Check-ups, Creatinine, and Celebrating!

Today Sara and I made the trip to Madison for our 4.5 month visit.  We both had lab work and check-ups and Sara also needed to have an MRI for a study she is taking part in.  Sara's appointment was done before mine.  She came out with a smile on her face and told me that her creatinine level was 1.1.  That is the lowest she can ever remember it being since she has been treated for kidney disease!  I was amazed!  But what came next was even more incredible.  I went in for my appointment and met with the nurse practitioner.  (I have graduated from surgeon to NP now -- must mean I am doing fine!).  She was reviewing my labs with me and told me that my creatinine was 1.11.  I said, "wow, that is what my recipient's was today too".  Sara had told me hers was 1.1, but I wasn't sure what her "third digit" was.  I couldn't wait to get out of the appointment and ask her.  After I was done and all checked out I returned to the waiting room and asked Sara what her exact numbers were.  She referenced her results sheet and...you guessed it...it was 1.11!!  For a fleeting second I thought maybe the lab had mixed up our blood :-)  But, as has so often been the case, I know that God has His hand in the whole process.  There is no such thing as coincidence.  This was all meant to be.  Although a "normal" person has creatinine of under 1.0, the health care providers are very happy with both of us being at this level.  I also was able to see Chris, my coordinator, while I was there.  She and I hugged and talked about how far we have come together.  She has been my go-to person through it all and I am eternally grateful for her patience, answers, and cheerful disposition!  Sara and I celebrated with a trip to Chili's and a little shopping at the Dells outlet mall on the way home.

As Christmas quickly approaches I was thinking back on the blessings of this past year.  I could not imagine last Christmas what this year would have in store for me.  On December 22nd, 2010 Mike and I were at UW having my donor work-up done.  I had no idea that within the year Lonnie would have a kidney and Craig, Sara, and Ashlyn(and all of their family and friends) would come into our lives.  How blessed I am!

Sara's benefit plans are coming along beautifully.  The benefit will be held from noon to 10 p.m. at the Marshfield Fairgrounds Jr. Expo building on Saturday, February 4th.  There will be food, beverages, raffles, music and much, much more!  There is even a raffle for a one week stay in a beautiful home in Wales!  Please mark your calendars and plan to come by!  It promises to be a great time!

Almost Three Months Now

This coming Friday will mark three months since Sara and I had our transplant surgery.  The time has gone so quickly.  I just cannot believe it has been that long.  We are both feeling great!  I only have two lasting effects that I can really pinpoint.  One is mild tenderness to touch in the abdomen.  This is very minor and does not really bother me at all.  The second is much more concerning -- I have lost my ability to stay up really late!  Well, actually I can stay up late, but once I crawl into bed and try to read I am fast asleep quickly.  Mike has had to take my Kindle out of my hand more than once after I am zonked out!  This is a small tragedy since staying up late is a family trait that goes back many generations(well, at least as far as my grandma!).  Luckily the fine folks at UW did warn me about this before surgery, and they reassured me that I should have the ability back within 6 months to a year!  

Today I got a wonderful email from Sara.  Her creatinine level is 1.3.  She said this is the lowest it has been in 10 years!  I almost cried.  I was so happy!  UW has taken away one of her medications and decreased her lab appointments to once per week.  Big accomplishments!  Saturday night we had dinner with Craig, Sara, and Ashlyn.  Sara doesn't know this yet(although she will when she reads this!), but when she left the table to use the bathroom I asked Craig if she really feels as good as what she tells me she does.  I always worry that she won't tell me if something is wrong.  Craig told me that just the other day she told him that this is the best she can remember ever feeling.  Again...felt like crying.  Knowing that Sara's health has improved so much makes me feel so incredible.  I just love it!!  Sara is flying out to San Francisco with her friends Teri and Angie this weekend.  Teri and Angie were there with her for the surgery back in July and this trip had to be delayed from their original plan of August.  I am so glad they can now go when Sara's health is improved.  I just know they will have a great time!!

One final note: Sara's family and friends have started planning a benefit to assist Craig and Sara with expenses related to the transplant.  They do have insurance, but there are so many expenses that you don't even think of with this type of journey.  The benefit is planned for Saturday, February 4th from noon until 10 p.m. at the Junior Fair Building on the Marshfield Fairgrounds.  You are ALL invited to attend!  I will have more information about details as the event gets closer.  I also would ask that you consider whether you could donate anything to this cause.  We had a planning meeting last week and are in need of gift baskets(for silent auction), raffle prizes, baked goods, $$, and just about anything else you think would be helpful!  If you have anything you or your business would like to contribute we would gladly take it!  We would also take any volunteer help for that day!  Or, of course, you can just come as a guest and hopefully take home lots of prizes, eat a yummy meal or two, bid on fun items, and enjoy the day! You can contact me at drjdillon@gmail.com if you have any donations or suggestions for the day.  (That is the end of my shameless plug for help :-) )

I have said it before, but it never hurts to repeat myself: God is good -- ALL THE TIME!!

Back to Reality

Tomorrow it will be 6 weeks since Sara and I had surgery.  That milestone is exciting, but it also means I have to go back to work!  Fortunately, I do love my job so the thought of going back is probably worse than actually going back.  Tomorrow also marks an important day for our kids -- back to school!  Josh will be in 7th grade at Alexander Middle School.  As much as he would prefer not having to go to the actual classes, he does love the social aspect of school.  Isaiah will be in 4th grade so this is his first year at AMS.  He is looking forward to getting out of the elementary school and into the big school.  Mike decided before my surgery that his new job was not what he was looking for so he called his former boss at UMR and asked if they would take him back.  Jeff(his boss) was thrilled to hear he wanted to come back and they are welcoming him with open arms.  Fortunately being in between jobs allowed him to take the past 6 weeks off with me and the kids.  I must say that the time we all spent together in these past several weeks was just priceless.  Last week I asked each of my kids separately if they were glad that their dad and I both got to be with them so much this summer.  They each said "yes, it was great!".  I am so thankful that they still enjoy being with us!

Today Sara went to UW to have a routine biopsy and blood work done.  The biopsy showed NO signs of rejection by the kidney!  Wonderful news indeed!  As soon as they get the lab results back she will hopefully be able to have some of her medications decreased.  Poor girl takes a small meal's worth of medications every day.  She knows it is just what she has to do, but I am quite sure it gets old very quickly!  The other super news is that Sara was able to have her dialysis line removed the week before last!  That line created so many headaches for her and I am so thankful that the doctors are confident that she will no longer need it.

So this is it -- the "end" of my recovery.  For the most part I feel really good.  Of course I have been whining to Mike that it seems like my abdominal swelling is never going to go away.  So he asked me the other day, "What if they told you before surgery that you would always have a bit more of a stomach than you originally did?  Would you still have done it?"  Great perspective smart husband of mine!  That is a no-brainer for me.  YES!  Of course I would have still done it.  What I am complaining about now is so minimal compared to what Sara has gone through.  Physical changes are so minor when you have your health!

Feeling unbelievably blessed!!



