A little long but worth it!
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. - Psalms 91:14
I've shared in the past about the health journey I've been on since October 2014 when I was unexpectedly diagnosed with kidney failure, lung failure, the autoimmune disease Wegeners, and at one point doctors weren't too confident I'll pull through.
Since then, I've just been attacking my treatments, whether it's been the chemotherapy & other treatments for the Wegeners or dialysis for the kidney failure. As a result, February 2015 - lungs declared to be fully recovered and
March 2017 - told it is believed Wegeners will never appear in my system again. I also put in the necessary work to get on 3 transplant lists so i can get my life back. It's been a scary, sometimes lonely road. I had to face many fears, but it ultimately made me stronger. No matter how afraid I became, I never stopped believing that the Lord would see me through. Why wouldn't He, after all He's brought me through?
I say all of this to say that on 2-6-18, I RECEIVED A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT!!!! I received a call from UAB on 2-5-17, being told they might have a kidney available and that it'll probably be the 6th before they call me back and confirm....but they wanted me to be prepared. 2 hours later, they called and told me to be at the hospital in 3 hours for the final testing. My wife and I got to the hospital around midnight. Testing started a little while later. And around 8am on the 6th, I was being taken to the OR. About 4 hours after that, they were done and my life forever changed.
I never thought I'd have the transplant at UAB because they had the longest wait times by far of the 3 lists I was on, but the Lord obviously had other plans. Since the transplant, I've been doing well. My surgeon has been extremely happy with the procedure and results. I could tell the difference as soon as I woke up in recovery. My labs have been great and continue to get better. I have very minimal pain. My energy level is greatly improved. And my body has been adjusting smoothly to all the changes.
Not gonna lie, I'm still in state if shock. I spent hundreds of days and thousands of hours at the dialysis clinic, which I'm thankful for because it played a role in me getting to this point. But words can't explain the joy and fulfillment of knowing those days are over and that I have my life back. I no longer have to make plans with the caveat, 'when I get a transplant.' I no longer have to dream for better days. Better days began 2-6-18. And I'm looking forward to all the great things God has in store for me and my family.
I also want to encourage those who may be going through any trial or tribulation to keep fighting, keep hoping, keep believing, and keep the faith. It took me 3.5 years to get to this point. And trust me, once your breakthrough comes, those trials become a distant memory. God can and God Will!
In closing, I want to thank my family, friends, coworkers, employer, and colleagues for all of their love, support, prayers, and encouragement. I don't take it lightly and love you all the more for it. I also want to give a special thanks to the UAB Transplant Team for providing excellent care and making it a great experience for me and my family. Lastly, MANY MANY thanks to my donor and the donor's family because their selfless act helped to make this possible. Their sacrifice is not lost on me...
Take care, be blessed, and please consider signing up to be an organ donor if you haven't already!
