Tuesday 2/17/15
Hello again! Here's the rest of the story from January 24...
Our wait continued & it seemed like a really long time but the targeted 10am finally came. However, nothing changed. Bloodwork, chest XR & EKG were done & an IV was inserted but there was nothing indicating that I would soon go the Operating Room as planned. The hospital staff kept checking with us to see if we needed anything--"yeah, either some food or a new kidney & liver, please!" :) The last time that I had anything to eat or drink was about 6pm the night before.
The hours slowly ticked by and even though we didn't openly discuss it, Todd & I were thinking the same thing: something just didn't feel right. The delay seemed to indicate to us that the surgery may not happen. I remember reading in the book that I referenced earlier...sometimes we can't see God at work, but He isn't passive. He's preparing... I tried to remind myself of that. Even though I had been on the waiting list since the fall of 2013, these hours in the hospital seemed to be a more difficult waiting process.
Dr. Dagher came back & we talked some more. He said he was still consulting with the other surgeon who was with the organs to be donated. We discussed my medical situation in more depth & he showed us my CT scan & we took a tour through my body on film. It was very interesting & helped me to understand why I feel like I do. Meg sure has taken over & caused other parts to re-locate or be squished. He said it's the opposite of being pregnant. When a baby grows inside a woman's body, the baby starts low & then grows & pushes her other organs upward. My liver started high (under my ribs) and has grown very large (into my pelvis). This causes my organs & other parts to move downward. My stomach is compressed & my intestines are relocated & not arranged like they used to be. Therefore, it explains why I have to graze throughout the day & need to eat small quantities. It also explains why many sitting, bending, twisting, & sleeping positions are uncomfortable for me. I had been telling doctors for about 10 years how I had been feeling, but now it was portrayed on this CT scan.
He left us to further consult with the other surgeons & then around 2pm, he returned with a very sad demeanor. He explained that the surgery was not going to take place. The donor had died suddenly & initially it was believed to be from an asthma attack. However, when it was investigated further, the person had no history of asthma. That was a "red flag" so more testing was done. An unidentified virus was discovered so they didn't want to proceed with the donation. They said that the donor was a perfect match so they felt it would have been a great transplant; however, I may have been left with a virus to deal with. It wasn't worth the risk. We were thankful for their wisdom & technology to make this decision & fully agreed.
Even though it wasn't the answer we preferred, it seemed like God was preparing us for this while we waited. Again, that peace filled us. We were disappointed, but found so many blessings through those 12 hours. We gained more knowledge about the whole process so the next time will be a little more familiar.
With love & thankfulness for all of you traveling with us,
Belinda
"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:18