 

Surgical Follow-Up

Last Wednesday, Mike, the boys, and I took a trip down to Madison for my first surgical follow-up appointment.  We left early so we could stop at Dick's Sporting Goods to shop for football gear.  After having lunch at TGI Fridays, we headed over to UW.  First I had to have lab tests and then I went down to the transplant clinic to meet with Dr. Bellingham.  After coming in the room and asking how I was doing she immediately asked about Sara.  She was very pleased to hear that we are both doing so well.  Dr. Bellingham removed the 2 extra stitches I had done the day I left the hospital and then basically just took time to talk to me.  I have great respect and admiration for her and all of the doctors and nurses at UW Hospital.  They have been simply wonderful to me throughout this entire process and I cannot say enough good about what they do!  My lab results were given to me by the nurse before I left my appointment.  They had warned me that my creatinine would go up after surgery due to the right kidney having to take over and do all of the work.  Ideally the creatinine should be under 1.0.  Before surgery mine was 0.76.  The day after my surgery it was 1.26.  And last Wednesday it was back down to 1.06!  That was great news.  My hematocrit and blood sugar were running low, but they were not concerned about that at this point.  Dr. Bellingham told me to come back in 6 months, which surprised me since they had originally told me 4 months.  So I made an appointment for February.  The next day, my coordinator Chris called to tell me she was sorry she missed me when I was down there.  Then she told me that I actually DO need to come back in 4 months and that I should never listen to the surgeon -- ha!  Of course she was kidding.  It turns out that health-wise it would be no problem at all to be seen back in 6 months.  However, due to the strict governing of transplant centers, there are two national agencies which require follow-up reports on the donor after surgery.  One asks for a report at 6 months, but the other one wants it at 4 months!  So, Chris had my appointment changed to December, which will also allow me to finish up my Christmas shopping in Madison :-)

Most days I really feel pretty good!  I have been able to get back to doing some fun things and getting out of the house.  Sometimes I get very tired, but they warned me that I should expect that.  I also am waiting for my belly to go back to normal size, but I am fitting in most of my clothes so I guess I am on the right track!  It has been really great to spend time with Mike and the boys while I am recovering.  We are all going to be in for a shock when we resume school and work! 

Sara continues to do great!  Her creatinine today was 1.5.  It has continued to drop, which is awesome!  Tomorrow she goes to Madison for her follow-up appointment.  I am anxious to see what they have to say.  Hopefully they will allow her to finally have her dialysis catheter removed for good!  Friday I had lunch with Sara, her mom Carol, her sister Carrie, and her nephew Seth.  It was the first time I saw her since I left the hospital.  She looks amazing!!  When I look at her I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this journey of faith had purpose.  It is incredible that God knew what that purpose was all along, and that He would eventually bring Sara and I together and place His hand of grace and protection over us.  It's truly an amazing feeling!

I have had several people tell me that I should turn my writings into a book.  I would love to consider that, but my biggest fear is that nobody would read it -- and also that I have no clue how to start writing a book!  But the other thing I would love to do is speak about my journey.  Not sure where I will start or if anyone even wants to listen, but for now I am hoping and praying for an opportunity to line something up. 

On The Mend!

It has been two weeks today since I came home from the hospital and I can say that I am feeling much better than I did that day!  My biggest hurdle has been the gas pains that I have continued to have.  Apparently most people do not have them this long, but I just had to be different!  In the last two days, however, those seem to be resolving and I am feeling much better.  Yesterday was my first big outing.  Josh played in a basketball tournament in Wisconsin Dells, so we left here about 1:00 p.m.  We went out to eat afterwards with our friends, the Lancours, and did not get back home until 9:00 p.m.  That was a big trip for me!  But I thank God that I felt relatively good all day long.  It really was great to be out and about again.

Sara and Colleen Belle(the kidney) are both doing wonderful!  Sara has her creatinine levels checked every other day.  This number is significant in determining if Colleen is doing her job.  Ideally they would like to see it be 1.9 or lower.  Sara's went as high as 4.8 after surgery, but now has dropped to 2.7!  We are very optimistic and truly believe that this number will continue to drop.  Sara is moving slowly like me, but sometimes she is putting me to shame with the stuff she is doing -- even cleaning out her daughter Ashlyn's closet and drawers!  I told her she is welcome to do that stuff, but she cannot tell me about it.  Makes me feel much too lazy :-)  We are hoping to get together later this week.  I have not seen her since the day I came home from the hospital so I am anxious to see her smiling face!

Wednesday I will take a trip down to UW to see Dr. Bellingham.  Hopefully she is happy with my progress and I won't have to see her back for 4 months.  I figure if I time it just right I can hopefully get some Christmas shopping done in Madison the day of my 4 month check-up!

My friend Jenny wrote to me yesterday and at the end of her message she said, "I still can't believe you donated a kidney".  I realized at that moment that I can't believe it either.  Other than the fact that I am obviously recovering from a surgery, I do not miss my kidney at all.  There is absolutely no change in my health or daily functioning that would suggest I only have one kidney in use.  That is simply amazing to me.  The fact that they can remove a body organ and you can go on as if nothing has changed is pretty remarkable.      As I have wondered out loud before, "why do we even have two??".

I continue to be humbled by the unbelievable support I have received from my husband, kids, extended family, friends, Sara's family, acquaintances, and total strangers.  People are so good.  My house has been filled with beautiful flowers, delicious foods, and awesome cards from so many.  I cannot even begin to say thank you to everyone!!

A Week Later...

Yesterday marked one week post-surgery.  I have meant to post so many times in this past week, but I just never felt up to it.  Today I finally do.  Let me take you back to last Thursday....

Mike and I arrived at the hospital at 5:30 a.m.  They got me settled into the First Day Surgery Unit where all patients who will be admitted after surgery start out.  Several nurses and doctors came to see me and get me ready to go. Shortly after, Craig and Sara arrived.  Despite the strict signs saying only one person was allowed with the patient, they let them come see me.  This was truly the moment we had waited for.  We were here and it was all starting.  I hugged them both and they went out to wait until it was Sara's turn to get started.  My parents arrived shortly after and the nurse then brought them back to see me.  As they were returning to the waiting area Craig and Sara were being led to the room next to me to get her prepped and ready to go.  Around 7:30 or so they told Mike it was time for him to go.  We hugged and said "I love you" and they wheeled me away.  As I left I remember calling out a goodbye to Sara through a closed curtain.  That was the last thing I remember until I woke up in recovery at 12:45!  

Once I was back in my room I started asking about Sara.  My family and Sara's family had waited together in the waiting area, but of course I was done first so my parents and Mike had come to my room.  Mike went out to check on her and said that she was still in surgery and that there had been a few complications, but things were going fine.  It was several hours before she would finally get out of surgery -- right around 5:30 or so -- and when we would find out just how serious those complications really were.  Mike was there when Dr. Sollinger, Sara's surgeon, finally came out to talk to her family.  Dr. Sollinger explained that the vessels to my kidney were very thin.  The surgery had been going along routinely and they had the kidney in and all sewn in place.  It was only once they removed the clamps that they realized they had a problem.  Blood started coming out everywhere.  They naturally tried to suture the vessels more, but that just made the problem worse.  The vessels were tearing and the surgeons couldn't see what they were doing.  Sara was losing blood and they needed to make a decision.  If they just clamped off the vessels, the kidney would die and be useless.  They kept giving her blood and fluids and tried to decide what to do.  Eventually, Dr. Sollinger removed the kidney, placed it on ice, and clamped off Sara's vessels.  Then he called in Dr. D'Alessandro, the second highest surgeon at UW(Dr. Sollinger is the first).  They spent a lot of time just trying to decide what the best approach was.  They eventually decided to get a donor vessel from the donor bank at UW and see if they could use that to connect the kidney.  They sewed the vessel in place, connected the kidney, and unhooked the clamps. Thank God -- it held.  No bleeding.  But Sara's surgery had just gone from a 2-3 hour surgery to a 7.5 hour surgery and she lost a lot of blood.  She needed to be admitted to the ICU to be watched.  This included leaving a tube in her throat.  Mike went to visit her and said his heart just about broke to see her there, half-sedated, tube in her throat, confused, and so swollen from the fluids.  When he reported back to me, I almost felt guilty.  I felt so terrible for her.  My surgery had been so smooth and here she was in this condition.  But then I remembered that she had the kidney and now we just needed to pray for a successful recovery, along with no rejection.

