FINAL COUNTDOWN TO SURGERY.......POSTPONED A FEW WEEKS!

Some of you may be thinking that we are counting the days until surgery .... you are right, BUT it looks like we will be counting a little longer!

My brother Chris came into town on Wednesday, April 7th to complete some final testing and get ready for our hospital admittance on Tuesday, April 13th.

The good news is that Chris survived a detailed ultrasound procedure on his kidneys, circulatory system and bladder. The bad news is that the expert radiologist needed to read the MRI is out of the country for another full week. Our surgical team feels they cannot move forward until they have the final opinion and reading from this physician.

Our best guess: another 3-4 weeks before the actual transplant proceedure. While disappointed, we value the conservative approach, skills and perfect record of our surgeons.

Thanks for your love, support and prayers. Please keep checking the blog for the latest and greatest!

Only four more times

Who are the all-stars of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)? The answer would have to be the nurses and technicians that administer dialysis to about 450,000 people everyday.

I just returned from a four-hour session of dialysis, and I am amazed at the compassion and dedicated service they render. The caretakers are on their feet, standing on concrete for 12 hour shifts, and do it with a smile and much patience. They work around blood and other bodily fluids and deal with high-risk people with diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis.

My year and a half of dialysis are not my favorite moments, but the staff that helped me will never be forgotton. I am so blessed to have a live donor and feel both grateful and somewhat guilty as others continue to wait years and often lifetimes for this gift. I'm often reminded of the comment, "Where go I, but by the grace of God."

My good friends: eat well, be healthy and exercise. Life is good. Only four more sessions of dialysis! Thank you for your support and prayers.