It pains me to look at this picture.
This is Harry my Sweetheart.
This picture was taken at our oldest
son, Harrison and Christon's
wedding. October 2003.
Harry had been on Kidney
dialysis for one year.
Two months later, Dec. 13, he went to
University of Alabama Birmingham
Health System, or UAB for short,
to be tested to see if he was eligible
to receive a kidney transplant.
The goal was to get his name on the
waiting list. We found out that he
was fit for transplant but because
he had already had heart bypass
surgery he wasn't eligible for the
waiting list. The only way to get
a kidney was from a living donor.
He thought about his family
and who could or would do it.
He has 2 brothers and two
sisters, and 2 sons. Our sons
were young and had their
whole life's ahead of them.
His siblings had very busy lives
and jobs and families.
There was no way Harry would ever
ask anyone to give him a kidney, never.
As we were leaving UAB, and I mean
leaving as in Harry was already
in the wheel chair in the hallway,
It dawned on me that I had the
same blood type as Harry had
and asked if they would just go
ahead and take my blood and give
it a check. We went home and
didn't really know what to do.
Lots of people said they'd give
him a kidney and that was nice
and easy to say but when it really
came down to it, would they or
even could they, give an organ.
We just didn't know
what to do. We just got through the
Christmas holidays, prayed and waited.
New Years Eve afternoon the phone
rang and it was UAB. My blood
sample had met 3 out of 5 of the
necessary criteria to be a donor.
The Transplant Coordinator made
an appointment for me to come
to Birmingham and have further
tests. I made all the arrangements
right then and there to go.
I was so excited to tell Harry and
waited until he came home from
work. To my surprise he wasn't
excited and didn't say much.
I couldn't understand why.
I finally got it out of him that
I had never asked him how he felt
about me giving him a kidney.
He didn't want me to have to go
through surgery. I hadn't even
thought about his feelings. I was just
so anxious to get on with living
and get him off of kidney dialysis.
Honestly, I had never ever thought
about being an Organ Donor.
I didn't like the thoughts of signing
my organs away on my driver's
license. It's not something that
I ever thought I could do.
Feb. 14, 2004 Valentine's Day
I checked in UAB for 3 days of testing.
Things went really well and I was
a perfect match for him.
The best part of the testing found
that I could have Laparoscopic
surgery to remove my kidney!
Whoo hoo!! I was so excited.
I called Harry and to tell him the
good news. He couldn't speak he
was so emotional. They had already
set the date for April 6. I couldn't
believe we had to wait that long.
That was nearly 6 weeks longer.
As I was packing to leave
the hospital the next morning
our Transplant Coordinator came in
with good news! Someone had
cancelled and there was an opening
for us to have it done March 1st.
That was 10 days away!
We had 10 days to get ready!
To Be Continued...
This was probably TMI (to much information)
But I've never written this all down.
I don't know why I am doing it now
other than to say, we are
Celebrating 5 years since
Donor/Transplant surgery!
We had plans to go to Florida
last weekend for 4 or 5 days but
with the passing of our dear Willard
it wasn't a time for our celebrating.
We needed and wanted to be with
our loved ones and friends.
So we will go and celebrate our 5 years
this weekend. Compared to the
picture at the top, Harry looks
100% improved. Only God knew
that when we married 31 years ago
that we really were a
perfect match.
And oh, how blessed we both are
to have each other and to have
God's greatest blessings and miracles!
Think about it!
16 comments:
What am amazing post! I was too afraid to keep reading though, because I didn't know what kind of an outcome it was going to have! I am glad it ended postitively though and that you still have your DH still here with you! I am an organ donor as well.
Thanks for stopping by. I am a follower of yours now!
I cried I as read this post. What a wonderful story of love and commitment. Truly the presence of God was in the process. For it is no secret what God can do. He is so awesome. May God continue to bless you both.
A wonderful, beautiful post! So glad you decided to write it down and share it with us.
i'm glad you posted that! Now you gotta finish the story! Harry does look SOOOO much better with your healthy kidney in him :)
Oh Gigi, This is such a beautiful story. How refreshing to see a couple that has spent pratically their whole lives together still so devoted and in love and so selfless.
God has a special place for you and Harry...I can't express how much I admire you!
Such a great testimony of God's love and provision. Blessings, Susan
It's a great story! Looking forward to the rest!!
It has to be true love and selflessness in order to do something of this magnatude.
In the picture of Harry at Harrison's wedding, it was heart breaking but as the picture of him rolled up of his healthy face, it gave me goose bumps.
It's wonderful to see him doing so well and to see you going a mile a minute with all you have to do with the family and church assignments, just amazing how Heavenly Father has blessed you both.
Love you all,
Papa
i love yall & am thankful that everything worked out like it did.
that is one of the MOST WONDERFUL stories i have ever ever ever read!!!!!!!!!!!!
you makin me cry! {it's a good cry though!}
btw... you asked me on my blog what color eyes i have ... well they go a little sumpin like this :
Blue on the outside,
Green on the inside,
Yellow around the Pupil :)
What a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing it with us.
I am so proud to be your mother and to have Harry for a son.
Looking at Harrison & Christon's wedding photos is always a joy til I come to a photo of Harry and it just breaks my heart to remember how desperately ill he was and all he had gone through, the heart attack, the dialysis and the dialysis port accident when unbeknownst a blood vessel was snipped and filled his lungs with blood - not once but twice before the trouble was found & remedied. Because of that he had to undergo yet another excruciating operation to have his lungs stripped. That was like adding insult to injury.
And Harry is his own worst enemy - because he takes pain and suffering in his stride and doesn't/won't complain, so no one knows what dire circumstances he's in til it's terribly life threatening.
When you told me that Harry and his parents both asked you what your parents felt about you being the donor. As if we'd mind. Our thoughts were how wonderful & marvelous , Y E S ! ! ! Y E S ! ! ! Y E S ! ! !.
Little did anyone know how dreadfully ill you would be during recouperating, or how blessed that Harry did so well - and was ready to go home before you.
"Greater Love hath no man than this...."
love, etc., mama
This is an amazing post. You are an amazing woman. I've got that little sticker on my drivers license saying I'll be a donor-but, you know, that's after I die. I think it's a big decision when you do this sort of thing when you're still alive--truly a wonderful gift.
So, I wanted to pop over and thank you for commenting and entering my giveaway. GOod luck!!
Oh, and I love your grandmothers name--Garnetta, that's so pretty. Helps that garnet is my birthstone, so I especially love it.
I'm glad you posted all that what an emotional ride you have been on and what a blessing you two are for eachother and everyone else I'm so glad everything has worked out. Love ya all.
p.s Kris would like your son's phone numbers so he can call them, you can e-mail it to me.
you brought tears to my eyes, Gigi. I remember when it was going on and I thought how beautiful it was that a wife could do that for her husband.
love,
sha
I'm behind on my reading - but I'm so glad I didn't miss this incredibly inspirational post.
It's fabulous that you were able to do this.
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