IT IS WORKING!!!

Before the past couple years, I didn't have much experience with transplants.  I didn't know the process, the difficulty, I could only imagine the hopelessness felt by the recipients and their families as they waited.

Then came the heart and the kidney.

Late last year they found a heart.  It didn't work out - God had other plans, but today?  Today the kidney was found AND IT IS WORKING.

Trey is the brother of a dear family friend that my mother has one of those more like family than a friend relationships with, and has for a few years.   Today his wife, his 4 kids, his family and his friends get to celebrate because the kidney is working. Here is his story:

At 19 years of age, due to kidney failure, Trey received a kidney transplant from their father. In August of 2010, he discovered he had renal cell carcinoma in this kidney. Thankfully, there were no signs of metastasis. He underwent surgery in an attempt to remove the tumor but save the kidney. Unfortunately, the entire kidney had to be removed. Since that day, Trey has been on dialysis three nights a week. While they are grateful for dialysis as it keeps him alive, it causes serious damage to his body and greatly decreases his quality of life. His sister, Ashleigh, was the anticipated donor. However, due to a previous transplant and blood transfusions, Trey has developed an extremely high antibody count, causing her and 11 other family members to not be a match. 

They worked with the Mayo Clinic, until yesterday.  Yesterday Trey and the family headed to Chicago to take part in a 14 person chain for a new kidney.  Today, THE KIDNEY IS WORKING.

I believe in God, I believe in Angels and I believe in the power of prayer.  We have asked for prayers and I know God works at his schedule (want to hear God laugh?  Tell him your plans!), and today our prayers were answered and not only did Trey get a kidney, the kidney is working.

We are still waiting on a heart, but I know God has a plan, even when we aren't patient enough for it.

Today?  Today we celebrate the kidney.  AND IT IS WORKING.

Plant Your Feet - 5 seconds of amazing is totally worth it

Recently, I spent a lot of time in a basketball gym.  As I watched from the stands I saw boys set themselves up, hard, in the lane, hands crossed low and feet planted firmly, waiting for the oncoming offensive to try to charge over them towards the basket.  Bodies hit, feet held firm and as the defender fell the whistle blew -CHARGE AGAINST WHITE.  The Blue jerseys and fans cheered - turn over on white.  The crowd goes wild and the coach gives a high five from the stands.  Way to go kid - how much we can learn from you!!!

It might hurt, and you will fall if you do it right, hard, feet up in the air and wind knocked out of you.  If you have ever planted and received the powerful charge you know that it can feel like the world is crashing on you and yet you get the ball.  You stand up and are in control.  This is one of the greatest calls you can get as a baller.   You will be the hero of your bench for that 5 seconds.  Hero of the stands.  Hero of your school. You might not smile on the outside as you take those low fives running back on offense but inside you are smiling and cheering.  5 seconds of amazement.

As adults, too often we worry about what everyone else might think.  We don't plant our feet and stand our ground and take that charge, get up and smile inside.

Let's do it.  Take your stand.  Plant your feet. Get the wind knocked out of you.  Be a hero for your friends, your family, for yourself.  Smile inside and run back on offense.  Learn from that kid in the lane, 5 seconds of amazing is totally worth it.