A New Liver: A Second Chance at Life, Again
Just over a month ago I told you that my Dad had been listed for a second liver transplant. If you want to revisit that post, or a new here, you can follow the link below.
Liver 4 Lightner – Round Two
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It was about 9:45PM when the phone rang. It was my Dad.
“Hello.”
“Renee?”
“Hi.”
“Hi Honey. How are you doing?”
“Not bad.”
“I didn’t wake you up did I?”
“Nope. Just watching TV.”
“Oh OK. What are Steve and Mo up to?”
“Steve is in Arizona for training, and Mo is in Maryland.”
“Oh, so you’re alone for a few days.”
“Yep.”
“Do you miss Steve.”
“Yea. Sometimes, but it’s part of his job.”
“Well, I’m back at Duke again.”
My heart sank really low for a minute. I immediately went to dark places of bad news. “Oh yea?”
“Yea. They might have a liver for me.”
Heart picks back up. “That’s exciting news!”
“Yea. It really is. We don’t know 100% yet, but they called us around lunch time to come in. We drove in from Tennessee after packing a few things and closing up the house. I’ve had a lot of tests done, and now we’re just waiting. I guess we’ll know when they start cutting on me.”
“Yea. That would be a pretty good indication that it’s a go.”
Half an hour later, we hung up the phone. That’s when it dawned on me. I was home alone. All by myself. This is a really crappy time for my husband to be on the other side of the country.
I got into bed and began praying… Dear Heavenly Father, I know that Your will, will be done. However, this is what I hope Your will is. I really want this liver to be the one, and I really want it to work. Please don’t make my Dad and Janet have to turn around and go home. They’ve done it once before and it’s a really hard position to be in. It’s hard enough to pray for someone to die so you can continue to live, but when you make the journey just to find out that you will not be getting a second chance that day is a bit tormenting. Someone sicker was able to accept the organ. I know they are thankful that the sicker person was given a chance to live last time around, but I know it was a roller coaster for them, so I would rather that they not have to go through that again. Please be with my Dad tonight. I know he is excited and probably a little scared. Please watch over the transplant team. Guide them to do the best job possible. I know surgery is going to last all night so please keep them alert. Please keep Janet company tonight. She’s going to need to lean on you tonight. Please be with the family that is mourning the loss of a loved one. Know that I am incessantly thankful for the opportunity this person has given my Dad and others by being so selfless and donating their organs. Please give them a big hug from me when you see them. Please let everything be OK, I’m all alone… I fell asleep praying.
I fell asleep at about the same time my Dad’s surgery began. I had very bizarre dreams all night long. I think I prayed all night as I slept because when I woke up, I was still praying.
When I woke up Friday morning, I hadn’t hard anything new. Janet had not sent an email update since surgery began.
I got myself ready and went to work.
At about 9:30 Janet sent an email saying that my Dad was out of surgery. The email said that the surgeon was very pleased with the transplant, and that he was doing well in recovery. I think it was the first time I exhaled in 12 hours.
Later that night Janet sent another update saying my Dad was alert and recovering well. His pre surgery labs and post surgery labs showed that the new liver was already working and cleansing his body.
Saturday afternoon my Dad called. He was a little looped from all the pain medications, but other than that he was in a state of elation and gratitude. Minus the pain from surgery, he felt great. He told me he was trying to talk the nurses into letting him walk and eat. He said he can already feel a difference inside his body, and his ready to get up and move forward with his life.
This is a complete 180 compared to his last transplant. The last time he was on the donor list for what seemed like a life time, and he grew very sick. About a day after his last transplant he was knocked back out, and stayed out for about two weeks (from what my memory tells me). His kidneys shut down. He was in unimaginable pain. The liver didn’t wake up. He couldn’t keep food down. It was very scary.
We are aware that there can be setbacks (setbacks are part of the natural transplant process), but we are all ecstatic with how smoothly things are going. There is still a long recovery ahead, and it has to be taken one foot in front of the other.
We must remember that while we are celebrating, there is a family who is missing their loved one. We haven’t learned much about the donor. We know that the surgeon had to fly out of state to go get the liver, and that it was a younger person. Please, please pray for this family.
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Part of the transplant process is that the family is required to fund raise $10,000 to help cover the cost of recovery, rehabilitation and the large number of medications. He and his wife will also have to rent an apartment close to Duke during his recovery. Now that he has had his transplant (thank you Lord), the need to raise money has become urgent. In order for him to recover successfully, and with minimal stress to him and his wife, it is important to have these finances in place so that no step in the process is delayed waiting on money.
I am asking for your help. No amount is too small! I know times are tight right now, but if you have an extra dollar or $10, $20, $100 or more, it will make a huge difference in reaching the $10,000 we need.
I have setup a PayPal account dedicated to his fund raising. You may also donate by sending checks.
*To donate through PayPal: Please send money to liver4lightner@yahoo.com
*If you would like to donate by check please email me at liver4lightner@yahoo.com, and I will give you the information
Most importantly we ask for your prayers. Nothing can replace those! Pray for my Dad, pray for the amazing team taking care of him at Duke, pray for his wife who is handling this beautifully, pray for a fast and speedy recovery, pray for the donor and his/her family.
Thank you all for your love and support! You too are in our thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Renee
I am very happy for your Dad and of course, you and Janet. I also am glad you and your Dad reconnected. There were some rough times for all in the past and I am so very pleased to know that George has overcome so much and has his life back on track.. Sure hope his recovery goes well.
I’m smiling for all of you!