On Friday the surgery really hit me.  I was tired and sore, had nausea and gas pain, and couldn't keep my eyes open.  But also I was worried about Sara.  Her family stopped by and so did the doctors and all reassured me that she would be okay.  And Mike kept checking in with them and stopping by to see her, bringing me back updates.  Friday night my friend Becky brought my boys to the hospital.  It was so good to see them even though I could hardly stay awake!  Saturday morning I woke up feeling miserable, but by afternoon I was starting to perk up and so glad to be able to talk to the boys and Mike.  I also got the great news that Sara would be moved to a regular room that night, just down the hall from me.  And, it also sounded like I was going to go home on Sunday!  Sometime Saturday, however, my incision started bleeding from the corner.  The doctors came by and put steri strips on it, hoping that would solve the problem.  On Sunday morning, it appeared that maybe it had worked and I got up to take a long-awaited shower.  It was then that I realized that the strips did not hold at all.  My incision was bleeding everywhere.  The resident on call tried calling my surgeon, Dr. Bellingham, to see what she wanted him to do, but she was not available.  He was reluctant to put any more sutures in as Dr. Bellingham is known for her beautiful incisions and doesn't like to leave much scarring! I reassured him that I did not care if my 3 inch bikini line scar had a little more depth to it!  He told me to be sure I told Dr. Bellingham that when I saw her next so that he didn't get in trouble.  Then he proceeded to put 2 sutures in and stop the bleeding once and for all.  Mike and I then took the much-awaited walk down to see Sara.  She was still pretty drugged up and couldn't keep her eyes open long, but I was so thankful to finally see her.  After that, Mike and I left the hospital and headed home.

This week has been a slow progress toward recovery.  I really never had much for pain at the incision site and thankfully needed no pain meds since I was in the hospital.  I did however have unpleasant gas pains and nausea.  But each day that seems to subside a bit more and I can now say that I feel like I am getting back to my old self.  Well, except for this huge, bruised stomach I now have!  I am starting to think maybe they removed my kidney and implanted a baby! :-)  But that too will resolve and eventually I will be left with only minimal scarring.  Sara is making tremendous progress at the hospital.  She has started Facebooking again, which means we know she is improving!  The kidney isn't quite up to speed yet, so this morning they did a biopsy just to be sure all is well.  The results were good!  Colleen Belle is indeed waking up!  I cannot wait for Sara to be able to get home and see her precious daughter Ashlyn.  She has handled her mom's absence like a champ and her finger is healing well from her dog bite.  And how great it will be for Craig to get back home as well.  Those days in the hospital can be so long and even though he did come home briefly earlier in the week, it will be such a relief for them to all be together again as a family.  

When I look back on what should have been a routine kidney transplant between two "thirty-something" girls, I am just amazed at how it all played out.  Dr. Sollinger has done over 3,000 transplants and said it was the most difficult surgery he has ever done.  He even said that at one point during the surgery he was very close to just leaving the kidney out, closing Sara up, and calling it a day.  But thanks to his and Dr. D'Alessandro's persistence, Sara has the kidney she needs.  Someday maybe we will know the reason that this was all more than we ever imagined -- or maybe we won't.  In the end all that matters is that Sara ends up living a long, healthy life. 

This Is It

Well, here I am....just 8 hours from the time I need to report to the hospital and 10 hours from surgery time.  I keep thinking maybe I will get nervous, but so far I am not nervous at all -- just very excited!  This morning my alarm went off at 4:07 a.m. and less than a minute later I received a text message.  I wondered who in the world was texting me at 4:08 a.m.  Turns out it was my lifelong friend Jolene telling me to have a good trip and that she was praying for Sara and I.  I texted her back and asked her why on earth she was up.  When she replied she said that her dog had gotten up to go to the bathroom at 4 a.m. so she figured that was God's way of telling her to get in contact with me.  Very cool!  At 5:10 a.m. Mike and I headed to Madison.  We arrived about 7 a.m. and had a full morning of pre-op visits including a physical, EKG, chest x-ray, MORE blood draws, urinalysis(NO BLOOD -- YAY!!), admissions, nurse visits, meeting with the surgeon, and talking to a pharmacist.  My coordinator Chris also stopped in to visit me and delivered me a bag of goodies, including a "Donate Life" polo shirt, a travel blanket, puzzle book, deck of cards, Lifesaver gummies, bottled water, Crystal Light, and a nice handwritten note from Chris herself.  After the morning we met up with Sara and Craig and had lunch in the hospital cafeteria.  Then we all headed over to the hotel to check in.  After we rested a bit and settled in, my parents arrived and we walked down the block to the Blue Moon Bar and Grill for an early dinner.  I had to stop eating at 5 p.m. and then drink some "yummy" lemony drink that is supposed to "clean me out" for surgery.  When we got back we found a comfy spot in the hotel lobby to sit and chat for awhile.  Sara and Craig talked to Ashlyn and Mike and I talked to the boys for the final time before surgery.

This afternoon while I was checking my email I saw I had an email from the National Bone Marrow Registry.  That is not unusual as I have been on the registry a long time and they often send me newsletters.  I was about to delete it when I noticed that it said something about a potential match.  I clicked on the email and it said that I was a potential match for a patient and I should call or email the Registry as soon as possible!  I couldn't believe it.  I glanced at the top of the email and it showed the date that I originally had registered with them -- July 22, 1991.  It will be my 20 year anniversary on Friday!  In all that time I have only been contacted once to tell me that I was a potential match for a patient.  That was back when I was in college!  And now, just a day before I was about to donate a kidney I was receiving this email!  Crazy!  I emailed them back and they called me right away.  The lady just laughed when she talked to me and said that for now they would place me on "inactive" status for approximately 6 months.  She wished me luck on my donation tomorrow.  Now I have no idea why this would happen right before my kidney donation...nor did I realize I was just 2 days away from my 20 year anniversary with them!  But I am sure someday it will all make sense -- just like this kidney journey has. 

To my family, friends, co-workers, friends and family of Lonnie and Sara, acquaintances, and total strangers who may be reading my blog -- a heartfelt thank you from the bottom of my heart.  At this moment, the night before surgery, I feel your love, your prayers, and your thoughts.  I have been humbled by the support you have all given me.  I will be eternally grateful.  And to God...thank you for the ride of a lifetime!  You have proven to me that You are eternally faithful and that Your love endures forever.  And to Sara...this is it!  We finally made it!  I look forward to your lifelong friendship.  You are my family now. 

