With Thanksgiving in my Heart

November 21,2011

Hard to believe six weeks have passed since surgery.  I am thrilled to report that everything is going great!  Gary is doing very well.  He is still going in for weekly doctor visits and his creatine is holding right around 2.0 (which is great)!  His new kidney seems to be functioning very well.  Gary is eager to begin working again; he is in the process of searching for a job.  I know God has the perfect job for Gary.  As for me, I am feeling completely back to normal.  I am honestly surprised how good I feel.  With the exception of my scar, I would not even know that I had surgery.   School has been taking up most of my time lately.  As, many of you know I have been waiting for months to hear whether or not I had been accepted into the nursing program at UTArlington.  Well, I finally got a letter in the mail this week; I have been put on a wait list.  It seems they had one of their largest application periods ever; almost 700 applicants and only 130 spots available!  I feel blessed to have even been put on a wait list.  They will let me know as soon as a spot opens up for me.  While this may not be my ideal situation……..If I have learned anything this year, it’s that everything will happen in God’s time! 

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches I have so many things to be thankful for!  The list could go on and on…….here are 5 things I am most thankful for:

I am thankful for my amazing husband who loves God and his family with his whole heart.  It was by no accident that Brad and I met.  I am certain God created Brad for me to love.

I am thankful for my beautiful children who remind me to stop and enjoy each day.  I am so blessed to be their mother.

I am thankful for my wonderful twin sister, who is my very best friend.  God knows I could not go through life without her.

I am thankful for prayer.  I truly believe in the power of prayer and I am thankful we serve a Mighty God who answers prayer.

I am thankful that God’s mercies are new each day!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1

4 weeks Post-Op

November 3, 2011

It has now been 4 weeks since surgery and things are great!!  I started back to work this week; it feels so good to be back!  I still get tired pretty easily, but I am starting to feel like my old self again.  Gary is also doing really well.  His creatine is down to 2.1 (which is great!). Gary said his creatine levels have not been that low since he was about 18years old! He is also very happy to have all of his staples out.  Next week, he will begin going for doctor visits only once per week.  He is still sore, but overall he is feeling great. I know this is just the beginning of a new and exciting journey for Gary.  I will thank God daily for His faithfulness in healing Gary!

While I am so thankful that everything has been successful, I am still so deeply saddened by the thousands of people who are waiting for a transplant.  Every 10 minutes a new name is added to the waiting list for an organ transplant.  During this process, I have crossed paths with many people who are awaiting an organ transplant.  I have heard countless heartbreaking stories along the way.  I met a facebook friend, named Randy who has been on dialysis now for one year.  Through it all Randy remains positive and upbeat.  He is a big promoter of organ donation and is constantly sharing other people’s stories in the hopes of finding them a donor. I also learned of an amazing little boy named Zachary who received his first kidney transplant when he was only 11months old.  Now, at 6 years old his kidney is failing.  Over 600 people have been tested with no match found.  The doctors say Zachary has less than a 3% chance of finding a match.  But I am 100% sure that our God has a perfect match for Zachary and the countless others who are waiting.  While I may never be able to understand why some people have to face so many challenges and trials, I have peace in knowing that “All things work together for the good of those who love God.” Romans 8:28

 When I look back at this whole journey I am so overwhelmed.  I Wish I could explain how AMAZING it feels to have been a part of this.  I am not sure why God chose me, but I am so thankful that He did!  I have learned so many lessons along the way.  I have learned lessons in patience, faith, and friendship.  Most importantly, I have learned how to fully trust in my God!  I love knowing that God is always at work in me.  This has been such a rewarding experience, and my goal from here on out is to strive to have an open heart and follow Him daily.   

Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth. (Jeremiah 33:6)