Maybe you noticed my postings this last week. Pretty innocuous, I know, but I wanted to be sure of my facts before I spilled the news. Disappointment has been my close companion this weekend… I was given the news that my kidney’s on it’s way out. Uh, what? Well, it means I need to start the workup for re-transplantation… I had a sense that this was coming… this past year has been rocky – one intervention followed by another. So when the docs stop talking intervention…. Yeah, I had an idea, but as long as the topic was unspoken I could assume the role of happy ignorance.
I’ve been wrestling with my feelings at this news. More than anything I struggle with the inconvenience & uncertainty of it all. Transplantation isn’t foreign to me – Since June 2000 I’ve proudly dealt in spare parts
The docs are really encouraging me to look for a living donor before they put me on the “list”. I shared this with my mom – who was skeptical… Apparently she wonders how I plan to ask someone for a kidney, when I dislike asking for a ride… Hmm, she has a point… So, I’ve come up with a few ideas (plus a few suggestions from friends )
1. The comedic approach: To my facebook friends --- So – just how good of a friend are you???
2. My Pastor’s suggestion – Give ‘em an option (Win Win): Hey can I get a ride or maybe a kidney? Which ever works better for you…
3. The Educational Approach: Hey did you know that this month is organ donor awareness month? What a perfect opportunity for first hand experience….
4. My father’s suggestion: Did you know you have two kidneys? God gave you two so you could share one….
None of them seem quite right – I’ve heard of bad pick-up lines, but these are forging a whole new level of ridiculous…
So really, what’s my point in all of this? Well, news spreads fast & I’ve had a lot of questions and concerns. So there’s the scoop as I know it..I have been disappointed; to say otherwise would be dishonest. But through my disappointments God has been faithful. He’s wrapped me in the loving arms of friends and family and surrounded me with the prayers of those I love. It’s times like these that God reminds me of His sovereignty. And He does it in such unexpected ways. It’s occurred to me that a lot of my fears have been tied to the unknown – how will this affect work, my family, life as I know it, etc… I get so wrapped up planning life, but what’s unknown to me is so very well known by my Lord. He knows me, He created me & He knows the intricacies of my life Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” What an amazing promise!
So, as I embark on this new chapter I continue to claim Rom. 12:12 – Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction & faithful in prayer. I find joy in knowing that God can use my experiences o encourage others. I’m a work in progress when it comes to patience And I am so blessed by those who lift me up in their prayers. I appreciate your prayers & words of encouragement & love more than I can put into words – Thanks so much!
I’ve been wrestling with my feelings at this news. More than anything I struggle with the inconvenience & uncertainty of it all. Transplantation isn’t foreign to me – Since June 2000 I’ve proudly dealt in spare parts
The docs are really encouraging me to look for a living donor before they put me on the “list”. I shared this with my mom – who was skeptical… Apparently she wonders how I plan to ask someone for a kidney, when I dislike asking for a ride… Hmm, she has a point… So, I’ve come up with a few ideas (plus a few suggestions from friends )
1. The comedic approach: To my facebook friends --- So – just how good of a friend are you???
2. My Pastor’s suggestion – Give ‘em an option (Win Win): Hey can I get a ride or maybe a kidney? Which ever works better for you…
3. The Educational Approach: Hey did you know that this month is organ donor awareness month? What a perfect opportunity for first hand experience….
4. My father’s suggestion: Did you know you have two kidneys? God gave you two so you could share one….
None of them seem quite right – I’ve heard of bad pick-up lines, but these are forging a whole new level of ridiculous…
So really, what’s my point in all of this? Well, news spreads fast & I’ve had a lot of questions and concerns. So there’s the scoop as I know it..I have been disappointed; to say otherwise would be dishonest. But through my disappointments God has been faithful. He’s wrapped me in the loving arms of friends and family and surrounded me with the prayers of those I love. It’s times like these that God reminds me of His sovereignty. And He does it in such unexpected ways. It’s occurred to me that a lot of my fears have been tied to the unknown – how will this affect work, my family, life as I know it, etc… I get so wrapped up planning life, but what’s unknown to me is so very well known by my Lord. He knows me, He created me & He knows the intricacies of my life Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” What an amazing promise!
So, as I embark on this new chapter I continue to claim Rom. 12:12 – Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction & faithful in prayer. I find joy in knowing that God can use my experiences o encourage others. I’m a work in progress when it comes to patience And I am so blessed by those who lift me up in their prayers. I appreciate your prayers & words of encouragement & love more than I can put into words – Thanks so much!
What a roller coaster to be on. But I can see you riding it with and attitude and light that most people wouldn't have.
ReplyDeleteNot to tell you what to write...but maybe in one of your next posts could you tell us what the process is for finding a live donor? (i.e. What would a donor have to do, what things qualify as a "match," etc) I think a lot of people would at least think about being interested in such a thing, but like me, have no idea what to do beyond that. Not that long ago my dad was looking for a bone marrow donor match, and we had lots of people asking how to get tested. Lots of people that we never expected to hear such things from. So...indulge us! :)