48 Hours and Counting...

The transplant is now just 48 hours away.  In fact, in 48 hours we will likely be out of surgery and in recovery.  This is probably the point where I am supposed to start getting nervous, but I am just excited.  Last night Mike said, "can you believe this is finally happening?".  In some ways the past year has seemed to go by so slowly -- always waiting it seemed.  But when I look back on this past year it is incredible how much has happened.  From the rollercoaster journey of emotions with Lonnie to the whirlwind ride with Sara -- what a year it has been!

This past weekend Sara's family had a very scary event happen.  Craig and Sara's 5 year old daughter Ashlyn had the tip of her finger bit off by a dog.  They took her to the ER on Saturday, but unfortunately plastic surgery could not see her until yesterday.  Sara was really hoping they would take care of it right away as later this week she has plans! :-)  Fortunately the surgeon was able to do the repair yesterday afternoon.  Ashlyn will hopefully not be in much pain going forward.  She is such a sweet little girl and so very brave.

Yesterday I met Sara and her coworker Jan(who has been Sara's transplant nurse manager) at their office at Security Health Plan to get our pictures taken for the Clinic's newsletter and press release.  My sister Wendy was in town and went along with me to meet Sara.  Ashlyn came along too, so Wendy entertained her while we did the photo shoot.  Poor Ashlyn hadn't eaten all day in preparation for seeing the plastic surgeon, but she was so good!  After our photo session, Sara took us back to her office area to introduce us to some of her co-workers.  It was then that they did the neatest thing.  One by one they came up to me, shook my hand, thanked me, and handed me a plastic wrapped Lifesaver candy.  A couple of them would do it, then we would talk a minute, and then another one would come out of their office and hand me one.  It was so neat!  As I have said a hundred times in reference to other events in this journey, it was a very humbling experience.

Last night we attended the Northwoods League All Star Game here at Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids.  I had a chance to meet my childhood hero, Paul Molitor!  He seemed like a very nice guy as he patiently signed autographs for a couple of thousand people.  So many of my childhood memories are of watching him play ball at County Stadium in Milwaukee.

The logistics of the next couple of days are as follows:  Today Mike and I will finish up last minute things around the house and get packed to head to Madison.  Isaiah has a wrestling clinic from 3:30-6 p.m. and then I am hoping that our family can go out and enjoy a relaxing dinner before I need to start fasting at 8 p.m.  Mike's mom is here and she will stay with the boys for the next couple of days.  My parents will be coming to Madison for the surgery.  Depending on when they plan to send me home, Mike may come back and get the boys on Friday or Saturday to come visit me.  I know I will miss them!  Tomorrow we will leave here at 5 a.m. in order to make it to my 7:15 pre-op appointment at UW.  Sara needs to be there at 9 a.m.  Tomorrow night, Craig, Sara, my parents, Mike, and I will all be staying at the Best Western, which is right next to the hospital's property.

This is really happening!  And I could not be more excited!!  To Sara...I feel so honored and blessed to be the one chosen to give you this kidney.  I can only pray that it will give you the life and energy that you need and want.  You are a blessing to my life!

The Kidney Cake

I admit that I was not looking forward to this week of work.  Last week we went on a wonderful vacation to Louisville, KY where our older son Josh attended Rajon Rondo's basketball camp.  It was a fun family time and we also were able to spend time with our friends the Storandts, as their son Nick also went to camp with Josh.  I took Monday to regroup before my return to work yesterday(Tuesday).  I love my job, however since I will be there just four days this week before I leave for surgery, I knew it would be a crazy week.  So like I said -- I wasn't looking forward to it.  But today when I got to work and saw the surprise waiting for me, it made my day -- actually it made my week!  My friend and co-worker Laura, who was the one that brought Sara and I together, brought me a kidney cake.  Yep, a kidney cake!  It was a marble cake with the REAL frosting(which I love) and it had a frosting kidney -- complete with veins!  The cake read, "Thanks!  You're the Best!  No Kidning!!"  I LOVED IT!!  How awesome!  And you know what else?  She even brought ice cream to go with it!  Laura -- you are so thoughtful.  And I am so grateful!!

Sara and I also received copies of the articles that were written by a freelance copywriter for Marshfield Clinic/Security Health Plan about our transplant.  The plan is to put out a press release on Monday, so hopefully our local papers will pick up the story.  I love to bring organ donation into the spotlight, so I am hoping our story will do that.

One week from tonight Mike and I and Sara and Craig will be settling in for the night at our hotel in Madison just a short walk from UW Hospital.  What will our thoughts be that night?  Will we be nervous?  Maybe.  Will we be freaking out?  I doubt it.  Will we be excited?  DEFINITELY!  This day has been a long time coming for both Sara and I, and yet as of the day of surgery we will only have known each other for exactly 2 months!  I believe we have talked, e-mailed, or chatted on Facebook almost every single day since the day we first became aware of each other.  I feel like I have known her forever.  And I know we will be friends -- forever.

The Dillons Meet the Solinskys

Last night Mike, Josh, Isaiah, and I headed to Applebees in Wisconsin Rapids to meet Sara, her husband Craig, and their 5 year old daughter Ashlyn.  Sara and I were anxious to get together again and so happy to have our families meet each other.  They gave us a large corner booth and after a few minutes of deciding where everyone would sit we settled in with the kids in the middle and the adults on the outside.  Ashlyn was not at all shy with the boys and after deciding what to eat, she and Josh got right into a game on her kids menu.  After trying to let her get ahead a bit, Josh quickly realized that she did not need any special treatment -- she ended up beating him in the end!  The conversation flowed freely and Ashlyn kept us all entertained with her stories and antics.  At one point she asked to come sit by me, which made me so happy!  She tried to teach me how to touch my nose with my tongue, but it turned out that I was just not quite as talented as she was!  It certainly was not for the lack of teaching skills on her part.  At one point she asked me if she could see my kidney!  Unfortunately I had to tell her that it just wasn't possible.  She did decide to name the kidney, however.  Her first instinct was to name it Belle.  Then she said maybe Colleen.  She finally accepted Isaiah's suggestion to name it Colleen Belle.  So Colleen Belle it is!  She also gave us a lesson on "hemodialysis", a word she could pronounce without flaw and a definition of which she knew by heart.  Before we knew it three hours had passed.  We had talked, laughed, and gotten to know each other.  Josh and Isaiah got a taste of what it would be like to have a little sister!  Ashlyn even said she would like to come stay overnight at our house sometime!  How fun that would be!!  Craig and Mike enjoyed their time talking about their jobs, hobbies, and life in general.  It was such a wonderful evening and we just cannot wait to do it again!

Surgery is just 24 days away now.  Sara will go a week from Wednesday to have her final pre-op exam.  My family and I are going to Louisville, KY next week so Josh can attend Rajon Rondo's basketball camp.  We are so looking forward to our time away as a family.  When we get home it will be just over a week until the big day.  I am still not at all nervous.  I am just so excited!  This past year has been incredible.  In the end, two people(Lonnie and Sara) will have new kidneys.  In the end I will be a new person.  So incredibly touched -- so incredibly blessed -- so incredibly humbled.  God is good -- all the time.  

