It all began for me in 1995 when I received a diagnosis of chronic kidney failure. I was shocked and saddened at first. I had only been married for a little less than 4 years and our son was only a year old. I turned to my faith and my family for comfort. I felt that through prayer, the Lord told me that I would experience healing. It would not appear to be immediate but it was already complete.
I was treated at Stanford and my doctor told me I should get a kidney transplant. In the year 2000, although I felt fine, I was put on a kidney transplant waiting list from deceased donor. I was told the wait time for my blood type was five to seven years. My sister was tested and was a partial match. We were excited but scared. I did not feel sick so I did not have a sense of urgency about getting a transplant. I clung to the promise of my prayer and went on with my life. I saw my kidney doctor every 3 to 6 months for the next three years.
I went on a 90-day herbal detox hoping that my kidney function would improve. I also began eating a vegetarian diet. I was finally convinced to go on disability. I began emergency dialysis in November of 2003 because my blood chemistry levels were at life-threatening levels. I still did not feel sick. While I was on disability, I went back to school and earned my teaching credential. I began teaching in September 2004.
I had transitioned to the type of dialysis that I could do at home every night. It was exhausting to work, go to school and need dialysis. I was severely anemic so I was tired all the time. I was also commuting about 35 miles each way. The school year was physically taxing but I felt like I had found the career I was meant to do. I took advantage of my work schedule and used the summer to recover and build up my energy level. I still felt fairly healthy and did not consider transplant an immediate need.
In the fall of 2007, I was getting tired of being tired. In November, I suddenly began considering which of my friends would make a good organ donor. I prayed on the day before Thanksgiving in 2007 for some very specific traits that I believed my donor should have. The very next day on Thanksgiving morning, I got a phone call at 8:30 a.m. from a woman that I had never met who told me that she wanted to give me a kidney. I was so taken by the sequence of events following my prayers even up to the day before, that all I could do was thank God and cry tears of joy. We had not taken a single test but in my heart I already knew that this was the part of my miracle that I had been waiting for for the past 13 years.
I met Kristen and fell in love with her spirit and her personality immediately.
I have been counting down the days to our scheduled July 8th transplant date and only have 21 to go as of today! I can't believe it!
Dalen said... Really loved hearing your story it brought tears to my eyes knowing what you have gone thru and how the Lord is faithful - what a blessing you are to me and to all who know you - I will be praying for you ALL as you go thru the next phase of your healing process. Love ya sister - Dalen
Staci,
You do not know me, and I do not know you. But I am praying for you just as hard as all of the people that love you in your life right now.
Before I was born, my mother provided my father with daily dialysis treatments. His kidneys were damaged due to his Type 1 Diabetes. He was diagnosed when he was 7 (and that was 1944). His health was deteriorating and he was no longer hoping for (another) transplant. He was giving up just as my mother found out she was expecting a baby (me). This was quite a surprise as my father and mother were told they would not be able to have children. My mom has told me many stories about how excited my father was about becoming a dad. She said he talked to me in utero and he would tell HER when I had the hiccups. He was blind (another disability from his diabetic condition) and his sense of hearing was extremely acute.
He died on March 5, 1979. I was born April 9, 1979. Sadly, he and I have never met, not yet at least.I don’t know why I have posted all of this on your blog. Just know many people love you and are praying for you.
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