Let's see.... I admit I am a sinner saved by His grace through my faith! How awesome is He? Let me tell you about His work through my family.
God gave me the most wonderful husband (JW)! In fact He placed JW in my life when we were in middle school. We were friends all through school, but were never "interested" in each other. Life happened and college and then I came back to Dothan and JW to Florida. We met again at this point in our lives through my then roommate and the love of her life! God's plan was set in action! JW and I fell madly in love and were married 4 years later!
At this time in my life, I knew I believed in God. I believed Jesus was his Son and died for my sins, because that was what I was taught. However, I didn't live it. I didn't understand the gospel. Was I really a Christian? No! I wasn't! God brought JW and I to our knees several times in the next few years and boldly showed us his grace and mercy and then, and only then, did I fully understand. I knew then just how thirsty I was for Him and just how wonderfully fabulous living through Him is!
In 2004, God gave us the gift of a son (Bubba). It was a very difficult and high risk pregnancy. You see, I am a Type I Diabetic (Juvenile) and was diagnosed at the age of 4. JW and I were not even sure we could have children and were anxiously awaiting a doctors visit to find out if we could. Prior to the appointment, I didn't feel well and assumed I was having a complication of being diabetic for over 20 years. Well, it wasn't a complication, it was Bubba! It was the most terrifying and exciting news I have ever received! It was always my dream to have 10 children! (Yes, I honestly wanted 10!)
My first reaction of course was to let JW know as well as my team of doctors. One doctor suggested that I "not continue" the pregnancy due to my point in my diabetes and I had recently been diagnosed with the beginning stages of kidney failure. (Is anyone picturing Steel Magnolias yet?) I don't remember leaving that doctors appointment I was so devastated. I knew I was going to have this baby. God wouldn't give me this wonderful gift, just so it would be taken away! Right? I was scared. JW was scared. We were brought to our knees then and began pouring our trust in Him. Here we were only about 8 weeks into this!
My kidney failure greatly increased through out the pregnancy. I was being seen by UAB as well as doctors in Dothan routinely every other week. The prognosis was the pregnancy probably wouldn't go past 28 weeks. I was put on bed rest at the beginning of my 2nd trimester and had severe edema. I had "pitting" edema - my skin was so swollen, when you touched it it was like modeling clay; which then progressed to "weeping" edema - I was so swollen fluid was literally leaking through my skin. The doctors were trying to determine then if it definitely was kidney failure or possibly preeclampsia, because I also had frighteningly high blood pressure with protein in my urine.
God provided us with an excellent medical team! I was admitted to the hospital during one of my UAB visits because a young intern was concerned I had congestive heart failure. We were there for a check up and the Dr. said during my examination, "Excuse me. I need to make a phone call." JW and I could hear him outside the exam room and he was telling someone he was "sending a patient over with congestive heart failure." Well, we didn't have any clue he was talking about us until he came back in and told us! Of course, I felt great (I looked awful, but didn't "feel" bad!) and off we went to Labor and Delivery at UAB. We walked onto the maternity floor and up to the nurse's desk and I told them who I was. They all stared and then jumped into action saying, "This is the congestive heart failure patient." and asking me, "Did you really walk up here?" It turned out I was OK.....my body was struggling under all the fluid, but OK. (I was at 29 weeks at this point.)
We made it back home, then were back at UAB 2 weeks later and admitted again. I was able to have 48 hours of steroids to help Bubba's lungs mature and was then induced. During the process, the head of OB came in to check on me and was highly concerned about my blood pressure (which was off the charts) and stated they had to "take the baby right now."
At 7:19 p.m. on June 6, 2004, Bubba was born at 31 weeks. He was 4 lbs. and 16 inches long. I was very sick. JW had been taken aside and told he may not be going home with either me or Bubba.
Bubba thrived in the NICU. He was vented for less than 24 hours and was moved to the step up NICU where he remained for 4 weeks. I wasn't able to see him until he was 3 days old. My kidneys were failing and my my body was not recovering well. It was the most beautiful day when I was able to go to the NICU and touch the most beautiful gift I had ever received! God is so good! My sweet JW had become an expert at changing tiny diapers around wires that were stuck all over our precious gift and was the proudest Dad ever! I was released from the hospital after 11 days, but was still unable to get around very well. We stayed in the UAB Townhouses and were able to remain close to the hospital. JW was with Bubba every second he could be there as I recovered.
Finally, Bubba was released on July 7, 2004 and we were able to bring our gift home! At this point my health had gotten so bad, the high blood pressure from my failing kidneys was affecting my eyesight and made it very difficult for me to see.
Once back in Dothan, I began seeing a nephrologist more frequently. I continued to worsen and we felt like we weren't getting the "next step" clearly from our doctors and made an appointment with a nephrologist at UAB. She put everything in perspective. She said, "Your kidneys are failing. They will not get better. You need a transplant.: Well, WOW. People started getting tested to see if they were a match for me. A very good friend of mine in Virginia tested as a match, but she had a young child and UAB said she couldn't do it. JW called me one day and said, "I feel like I need to be tested." I said, "Tested? For what?" (You see, we didn't even consider JW as a donor because he was going to take care of Bubba.) So tested he was! UAB called him back about 2 weeks later and told him he was the one! The only way he could've been a perfect (let's say a MORE perfect) match was to be a blood relative! How amazing is God? Can you see his plan for me and JW?
We had so many questions, so many fears. I was still not used to turning to God and asking for His help. Bubba was a little over a year old. One day, I received a phone call from a neighbor at the the other end of our street whom we didn't know. She told us she believed some flowers were mistakenly delivered to her house for me. Well, we had just gotten in from being out of town and JW said he would just drive us all down the street to pick them up. So off we went, I got out of the car and up to the door. A woman answered and she said it was nice to meet me and she apologized "for looking so pitiful" that she was recovering from a migraine. I never meet a stranger, so I told her that JW suffers from them as well. (Meanwhile, JW and Bubba are waiting patiently for me int he car.) She invited me in and was giving me the flowers and mentioned she and her husband just returned from a doctor's appointment at UAB.. Then went on to say it was for his kidneys. I felt compelled to tell her what I was going through and she said, "I donated a kidney to my husband." WHAT? How amazing! I had tears in my eyes and asked her if she minded speaking to my husband. We spent several hours with her and her husband. They told us what to expect. What to be concerned with. Talked about medications. Answered all of our questions. God steered us right to their front door for all the questions we had, that I was not asking Him for guidance; but he gave me what I needed anyway.
A few months after that in September of 2005, JW and I had our transplant. I am so thankful for HIs grace! Our faith in God has become bigger and bigger. It was an amazing adventure and continues to be! We quickly recovered and we have been doing great ever since!
Well.......it was just SO pretty outside, I quickly closed the office doors! I just couldn't let this day to go to waste like working on that floor! (LOL!) So Bubba and I decided to head out to Landmark Park! What's a heat index between 105-110? So we loaded a backpack up with bottled water, bug spray, and sunscreen.