27 Days and Counting....

Sara and I both received our surgical paperwork from UW yesterday.  Her surgeon will be Dr. Hans Sollinger who has a cool German accent and is a smiley fellow!  We haven't met him -- just know this from a video he has posted on UW's website.  My surgeon will be Dr. Janet Bellingham.  Mike and I actually met Dr. Bellingham in December when we were at UW for my donor evaluation.  I would say that she is a bit on the serious side, but definitely seemed to be very competent.  Both Sara and I will need to be at the hospital the day before surgery to have our final pre-op appointments.  Sara will also be going down on July 6th for an evaluation.  Most of these tests should simply be formalities, but still they continue to use phrases like "surgery is tentatively scheduled" and "potential donor" or "potential recipient".  Don't they know that this transplant is definitely happening??  Don't they know that Sara and I have both come way too far in our journeys for this to not work out??  Apparently we will just have to prove it to them!

This coming Sunday evening Sara, her husband Craig, and their daughter Ashlyn are planning to meet me, Mike, and our boys for dinner.  We are looking forward to our families meeting each other before the big day!  It won't be long now -- just 27 days!  Sara goes to dialysis 3 days a week and is counting down the days until that will be in the past!  After tomorrow's session the count will be: 10 down, 10 to go!!  Halfway done!!

Several people have asked me if I am nervous.  The answer is no.  Maybe I am too excited to be nervous.  Maybe I am too naive.  But truthfully I just think that I have complete faith that this is meant to be -- and that is all I need to know!

Surgery Scheduled!!

Sara and I were both anxiously awaiting news from UW today.  She left a message for Kathy a little bit before 1:00, but when we hadn't heard anything by 4:15 I called Kathy myself.  UW had just been waiting on my viral studies to come back(HIV, Hep B, etc) before we could move forward. Kathy checked her computer and indeed the results were in -- all normal as I expected!  She then told me that she had checked possible surgery dates earlier today.  She knew we were looking at the week of July 18th.  UW only does planned transplants on Wednesdays or Thursdays.  There was only one time slot left on July 21st, so she snagged that date for us!  I couldn't believe it --just three and a half weeks from even finding out about Sara from my friend Laura and here we were getting a date for transplant!  After everything Lonnie and I went through this seemed way too easy!  Kathy said that Sara will still need to come down soon to have a final pre-op done.  We are just going to plan on all being fine at that visit!  Kathy said that I should plan on being to UW at 7:30 a.m. on July 20th for my pre-op work.  They will put us up in a hotel that night so we are close by for surgery the next day.  She said I should plan on being in the hospital 3-4 days, depending on what time I get out of surgery on the 21st.  I didn't really care about any of that right now -- I only cared that we had a plan!  The transplant committee will also need to give us their final approval at their next meeting on July 7th, but Kathy assured me that this should just be a formality.  After I got off the phone with Kathy I had the exciting privilege of being the one to call Sara!  Just like the day I called her to tell her we were a match, we both were thrilled!

One of my first calls tonight was to Lonnie and Ginger.  They have been such a huge part of my life that I wanted them to be among the first to know.  Ginger said they are thrilled for Sara and I and that they still love me :-)  As happy as I am that he is doing well and as much as I knew I would have their support, I just needed to hear it from them.  Lonnie's visit on Wednesday to UW went very well.  There is no trace of the BK virus that he had earlier in his blood.  They again increased his anti-rejection meds and we will pray that the virus stays away.

As I sit and think about this past year tonight I am overwhelmed with emotions.  I have often said that this has been the most faith-filled journey of my entire life.  What started as a simple "voice" in my head saying, "tell him you will give him one of yours" has turned into a road of excitement, disappointment, thrills, heartbreak, friendship, love, and unwavering faith.  I have had many people tell me that this is an amazing thing that I am doing.  I only wish those people could walk in my shoes down this path.  What I have given so far has come back to me ten-fold.  I am so blessed to have family, friends, co-workers, and an amazing husband who have supported me through it all.  I am so blessed to be able to offer this gift of life.  I am so blessed to have Lonnie.  I am so blessed to have Sara.

Meeting Sara

Sara arrived at my house this morning at 8:20 a.m. to begin our trip down to Madison.  She handed me a vase full of flowers which were beautiful!  I hugged her right away -- I felt like I already knew her based on our many Facebook conversations and emails.  Shortly after, we set out for UW.    Right away I felt very at ease with her and we had no problem making conversation.  Of course for those of you who know me personally you know that I am never at a lack for words.  Poor Sara probably didn't know what she was getting into when she agreed to a 3 hour round trip journey with me :-)

When we got to UW we parked on the 6th floor of the parking garage and made our way down to the clinic/hospital entrance.  As we were walking up to the doors we saw a very familiar person sitting on the bench outside -- it was Lonnie's wife Ginger!  She pointed behind me so I turned around and there was Lonnie!  We knew he had an appointment today, but our timing was perfect.  I introduced Sara and we all walked in together.  We registered and then waited to be called back for our lab appointments.  I was called back first, then Lonnie, and finally Sara.  I got to give 8 tubes of blood plus another huge syringe, which in reality was only 2 ounces of blood.  After that I needed to do a urinalysis, as blood in my urine has been a definite problem in the past.  Amazingly enough, that was the extent of the testing we needed to have done today.  They originally thought I might have to have another psychiatry visit, but they decided that was not necessary.  Obviously they do not know me well!  

After Sara and I finished up at UW we said goodbye to Lonnie and Ginger as they still had to go to see Dr. Fernandez.  Then we headed out to eat lunch at TGI Fridays.  Sara was nice enough to buy me lunch even though she certainly did not have to do that.  I managed to eat a big bacon cheeseburger -- hey, I had just given up a lot of blood and needed my strength back, right?  We were on the way home and just to Portage, about 30 miles outside of Madison, when Sara's coordinator Kathy called my cell phone.  My coordinator, Chris, was on vacation so Kathy was calling to tell me that the urinalysis results were already back.  I was a little concerned about that test in specific because for reasons unknown I have always had a trace of blood in my urine.  That is concerning to the surgeons because it could indicate a kidney problem.  Kathy told me that this time there was NO blood!  Thank the Lord!!  She said the rest of the results should be back in the next couple of days and either she or Chris will be calling us.  The last major hurdle will be the final crossmatch.  This is done to ensure that there are no changes in mine or Sara's blood that would cause a problem at surgery.  The blood samples they used to do the initial matching were from November for Sara and December for me.  So there is always a chance that something has changed.  But Kathy says she does not anticipate problems.  We are so close now that I can feel it!

I am still waiting to hear how Lonnie's visit with Dr. Fernandez went today, but I am positive that all is well.  He looks great and his whole family will continue to be such a big part of my life.

It was so awesome to finally meet Sara.  I know she will provide a great home for my kidney.  I can only pray that it will allow her to live a long, healthy life so she can enjoy time with her husband and precious daughter.  Thank you Sara for allowing me into your life!  I hope we will be friends for years to come.

