Transplants

Wow, I'm really behind on reading blogs. I just haven't had the energy lately.

But I was pleased to learn tonight that Annika over at Falling Down is Also a Gift got her new liver. She's having some complications, which is to be expected, but the new liver seems to be doing its job so far.

Please keep Annika and her family in your prayers, as well as the family of the donor.

Also, over on another blog: Baby Gwyneth Rose, who was born at 24 weeks and 4 days gestation (1 lb, 6 oz.), is doing extremely well. She is 9 months old and absolutely beautiful. Her mother, Tricia, who has cyctic fibrosis, got her lung transplant a few months after Gwyneth was born and is now fighting lymphoma. At the moment she's in the hospital, but is hoping to be discharged soon.

The short version of their story is here. You can check in on their progress at Confessions of a CF Husband.

Smiles

This post from Confessions of a CF Husband is absolutely precious. I've never before seen such a big smile on such a tiny face. So beautiful.

A Tough Road

I discovered a blog yesterday by the husband of a lady with Cystic Fibrosis. This family has had to make some of the hardest decisions I can imagine.

Tricia had become quite ill with her CF. She was getting close to receiving a double lung tranplant that would hopefully save her life, when they discovered she was pregnant. As her father-in-law so eloquently pointed out in this post, it truly was a case where, for very good reason, the doctors were recommending abortion to preserve the life of the mother. There was virtually no chance that the mother would be able to carry the baby to term with both of them surviving the experience.

They chose to keep the baby. They believed that God had a plan, and that He gave them that child at that time for a reason.

Now, at 24 weeks into the pregnancy, the baby has had to be delivered by emergency C-section. They were attempting to intubate Tricia to buy a few more days or weeks for both her and the baby, but ended up needing to deliver the baby in the process.

Before Tricia went into the surgery, she and her husband were asked to make a heart-wrenching decision: If it came down to a choice between saving the baby or saving the mother, what did they want the doctors to do?

I don't know--I don't think any of us know--what choice I would have made in that circumstance. I don't know what choice Nathan and Tricia made. Thankfully, it didn't come down to that.

At this point both Tricia and the baby, Gwyneth Rose, are in ICU in critical condition. I'm checking in often to see how they are doing. I'm praying for them. Most of all, I'm inspired by this family's strength and faith. I'm glad I found their blogs.

Finally finished

I'm packing this afghan up to send to Annika, with a little hood for Frankie too. Each piece represents many hours of prayer for Annika and the rest of the Tiede family.

I hope the girls will enjoy the afghan and hat.





Here's Kerri modeling the hood over her pilgrim bonnet. :)"



I'm doing ok, but too tired and busy to blog much lately.

DH just got back yesterday from his birthday trip; a worship leader's conference he got to attend with one of his best friends. They had a really great time. I'm glad he got to go.