Posting 1 to 6 of 13 total | Page: 1 2 3
Hello friends, It has been a busy and eventful 16 days since the transplant. the guys have had nothing but good reports from the blood tests and doctor visits. I drive dickson to the doctor in san diego 4 times a week. over 600 miles already! We just dropped Dave, Jan, and Caitlyn off at the airport and they are on their first leg of their trip back home in Brasil. We have lived the last 3 weeks as a unit and it seems strange to not have them here. Dave's kidney's are separated for the first time in over 50 years. Dave has felt great since the end of week 1 and dickson feels more and more like himself every day. The medications are now getting closer to their correct levels, Dickson's blood chemistry looks wonderful for the first time in probably 6 years or more. His creatinine is down to 1.1 adn his hemoglobin is over 12 for you medical types. Those are both controlled by the kidney. I think if we entereed Dave's kidney in the county fair it would get a blue ribbon or even best in show!!! Next week the staples, which look like a 7 inch zipper,, will come out. We asked a patient yesterday who had just had hers removed how bad it was and she said she didnt feel a thing. Thas was a releif to know. It is impossible to get our minds around the FACT that we are now on the OTHER SIDE of what has been anticipated for so many years. The transplant and most of the recovery are in the past! We re in the post tranplant refining medication phase. Now for a new subject, while we were not looking you wonderful people have donated enough money to meet the original finacial goal. We are amazed at your kindness and generosity. We of course have no idea what our financial need will actually end up being. We have not recieved any medical bills yet. So far, we have many travel bills and many reciepts for tanks of gas. We have not even found out yet what our part of all of Dickson's meds are going to be......I have not counted but we are managing about 20ish perscriptions. We of course hope that the after insurance medical bills are minimal and that the $10,000.00 is sufficient to cover bills and expenses as they roll in. If we find out that we were way off base in our guess we can let you know. Dickson does not wish to raise the need level but we can let you know what our future needs are as they arise. You have been wonderfully generous and concerned and we are sincerely grateful for you. We covet your prayers as we walk through the rest of Dickson's time of recovery. Love to you all, Cathy
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DicksonC@TLCcares.org
Friday, April 11, 2014
Hi all of you FANTASTIC prayer partners and friends!
It's Dave the Donor this time. : )
I just wanted to write with my own typing "voice" and thank all of you personally for so many, many encouraging notes - besides all the THOUSANDS of prayers on my and Dickson's behalf. Wow! It's been amazing. Our God is SO incredible. How could I NOT have had peace through this whole process?!!
I'm doing so well, that I feel guilty. Today is day nine of my "Rebound Tour" - my name for my recovery journey. I think it was four days after surgery that I felt like my brain caught up with my body so that everything was working together as it should. I rarely feel pain; I haven't changed anything I eat or drink and it doesn't feel like I'm missing a kidney...ever; I've been able to walk a lot, even hills and steps; and so far, I've been able to control myself from overdoing it. I already know that I'll need your prayers as time goes on, because by day 22 I'll FOR SURE be wanting to do things I probably shouldn't be doing yet!
God has taught me a lot and I know there's more to learn: Kidneys do WAY more than just filter impurities out of our blood-trust me! (read up on 'em a little if you don't believe me); "overly" familiar verses have taken on a much deeper, richer meaning, becoming new again; I thank God for my kidneys every day (plural is NOT a typo as I still have two...it's just that one of them is helping Dickson now); I understand in a small and incomplete way, a little bit more of how my Savior felt as He experienced pain He didn't need to - for someone else, by choice; and on and on.
Dickson and I agree that the biggest challenge is waiting: A minute is a minute no matter how much you try to speed it up! Every minute that goes by we are getting better, But it just takes time. He just got back from the doctor and every indicator is more positive than before. They continue to cut back on the amounts of his meds. His creatinine (vital indicator of kidney efficiency) is within normal parameters and lower yet even though it was already 12X lower after surgery than before. He is producing red blood cells now too.
Enough for now. My first Gdaughter is a month old today and vovô (that's me) gets to see her one more time before we fly back to our wonderful Brazilian family on April 23 (barring unforeseens). We continue to rely on our Amazing God and your faithful prayers.
More soon!
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DicksonC@TLCcares.org
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Well, to say that God is amazing is truly and understatement. So the best way I can say is, “all we need is Jesus”. He is our strength, our dependency forever.
As we are waiting to be checked out of the hospital I just wanted to take this time to share some of God’s wisdoms since we have been here.
April 2nd
Our surgery date. We left home early therefore couldn’t write and it has been crazy since. On the devotional book call, “Jesus Calling” the reading for that date was Philippians 4:19 and II Corinthian 4:17. The writers’ thoughts for the day was and I quote, “ I have promised to meet all your needs according to MY Glorious riches. Your deepest, most constant need is for MY Peace. I have planted Peace in the garden of your heart, where I live, but there are weeds growing there too: pride, worry, selfishness, unbelief. I am the Gardener, and I am working to rid your heart of those weeds. I do My work in various ways. When you sit quietly with Me, I shine the Light of My Presence directly into your heart. In this heavenly Light, Peace grows abundantly and weeds shrivel up. I also send trials into your life. When you trust Me in the midst of trouble, Peace flourishes and weeds die away. Thank Me for troublesome situations: the Peace they can produce far outweighs the trial you endure. Now, how appropriate are those words and promises of God for such a time as this? April 7th
Check out date from the hospital. Again from the book of “Jesus Calling” the verses for today were based from Isaiah 64:8 and Psalms 27:8.