Final Testing

This Wednesday Sara and I will travel down to UW Hospital for our final testing.  It is incredible to me to think that just over two weeks ago I did not even know she existed and now we are going for FINAL testing!  And we still have not met in person.  Wednesday will be the day!  We will have lots of time to get to know each other on our trip down to Madison.  I am so looking forward to it!  I know my plans sometimes don't always work the way I expect them to, but if everything checks out okay we are hoping to go to surgery by mid-July!  Sara had her dialysis tube placed on Friday and will be starting hemodialysis.  She will need to go 3 times a week.  The original plan had been to do peritoneal dialysis, which would allow her to do the dialysis at night while she slept.  But several snags in that plan -- along with the hope that this will be very short-term -- led her to make the decision to do hemodialysis.  Hopefully it will be the shortest dialysis time in history!

Ironically enough, Lonnie will also be going to UW on Wednesday to get his blood drawn and see Dr. Fernandez.  So far, so good with him so hopefully a good report will be coming out of that visit!

Tomorrow I am taking my kidney to Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park in the Dells with Josh's 6th grade class.  Looking forward to a fun day of sun and relaxing with friends!  Hopefully this is the last time my kidney will visit Mt. Olympus :-)

Happy Bananas!!

On Monday Chris emailed me and told me that she would send my blood to the lab along with Sara's to see how we got along with each other.  She reminded me that it could take 1-2 weeks to get these results back.  Ugh!  More waiting!  I called her on Tuesday and we had a long talk about what my options were whether or not Sara and I were a match.  It was good to talk to Chris again.  She is so knowledgeable and yet so very compassionate.  I let Sara know that we would be waiting awhile -- neither one of us liked that idea, but it had to be!  In the meantime, we spent a lot of time on Facebook and email "getting to know each other".  Sara also saw her surgeon to discuss her surgery to implant her dialysis catheter -- a procedure she is not really looking forward to!

Today I was working the Market Day fundraiser at Isaiah's school when my cell phone rang.  It was Kathy(Sara's coordinator) from UW Hospital.  Chris was on vacation and Kathy wanted to call and tell me that she already had our results.  I was nervous to hear what came next.  To get results that quickly it either has to be great or terrible!  She said that our results were very, very good -- and that Sara and I were "a wonderful match"!  She explained that there are several categories of antibody levels(the number of antibodies that Sara's body has against mine).  The lowest level, and the one they desire, is anything under 100.  She said they will consider taking anything up to 3,000, but nothing higher than that.  She told me that our numbers were right around 50!!  WOW!!  She asked me if I still wanted to proceed.  Well of course I said yes!  Then she told me that because these are technically my results she had not yet talked to Sara.  She told me that with this wonderful of news she felt I should do it myself.  I agreed!  So I called Sara.  She was just getting home from work.  We talked for a few short minutes and I told her the great news!  We were both so happy!  Kathy asked me to have Sara call her, so we kept it short then -- but as I write this we are chatting on Facebook.  So many emotions!  And such a thrill!

What's next?  Well, I need to go back down to UW and have a few more tests done.  When I was testing in the past I had trouble with a little bit of blood in my urine.  That will need to be tested again, but as Dr. Unwala has said in the past -- my bladder is shockingly normal!  Happy Bananas!!  (If you don't know what that means you will need to go back and read my previous posts from many months ago -- it is a direct quote from Dr. Unwala!).  And I will also need to pass a psychological evaluation again.  That is certainly never a slam dunk :-)  After that Sara and I can schedule surgery.

I was thinking tonight about Lonnie.  It is amazing to me how this whole thing was started because of his need for a kidney.  I spent so long with him and developed such an incredible bond with their whole family and that will never be broken.  He is the reason that I will now be doing this for Sara.  He is my inspiration.  It never made any sense to me -- why I would come so far with Lonnie only to have it all fall apart.  As my friend Jolene said tonight -- now this past year all makes sense.  We have come full circle.  Life is amazing.

Decision Made

I kept waiting for another sign.  I had so many before that I figured surely I would get another one that would help me decide whether I should still consider donating a kidney or just drop the whole thing.  The thing is that I thought about it every single day.  I believe so strongly in donation and the journey had been so incredible that it just didn't seem to me that this could be the end.  Mike and I talked about it at length and his only concern was that I might feel emotionally empty if I donated anonymously(as a "non-directed" donor).  The recipient always has the right to choose whether or not they want to meet, so there is a chance I could donate and never hear from the recipient.  Finally this past Wednesday I was having lunch with my dear friend Roxie and telling her that I just wish she could tell me what to do!  I was pretty sure I knew what to do, but was waiting for that final "do it" from God.  She didn't have the answers, but promised to pray about it.  That night I happened to be on Facebook and glanced at an old group I had joined many months earlier about living donors.  There was a blog posted on there by a non-directed donor.  I read the entire thing and cried at her emotions -- they were so similar to mine.  Then the next morning I opened my email to find that my mom sent me a link to an article late the night before.  It was a story about a man who became a non-directed donor at UW and started a donation chain.  My mom had no idea that I had just talked with Roxie about what I should do.  I texted Roxie and told her about the email.  The text I received back said this, "Why don't you just wait for a kidney to fall out of the sky and hit you on the head?"  Well said Rox -- well said!!  After getting the final blessing from Mike, I sent an email off to Chris at UW telling her that I wanted to go ahead and make a donation.  It was such a peaceful feeling!  I just knew it was right.  Chris emailed me back and told me she thought that was wonderful news and she would turn me over to Kathy Miller, who is the coordinator for that program.  I was sad to know I couldn't keep Chris as my coordinator.  She is so incredible!!

I decided that I would initially tell very few people what I had decided until I was ready to update my blog and knew my next step.  But I did let one of my co-workers know due to the fact that she was going to be taking some medical leave as well and I figured we maybe could coordinate it.  Then on Friday I also told my co-worker Laura.  She just smiled at me and told me that she knows a girl who actually needs a kidney.  Her name is Sara.  She is married with a 5 year old girl and also works at Marshfield Clinic!  She said that Sara had just posted on Facebook that she had some family members tested, but nothing worked out and she would be starting dialysis soon.  Laura said that Sara was also worked up at UW Hospital just like I had been.  I told Laura to get in contact with Sara and ask her if she would like me to have our numbers compared.  It is really a simple procedure to check for a match once all of the bloodwork has been done -- the coordinators just need to look at our antigen numbers and see if there is any chance I can donate directly to Sara.  

Tonight Laura texted me and said that Sara was thrilled to hear about me.  It turned out that she had read about me back when the Clinic wrote an article about me in their newsletter.  Without having an update she just figured that I had already donated and it was over and done.  Laura told her what happened with Lonnie and I and that I still had one to spare!  Sara immediately "friended" me on Facebook and we just spent the last two hours chatting and getting to know each other.  It turns out she is a cousin to my friend Jodi as well!  Jodi had inquired about donating herself, but blood types were not a match.  During the time Sara and I were chatting I also emailed Chris at UW and asked her to compare our numbers.  She should be able to give me an answer on Monday assuming she is in the office that day.  Will we be a match?  That would be incredible!  I also mentioned the paired donation program to Sara.  She was not even aware of that program yet, so I told her about it.  If we were not a match, perhaps this would be an option for us as well.  Mike's concern about my lack of emotional connection with a non-directed donation could be solved!  If Sara and I can work this out then perhaps she will become my new recipient!  I am excited to see what Monday brings!

Today, May 21st, was my birthday.  I had a wonderful day with my husband and kids and was reminded of just how blessed I am.  Tonight my conversation with Sara just cemented that further.  My health is worth so much!  I will never take it for granted again.

