer reading program. Starting June 1, the children can pick up their reading logs. A professional story teller will be visiting the library in July. More details will be released as time gets closer to summer.
The library has received several new books in the last week. “In To Deep” by Lee Child, “Paranoia” by James Patterson and “Far From Home” by Danielle Steel, are just a few new ones that are available for checkout.
Did you know that the library is not all about books? The library staff can make copies and send faxes for a small fee. It has computers for the public to use. Stop by and see what all you can do at the library. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

COUNTY LIFE

Bowie High one-act advances to area

Published

6 days ago

04/10/2025

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Bowie High School’s one-act play, “View From The Bridge,” advanced out of bi-district to area after competing this past week.
Teacher and Director April Word said area will be on April 12 at Clyde High School. Bowie performs as the final play of the day.
Other schools performing will be Holliday, Early, Clyde, Ingram Moore and Jim Ned. Plays begin at noon that day and cost to watch is $10.
“The students were amazing at bi-district and had a tremendous performance. I could not have asked for more from them,” said Word.
At bi-district Lia Meier was named best performer, Corban Word was named to the All-Star Cast and Corben Wolsey, honorable mention All-Star Cast.
Aowyn Word received the All-Star Tech and the tech crew was named best overall. Crew members are Elise Fitch, TJ Ferguson, Keller Dosch, Adamari Alonso and Aowyn Word. “Break a leg” Jackrabbits.