The author’s thoughts for today and I quote, “I am the Potter: you are My clay. I designed you before the foundation of the world. I arrange the events of each day to form you into this preconceived pattern. My everlasting Love is at work in every event of your life. On some days your will and Mine flow smoothly together. You tend to feel in control of your life when our wills are in harmony. On other days you feel as if you were swimming upstream, against the current of My purposes. When that happens, stop and seek My face. The opposition you feel may be from Me, or it may be from the evil one. Talk with Me about what you are experiencing. Let My Spirit guide you through treacherous waters. As you move through the turbulent stream with Me, let circumstance mold you into the one I desire you to be. Say yes to your Potter as you go through this day.” Those verses proves that God’s word can express a lot better than my words will ever can. Thank the good Lord that we have a hope in us to stand firm. I don’t know how one can go through life without Hope without Jesus and the love of friends and family.
I love you all and I am asking God to repay you for all you have done for me and my family. Only God can repay how I feel right now.
Blessings!!!
Dickson
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DicksonC@TLCcares.org
Saturday, April 5, 2014
hi there sweet friends,
thought you would like this photo, taken the 4th 2 days after surgery.
Today is a great day, lots of rest, dickson has been disconnected from all machines, has not had any pain meds for 2 days,
He is doing great, the kidney is doing an amazing job. creatinine started at 13.7 and is down to 1.7 today, 3 days later. Dave’s kidney is working amazingly well.
Their match is so good that all the anti rejections drugs are too high and they are lowering the dosages, it is amazing, thank you for your prayers, God is amazing. The doctors are so happy with his progress. He no longer is freezing all the time and he no longer itches or coughs continuously……..those were immediately apparent effects of the kidney. Dickson says he feels so different already.
They are removing his catheter today too so, he will be completely free of attachments just 36 hours after surgery. We should be headed home on Monday ! What a week this has been!
thank you beloved prayer partners,
lots of love
cathy chan
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DicksonC@TLCcares.org
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Hi friends,
I know i you left you feeling worried when you did not hear from me frday, it ws a very busy day from morning until about 5. Somewhere in there during a little break in the action I took the most glorious nap.
I am Thinking that saturday is going to be a great day! Friday, started a bit rough but by the end of the day most of the post surgery issues resolved themselves. The anti rejection drugs are being fine tuned, we met with the post transplant coordinator today as well as the diabetes educator. the high levels of steroids given immediately post transplant push the body into a diabetic state , usually a temporary situation......prayerfully it is very temporary.
Got a tough blow today when discussing the new eating regimen , his diet will be much more inclusive of healthy foods but....no raw fish, no rare steaks, so no more all you can eat sushi.......that is so sad but of course worth the sacrifice. Good thing Dickson also loves thai food and pho…….cooked food is no problem. Of course after all of this time on dialysis with strict phosphorus restrictions, dickson could only dream of eating beans, which he loves. now the anti rejection drugs may cause him to be low in phosphorous and this puts him in the happy position of NEEDING to eat beans just to keep healthy blood levels
Dave was released from the hospital Friday around noon,,,,,, and is at our home, resting, being cared for my Jan and Caitlyn . please be praying for quick recoveries for both of these guys. Dickson did not use the pain button at all today, amazing, as the day wore on, i could see his fog lift and see his swelling go down. We went for several laps around the 5th floor today, he is stable and has good stamina. it will be great to see his creatinine level come down again in the morning......probably to normal already, It went from 13.7 wednesday to 2.6 Friday. Everyone is pleased. Hoping that Saturday is just a lovely day of rest and recovery, no surprises or set backs.
We have been blessed by your prayers and love and texts and calls and the amazing generosity of people giving toward our financial need at the lighthouse connection as well as directly giving us such generous gifts.
Well , we continue to stand in awe of God, He is the great physician, the one who provides all of our needs, and the one who knows the details of our lives and loves us anyway, amazing!!!
Oh and we will probably be home on MONDAY, isn’t that just crazy, so we have 3 days left to learn nots of things to be prepared for our maiden journey into post transplant land
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DicksonC@TLCcares.org
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Our day started with a rainbow and ended with a beautiful billowy clouded sunset. God has been busy in our lives today . It is nearly 11pm all are tucked neatly into bed. I am perched upon my very comfy hospital couch bed. It is quiet and I am contemplating the goodness of our God who paints the sky, who heals our bodies , who loves us deeply and who bends low to hear our prayers what a powerful yet intimate God we serve!!! Good night sweet friends your prayers have carried us through an amazing adventure today.
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Posting 1 to 6 of 13 total | Page: 1 2 3
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