Goodbye Dialysis Tube, Hello Life!!

It was exactly four months ago tonight that the call came in that a kidney was available for Lonnie.  It was January and freezing cold out.  The Packers had not yet won the Super Bowl, or even the NFC Championship game for that matter.  We were all so excited for the new kidney, but apprehensive as well.  Would the surgery be a success?  Would the kidney reject?  Would Lonnie's vascular system make it more difficult than the surgeons at UW thought it would be?  How would our emotions hold up through another set of possible highs and lows?  We knew that we needed to fall back on exactly what had gotten us this far -- HOPE and PRAYER.

So here we are....4 months later.  Lonnie has been back down to Madison for follow-up a couple of times now. He gets bloodwork twice a week, which is decreased from the original regimen of three times per week.  The only complication thus far has been that he developed a virus called BK virus(you may remember that back in our days of testing we had trouble with the DQ gene which I promptly dubbed the Dairy Queen gene -- well this one earned another food nickname, the Burger King virus!).  This virus is apparently quite common among kidney transplant patients and comes about due to the immunosuppressing actions of the anti-rejection drugs.  Fortunately, UW managed to adjust the anti-rejection drug dosages down to a level that caused the virus load to drop right back down.  Now they are slowly increasing the medications again until they can find a happy medium.  The doctors and medical staff at UW do not seem to be concerned however that this will be a long-term issue, which we are thankful for. In spite of that Lonnie's kidney functions continue to be very good, which is simply amazing in my opinion!  When I think back to the day that Froedtert Hospital told Lonnie he would never have a kidney transplant I am simply in awe of where he is today.  

As I am writing this post I just happened to glance at the clock in the corner of my computer.  11:07 p.m.  The exact time 4 months ago when Ginger called me to say that the call had come in from UW.  And then I think about today.  This was the day that Lonnie traveled to UW Hospital to have yet another surgery, however this one much simpler.  They removed his dialysis tube that gave him life for so many months while we went on our kidney journey.  With God's grace he will not ever have the need for that tube again.  What a feeling of being set free that must be for him.  Getting that tube out is not just removing a nuisance from his body -- it is also setting him free to enjoy life once again.  Even though he has not used the dialysis tube since the day before surgery, it was always there as a reminder of where he had been.  Now it is gone and life with the new kidney can truly begin!

Many people have asked me whether or not I will still donate my kidney to someone else who needs it.  I have prayed for 4 months about this.  It is on my mind every single day.  Mike and I have talked at length about the options.  While I do not have a set plan at this point, I believe something is in the works.  Stay tuned.  God has a plan!!

Road to Recovery

It has been just eleven days since Lonnie's kidney transplant and he continues to do very, very well.  He came home a week ago already -- just four days after his transplant!  It is simply amazing to watch him on his road to recovery.  He has about a million pills to take and has to come in to the clinic three times a week to get blood drawn, but he is feeling pretty good -- and I know he will continue to feel even better as the days go on and he gets stronger.  He did tell me that he wishes he could get outside more to walk around a bit, but it is just too cold and slippery right now.  He also cannot drive for a few weeks, so he is relying on others to take him places.  I am sure that is difficult as well!  February 8th will be a trip back to UW Hospital for a check-up.  I believe they will also remove the dialysis port and the kidney stents at that time as well.  Hopefully after that he can really feel normal again!

I continue to think about the family that lost a loved one in order for Lonnie to gain a kidney.  I pray that they find peace and know that they gave an incredible gift to not only Lonnie, but others as well.  Being on the recipient side of organ donation truly makes you appreciate what an awesome gift it truly is. 

I spoke with Chris at UW on Thursday and discussed the paired donation program and the possibility of me "kicking off" a paired donation chain.  She explained to me exactly how it would work.  She also told me that they have been matching people very quickly through this program, so that if I decided to do it there is possibility that the surgery could happen quite soon after I enter the program.  That is a little scary to me as I have a practice and family life to be concerned about.  But I know if this is God's plan then He will work it all out for me.  So for now I plan to continue to pray about it and wait for another one of His "signs" :-)  Chris also told me that she just came back from a transplant conference.  She said one of the talks was entitled, "You've Come a Long Way, Baby!"  She said she immediately thought of Lonnie.  How true is that!!

Today the Packers also gave Lonnie a gift by beating the Bears to win the NFC Championship Title.  In two weeks they will go on to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl.  Hopefully they can pull out a victory!!

A True Miracle

I woke up yesterday morning feeling very emotional.  Just the night before Lonnie had been called to say they had a kidney for him and he needed to get to UW Hospital.  I was excited for him.  This was the moment we had been waiting for.  So why did I wake up with so many mixed emotions?  Of course I was thrilled -- of course I was not disappointed that it wasn't the way we had planned -- but something was off.  I called Mike on my way to work and he knew right away that something wasn't right.  When he asked me why I wasn't more excited I just started crying.  I didn't know what on earth was wrong with me.  Well, fortunately my husband knows me better than I know myself.  He said, "you need to go".  In the minute he said that I knew he was right.  I couldn't get excited because I was not there with them.  I was not there seeing the culmination of our ten month ride on the emotional rollercoaster.  I had patients scheduled all day and I was supposed to take my staff out for a belated Christmas dinner, but Mike assured me that all of that could be rescheduled.  I made plans with Janel for the two of us to follow each other to Madison and asked my staff to reschedule my afternoon.  The excitement immediately poured into me and I didn't think I could possibly make it through the morning until we were able to leave.  Kellie, Janel, and I decided to keep it a surprise to Ginger and Lonnie that I would also be making the trip down.

Janel and I left around 1:00 and I have to admit we were pushing the speed limit most of the way there.  We were both just so thrilled to be on our way.  When we were about 45 minutes away I called our transplant coordinator Chris(who has been a Godsend through all of this).  Even though Chris and I have spent much time on the phone and emailing, we had not had the opportunity to meet face to face.  Chris assured me she would meet us in the lobby of the hospital if she could get away for a few minutes.  Lonnie was scheduled to be taken to surgery at 3:00 and at 2:45 we were still about 3 miles from UW Hospital when my phone rang.  It was Kellie telling me to hurry up because they wanted to take him soon and she was trying hard to stall them!  I called Chris back immediately and she assured me she would be in the lobby waiting to escort us to the transplant floor.  Janel and I quickly parked and sprinted into the hospital.  We could see Chris across the lobby and she hurried to greet us and sweep us into an elevator.  I called Kellie and was still talking to her when the elevator doors opened on the 6th Floor.  About 20 feet away at the elevator across the hall Kellie, Mark, their cousin Sara, and Ginger all gathered around Lonnie's bed while the staff member waited for the elevator to take him to surgery!  We made it just in the nick of time!  In fact, they had already pushed the elevator button and were simply waiting for the doors to open.  God's timing was perfect once again.  Amid tears and hugs we escorted Lonnie down to the surgery floor.

