post-transplant UPDATES
1/18 10:00 PM - Having been put
on the spot today to speak briefly before the congregation at
church, I found my thoughts somewhat un-composed. During my
dissertation, I touched on the fact that we (Kelli, myself and our
family) had a predetermined "plan of action" for the day the call
came in. We discussed with hospital personnel what the appropriate
procedure would be and they gave us two scenarios - one plan for the
call coming while Kelli was at home; the second plan for if she was
in the hospital when the call came.
For the 75 days that Kelli was on the transplant list in one
classification or another, we all lived our lives never fully
relaxing. Kelli and I carried our cell phones 24/7. At the
hospitals request, we had our home landline phone turned on
(something we shut off a long time ago because we use cell phones),
so I even had the landline phone diverted to my cell phone.
We were limited to our radius of travel, it being suggested that we
not venture more than an hour away from home. Anxiety levels were
heightened during this time and every time a phone rang you could
feel the level raise even higher, wondering if this would be the
call.
Kelli compared the "waiting" and "anxiety" to a pregnancy. In fact,
the hospital even had her prepare a bag with necessary items to
bring to the hospital with her when the call came. So, for all this
time a little bag set beside our bedroom door, packed and ready.
The only difference she said, between a pregnancy and this pending
phone call, was that a pregnancy has a "time limit"; 9 months (give
or take a week or so one way or another) and you can pretty much
pinpoint the day. This call however, had no time limits. There was
no knowing when the call would come - and living with this
heightened sense of alertness and readiness was the most difficult
part of the whole process.
What I found interesting during this time was the little analogy
that came to me one day when I was "venting" my frustrations
internally about this open-ended wait. (This is what always
fascinates me about life, because it doesn't matter what the
circumstance, you can always find a lesson in it!)
While I moaned and groaned and expressed my frustration and
anxieties of the uncertainties of the wait, my mind suddenly likened
this situation in comparison to the scripture in Matthew 24 starting
in verse 3, where the disciples asked Jesus, "Tell us, when shall
these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming?
And Jesus lays out before them the times and seasons and then says
to them in conclusion in verse 36, "But of that day and hour knoweth
no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." And in
verse 42 he says to them, "Watch therefore: for ye know not what
hour your Lord doth come."
I was humbled by this comparison. I thought to myself, we should
all be living in this heightened state of awareness, of preparedness
and readiness, watching; for we do not know the hour of Christ's
return.
"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as
a thief in the night." 1 Thessalonians 5:2
I am always awed at how God will use any and every experience to
enlighten our minds; to draw us to Himself, to open our eyes to the
truth of His Word. Growing up, I use to hear my grandfather refer
to God as the “Master Teacher” and through my own life I’ve learned
that to be true.
I had to ask myself, "Am I living my life in that state of
readiness?" I had to admit that I don't live with that relentless
anticipation and wonder of "Is this the day?" "Is today the day
that God the Father sends forth the call for Christ's return to this
earth?" It could be. It could be tomorrow. It could be (we don't
know when???) But the question to ask is not, is it today or
tomorrow, but are we ready; are we anticipating?; Because the day
will come - Jesus told his disciples, "My words shall not
pass away." And when that hour comes and the cry made, " Behold,
the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him,” may we all be found
ready, waiting with our lamps trimmed and filled with oil
1/16 9:00 PM - Join me if you
will for a walk into the not so distant future (or past if you want
to look backward, but I prefer to look ahead). Clear your mind and
put to silence all distractions. Are you with me? Is it quiet
where you are? Ok, picture then if you will a calm late spring-time
evening; there's a slight breeze; temperatures are a moderate 65
degrees. You're sitting on your porch (front, back, doesn't matter,
I'm on my back porch). The moon is full in the night sky. The
heavens are blanketed with stars twinkling, some dim, some bright;
an occasional fluffy cloud floats past the moon. You sit soaking it
all in; and then you notice a sound that under any other
circumstance might annoy you beyond insanity; but in the calm of the
moon bathed sky on this perfect springtime eve, the cricket's sing
you a song that lulls your soul almost into a state of paralysis.
Nature's orchestra is at it's finest tonight. Are you feeling it?
Nice isn't it?! Can you hear the cricket's chirping (does your
imagination need a little help?
Click this link
to hear some cricket song) - amazing how under the right
circumstance that sound can be so relaxing!
Now, if you've gone to far into this subconscious journey and you
need a reality check - step outside into the night air tonight! I
guarantee it will snap you to reality right away! Temperature reads
19 degrees where I'm at! Far cry from our spring time walk!
What was the point in this story? I guess when I decided to post
today's update and I reflected back through the hours of the day
today trying to find something "eventful" to post, I heard the song
of crickets chirping and it took me to that quiet and calm place of
a spring time eve and I realized that this is how this day was.
Calm and at peace. All is well. I hope all is well with you
tonight also.
Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of our day, the noise of life
drowns out the calming peace that whispers for our attention,
drawing us to the porches of our soul for a moment of stillness so
that you can realize that all is well and life is good and that we
have much to be thankful for each day.
God bless.
1/16 10:20 AM - Everything is moving along smoothly, so smoothly in fact that updates have unintentionally come to a halt. The past 24 hours or so have been spent re-acclimating ourselves to home life, readjusting to life without the IV. Kelli is still required to maintain a record of her daily blood pressure and weight - and it has been amazing to see her blood pressure in the 120 range when it was in the 80's! So all is good - steady progress day by day.
1/14 5:45 PM - KELLI HAS ARRIVED HOME!!!!
