We Got It!

Well, we finally got the call! On Wednesday, Jan. 27 around 6:15 PM, Gus and I were sitting down to eat dinner when the phone rang. Tim answered it and began smiling and saying yes and nodding. I started wondering what it was, so I asked if this was it. He nodded. And so it began.

While trying to feed Gus and keep him happy, I went into super mode getting our suitcase ready and our moms called. When Tim got off the phone, he just kind of wandered around. I suggested he take a shower as it probably would be a while since that happened (and I love being clean). He did that while I took a whiny Gus and tried to tote him around while I gathered everything.

We said our goodbyes to our boys and drove to Kansas City to KU Med Center. We arrived around 10:15 and got checked in around 11:30. From there Tim was poked and prodded until around 1:30 am when we finally went to sleep in the Transplant ICU.

He was scheduled for surgery at 10 am, then noon, then 3 pm and then finally actual surgery on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 at around 5:15 pm. There had been a few snags in actually getting the kidney to KC, but it had finally arrived and the surgeons were ready. They took Tim away and I went to wait.

Around 7:30, the nurse came out and told me the new kidney was in and it was already working!! Around 9:15 he was done. Dr. Forster is the transplant surgeon who worked on Tim. He said the kidney was big, oozing more than he would have liked, took the PD catheter out, but was too tired to fix the ambilical hernia. I went up to the ICU waiting room and finally got to see Tim around 10:30.

Dr. Winklehofer, the best nephrologist around because of his positive outlook and great bedside manner, sat down and talked with me prior to seeing Tim post-op. Everything looked great, he said. Big was better. Oozing, no problem. When I finally got to go in and see Tim he was quite doped up. He was so polite and said he loved me, with just a slight slur and slowed words:) Within minutes of me seeing him, the nurses started their secret talk of, "Listen to his lungs . . .what do you hear . . . call the team . . . get ready . . . " A little freaky for a devoted wife who just got her husband out of surgery.

I was informed that Tim's lung had collapsed, a surgical team was on their way up, told all of the horrific things that could go wrong with putting a chest tube in, and then was required to sign a paper that said I was great with that. As I held back tears, one young surgeon assured me that the lady placing the tube was the best around, did it all the time, and it would be okay.

In the waiting room, I broke down, prayed, and talked with Ashton, my niece, on Facebook. Boy am I glad she stayed up late that night. I was prepared for the surgery, but not for the complications. I am so grateful for the number of prayers that were being sent up for Tim. It is still amazing to me to hear of all of the places around the United States where church members of extended relatives and friends were praying. Around 11:30 pm, I saw Tim again. He was snoring away.

Dr. Winklehofer had told me earlier to talk to him for 5-10 minutes and then go to a hotel because he would be out all night long. So I left. Later, I realized that he told me that PRIOR to knowing of Tim's collapsed lung.

I got a call at 1:50 am from the nurse saying that Tim was ADAMENT that he speak to me. He apparently had been strapped down because he was trying to pull out his tubes and had no idea why he had a tube in his chest. He didn't remember me talking to him post-op and was worried that I would be worried. When I got to the ICU the next morning, he about broke my heart. He said he had the worst night and had been counting the minutes until I got there. Talk about guilt.

Once I got there, things seemed to start looking up for him. He was in horrendous pain, not from the kidney, but from the chest tube. We can definitely say it was the thorn in Tim's side:) He slept a lot that day as he had access to morphine every 6 minutes to ease the pain.

Good ole Derrick, our nephew, had Friday off because of the snow and so drove Tim's sisters Corina and Denah up to visit. Prior to them visiting, Corina's cousin Marsha and her husband Ed, made a surprise visit which really lifted Tim's spirits. I am so thankful for the snow God sent so that Tim's family could come up. On Saturday, Tim's mom Joyce and Denah again came up to visit as a surprise. Joey Weikal, who lives in KC, came to visit bringing us magazines and puzzle books, Stan Longhoffer from our church came to visit following a presentation he had in KC, and Marsha's sister Lori and parents came to visit. Tim was very thrilled to have all of these visitors as he was getting pretty bored of me! HaHa! He was also blessed with cards and e-cards sent from a number of friends!

Following surgery, Tim's creatnin levels began dropping 2-3 points everyday! IV's got taken out 3 days post-op, catheter 4 days post-op, chest tube and JP drain (kidney drain) 5 days post-op, and we get to go home 7 days post-op (thanks Dr. Wong). His recovery has gone very well. We will be back every 3-4 days for the first couple of weeks, then once a week, then once every other week, until we are released back to Wichita care.

We have been so blessed by a wonderful group of doctors, nurses, and aides who truly cared for Tim and knew what they were doing. Aside from the unfortunate event of poking Tim's lung, everything has gone like clock work.

We are thrilled to get back to "real life" and see how that goes. My nerves are overwhelmed thinking about taking care of everything, but I am so blessed to have family support and my church family to help us through this. We have meals ready to be delivered, offers to drive Tim up to clinic (as he can't drive for 4-6 weeks), people willing to mow, clean, and babysit. I already have lined up a babysitter for Tim and the boys so that I can go play Bunco on Saturday, because, you know, that is top priority:)

God is a good God. He is faithful and His timing is perfect. Did I mention that Tim was set to have surgery on Feb. 1 to switch to Hemodialysis because his Peritoneal Dialysis was no longer effective? Only God can time that.

We pray for the family of the 42 year old Hispanic man who lost his life to a stroke for being willing to provide life to my husband. We can never repay that. Isn't it interesting to think, though, that 42 years ago, before Tim was even born, God knew the plans he had for this gentleman. For him to live his life, and then to save not only one but two people's lives with his healthy kidneys? I am amazed and honored that God knew, that God's plans are perfect, and that when I get overwhelmed and angry with God for not doing it my way, that HIS way is perfect!

Thank you God! What a huge blessing you have given us!!!

Please continue to lift Tim up. Rejection of the kidney is always a real risk as is Tim getting sick now that his immune system is purposefully down. His blood pressure and blood sugar have remained high, which is normal, but could also lead to other problems such as diabetes. Pray Tim does not develop that. We again are thankful for your prayers and your love! You are amazing!!