Ginger and Janel then went to pre-op with Lonnie while Kellie, Mark, Sara, and I spent time talking in the surgical waiting room.  I got out my laptop and Kellie and I immediately began updating the Facebook world for the beginning of the journey.  Poor Kellie and Mark had only had about 3 hours of sleep at this point as they were up all night driving to UW and getting Lonnie settled.  At one point Janel texted us in the waiting room to let us know that Ginger thought the surgeon was "HOT"!  That brought a laugh!  Around 5:00 Ginger and Janel came out to join us and Sara headed back to Milwaukee.  At 5:30 they called from the OR to say they were finally starting the surgery.  We made our way to the cafeteria to eat supper and ended up sitting around a large table talking, laughing, and texting friends and relatives.  At 6:30 the OR called again to say the kidney was already in and it would be about 2 more hours.  By 7:00 we decided to head back to the surgical waiting room.  There we did more Facebook updating, texting, and calling.  Finally Ginger settled into the recliner and Janel, Kellie, Mark, and I got into a hot card game of "21".  Around 8:00 I received a call from a friend from high school, Mark Stickney, who I have not seen in many years.  He had been following my blog and my Facebook through our journey and he just wanted to call and say he was praying for us all.  His brother gave a kidney to his sister long ago so he knew what we were all feeling.  It is amazing how a phone call from one person can just make your night complete.  Mark probably does not even realize how much of an impact a call like that can make and I thank him for the encouraging words.  It reminded me how many people have been with us through all of this, praying and sending us their love.

At 8:10 we were surprised to already get the call that they were closing Lonnie up and the surgeon would be down soon!  Dr. Fernandez strolled into the waiting room around 8:30 and took a seat.  I instantly liked him -- and not because he was hot! :-)  He had such a warm personality and was so caring.  He explained that he felt everything went very well.  He said the kidney was "beautiful" and he expected positive results.  He also explained to us that due to Lonnie's calcified vessels he had to do a vessel graft from the donor as well.  However, he also expected that would hold nicely.  When he was finished updating us on Lonnie, Ginger told Dr. Fernandez that I was the original donor.  He looked at me in confusion and said, "what happened?"  After I briefly explained our journey he asked, "well, what are you going to do now?"  I laughed and said I would like to know my options.  He immediately told me that there was a way where I could change many lives, instead of just one.  He talked about kidney chains, which I had read up on quite a bit.  He explained that the chains are similar to a paired exchange except they continue through a chain of people with each recipient's donor "paying it forward" to the next person on the list.  In order to start a chain, however, they must have a donor who does NOT have a recipient -- and that is now me!  He also told me that UW has a strict policy that they end every chain they start.  In other words, a chain that starts at UW could go all over the country, but the final recipient of that chain will always be right back at UW.  I thought that was really awesome.  He told me to think it over and if I decide to do it I should let Chris know.  I will be praying about that -- but if I decide to do it, my donation will definitely be in honor of Lonnie.

At 9:40 we were finally able to see Lonnie.  He was awake and smiling -- and soon we were all teary.  He made us laugh right away again however when he was regaling us with stories of how he saw the kidney before surgery and it looked a lot like a chicken leg!  What made that even funnier was that Ginger had a chicken leg for supper in the cafeteria and she said it tasted moldy --- hmmm.... :-)  He also asked us if any of us had ever been run over by a truck because he thought that was what had happened to him today!  But in reality he told us he did not really have much pain.  He also told us all he loved us very much.  Watching him express that to his daughters Kellie and Janel had me all choked up.  So emotional.  This was the moment we had been waiting for and it was an incredible feeling.  Around 10 p.m. I felt I better start heading home.  I hated to leave, but I drove all the way home on an incredibly emotional high!  Luckily I had people to talk to on the phone to keep me company, including my dear friend Jolene who helped spearhead the "Hope For Lonnie" campaign.

Today I talked to Lonnie at about 3:30 p.m.  He sounded great and was teasing me about talking on my phone while I drove(something he always teased me about before).  I knew then that he was back to his old self!  Dr. Fernandez says he is doing incredible and his labs look great.  More importantly he is producing pee like crazy!  Who knew that a guy could be judged solely on how much pee he could produce?  The kidney is taking right over and doing what it is meant to do.  Incredible.

We would be remiss if we did not take time to think of the wonderful donor who provided this kidney for Lonnie.  The family of this man or woman is likely devastated right now, while we ride an emotional high.  We can never begin to repay them for giving Lonnie his life back.  On a side note, the other kidney from this same donor was also being transplanted while we were there.  There was also a heart transplant going on, but we do not know if it was from the same donor.  Either way -- how incredible to know that 3 people in that hospital were being given a new lease on life due to the courage and generosity of others. 

I said it last night and I will say it again -- I witnessed a miracle.  I truly believe that.  Organ donation has never been so real to me.  I have been talking about it for what seems like forever, but last night in that hospital I witnessed the reality of the miracle that it truly is. 

A Kidney For Lonnie!!

Just a short time ago at 11:07 p.m. I got a call from Ginger saying that Lonnie had been called from UW with the news that they have a deceased donor kidney for him.  She said they told her it is a perfect match!  So they are packing up now to head to UW Hospital with plans for the transplant to take place in the morning.  She said they are nervous and excited and they will call me as soon as they know more. 

Please pray for them that this transplant will be a success.  As much as the paired donation program sounded like an ideal fit for us, we knew that if a kidney became available it would be best for him to move forward.  So that is the plan as it stands right now.  I was so tired earlier tonight and now I cannot sleep!  I am nervous and excited for them as well and am just praying this will be the end of the long road of dialysis for him.  I also am thinking about the family who lost a loved one tonight.  A family who made the very courageous decision to donate organs so that others may live.  I pray that they will find peace. 

I will update as soon as I know more.  Until then...your prayers are much appreciated!!

Great News!!

At 2:30 p.m. today Chris called me from UW to tell me that she had very good news for me.  The transplant team met and cleared me as a donor.  This paves the way for Lonnie and I to be placed in the Paired Donation Exchange Program.  The next step is for the team to meet to decide which genetic markers will be necessary to avoid for Lonnie in a potential donor.  Usually they meet every Tuesday, but they are not meeting again until January 25th.  Chris said that while we wait for that meeting she will have Karen(the head of the program at UW) get us started on the mounds of paperwork that will be necessary to make this happen.  We will need to sign informed consents to allow the program to use all of our health information to match us up with another pair or pairs.  After the January 25th meeting, Chris is hoping we can be placed into the program.  UW has only placed one pair into the program so far so I inquired as to their status.  Chris told me that they matched almost immediately and are now part of a 18 person chain!!  She said the first 4 people in that chain have already gone to surgery.  That is amazing since the pair was just placed in the program as of December!  I can only hope we have similar results.

I was thinking back today to the start of this journey.  It has been well over a year since I first told Lonnie I would donate -- and almost 10 months since we started the process.  What an incredible, emotional journey it has been!  I have never once doubted my decision to donate, nor have I doubted that this would truly happen someday.  And now we have the chance to be one of the very first group of people in the nation to be included in this unbelievably exciting paired exchange program.  I feel like history is being made and we are so fortunate to be a part of it!

Thank you so much to all of you who have prayed, who have supported us, who have asked about us, and even to the people who have questioned me about my decision.  It has only served to make me stronger!  I could never in my wildest dreams have predicted where this would go or where we would be today.  I have learned so much about organ donation and the living donor process.  I really thought I knew a lot about donation in general -- wow was I wrong!  The need is so incredible and I am so thankful to be able to help.