Sunday, January 16, 2011

A Great Day!

The craziest things happen when you live around the Mayo Clinic.

The cast of characters:

Albert P- husband/caregiver
Julie P- wife/patient

Matt C - husband/patient (friend to AandJ)
Patti C - wife/caregiver (friend to AandJ)

We had the memorial service for my friend Deb yesterday.  Moments after the service started Albert got a call from the hospital that they had finally found a match for his wife, who I have spoken of a few times that needs the second transplant.

He rushes off to the hospital.

Late last night there still was no word as to whether or not the transplant was a go.

This morning at 8am I get a text that she has been taken into surgery.  It's a GO!

I take my time getting to the hospital and arrive around 11am.  Matt and Patti are already there.

I'm sitting with  Albert, Matt and Patti in the lobby of Mayo while Julie is in surgery.  We're just waiting, talking, laughing, texting people, making phone calls.  Making the time go by for Albert.

Matt's phone rings and it's Mayo.  They have a liver for him, how long before he can get there?  Ummm, an elevator ride from the lobby to the 3rd floor.  It's the call!!

So, we all go up to the 3rd floor and get Matt all settled in his room and then Julie gets out of surgery and is in her room on the 4th floor. 

Matt's transplant is scheduled to begin shortly.
Julie is waking up.
I'm now at home but will be heading back up to the hospital in an hour or so.

After such a sad beginning to the new year with Julie's first transplanted liver not functioning and then the unexpected death of our friend Deb, this is such beautiful, happy news.

Prayers to Julie's family and Matt's family for a successful surgery and recovery.

Thanks Deb for watching over our friends.
Kristin

***I forgot to mention - I had bacon today :)

UPDATE -- Both of our patients are out of surgery and in their rooms.  It looks like both will be up and running around in a few days.  What a Great Day!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

SUCH WONDERFUL NEWS! GOD IS GOOD. ALL THE TIME! ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD!

Ruth Ann said...

That is awesome news! Your friends will be in my prayers! How very exciting!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

What a wonderful day. I so happy to hear all the great news. Praying for Julie and Matt, also praying for their spouces. I just wanted to jump off my sofa and do the happy dance.

God hear our prayers.

Bill Lisleman said...

just guessing but I imagine there are long long anxious hours and then mad action packed minutes with this transplant stuff. So is that what you do - transplant consulting?

Keetha Broyles said...

Oh my!!! I don't have ANYTHING to even come CLOSE to this story, let alone TOP it!

One of our good friends was in the hospital having a stress test to check out his heart, since his brother had just died suddenly of a heart attack. They pronounced him healthy, and he got in the elevator to leave where he promptly had a MASSIVE heart attack! Being in the hospital already, they were able to save him.

BUT - - - that is NADA next to THIS story!

Kristin - The Goat said...

Thank you everyone!

lisleman - I answered in detail via email. The answer to his question is no, I'm not a consultant. Just a volunteer with the transplant support group.

Keetha - well that's a pretty great story! and what a blessing for that guy to be in the hospital.

LAC said...

Yay, what good news. Its nice to see blessings and miracles in daily life sometimes. Just makes you remember how good God is.

Mrs4444 said...

what a great experience--for everyone!