Happy 6 month Kidney-versary!!!
Six months ago yesterday I was leaving Piedmont Hospital giving my parents hugs as we all mentally, emotionally and faithfully prepared for the morning to come. The next morning Alex and I headed back to Piedmont Hospital where we would be joined by family and friends while we anxiously waited for our parent's transplant.
Last August we found out that my mom was in kidney failure and had to have a kidney transplant. She quickly went on to the transplant list when doctors found out that her kidneys were only functioning at 16% (you normally go on to the transplant list at 20%). Luckily here in GA we have a year and a half waiting list; unlike California who has an 8 year list! But we didn't even have a year and a half the way doctors saw it mom only had 6 months to a year and that's if we were lucky.
There is a genetic kidney disease that runs on my mom's side of the family called polycystic kidney disease. Basically it's where cysts take over your kidneys and kills them (you can Google it for more information). We have known for years that my mother has it (she has it, my grandmother has it, my great grandmother, aunt, 2 cousins and then of course I have it). Mom has been healthy for years and has stayed on top of it and has never had a problem until about two years ago when she thought she broke her ankle while we were in NYC - that's a whole long drawn out story - but basically after 7 doctors - 6 misdiagnosis, months down the road she found out it was gout and the doctors decided to check her kidney function and that's how they realized she was in kidney failure.
Even though mom went on the transplant list we had about 11 people that asked to be tested to donate their kidney. After months of testing, on my mom's birthday last year, we found out that her perfect kidney match (50 million to 1 odds) was my dad! He was so close of a match it was like my grandmother giving her a kidney!! *CHILLS I TELL YOU CHILLS* If God's hands aren't all over that I don't know who's are! Dad had a couple more months of testing to undergo and once they were both cleared, the surgery was scheduled. It just happened to be scheduled for February 15th; the day after Valentine's Day! Completely fitting I believe.
The morning of the 15th Alex and I went to Piedmont to see mom and dad before they went back. I even had a sweet friend come to the hospital to pray with them before the surgery took place. Slowly family and friends joined us in the waiting room as the transplant took place. Lots of prayers, laughter, nervous jitters and tons of other emotions happened for the next couple of hours. Finally dad's surgeon came out and said that dad was in recovery, everything went great and we would be able to see him soon. That meant that mom was under now and the emotions started all over again. Finally her surgeon came out and told us that dad gave her a great kidney, it was working! She was headed to recovery and we could see her soon. The rest of the day and night they both slept and slept good. I stayed at the hospital from that point on until they were both released. Dad was supposed to get out the next day but ended up in ICU instead with blood clots in his lungs; he ended up staying 8 days and mom was in for 5 days.
Being in the hospital was tough, luckily they were on the same floor but they weren't in the same room. So I floated from room to room (but would feel horrible about leaving the other one by themselves). Alex came to the hospital every day helping me with whatever we needed or just spending time with our parents. Plus once mom was released from the hospital Alex was on mom duty 24/7. Once we got everyone back home it was no picnic; neither one of them were allowed to pick up anything over a half gallon of milk, but dad was constantly trying to do stuff around the house, he just couldn't sit still. Plus there was the additional 5 days that mom was put back in the hospital for a blockage and then she went into kidney rejection and had to have chemo and antibody infusions. Dad has had problems with his incision healing. Fortunately, he has done ok with the blood clots and the meds he takes for them.
After 6 months they are both doing great! Dad was released this week from the transplant floor and now goes to a hematologist for his blood clots and will soon start coming off of his blood clot meds! Mom's numbers were off and has to go back next week, but then hopefully she won't have to go again for a month!
People ask me if I was scared since it was both of my parents going through the surgery but honestly I wasn't. This whole situation had God's hands all over it. And when you see Him in it and knowing He has ahold of something there is no need to fear. I knew they were going to be just fine. And if they were fine - I was fine. So, happy 6 month Kidney-versary to my parents!!
My parents seriously are such an example of what marriage should be. I am so blessed that God chose me to be their daughter. And I thank Him for every praise and prayer that we go through because it brings us closer together as a family and definitely brings us closer to Him.