The Gifts of Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! It's Tricia with a quick holiday greeting.

The ice storm has cometh, but for me that's okay. Homemade chicken and noodle soup is simmering on the stove; Christmas shopping is as done as it's gonna get; most of the gifts are wrapped and under the tree; and I'm not going anywhere today. This makes me realize how thankful I am for the gifts I have already received for Christmas:

• Delmer is doing great! He reports that all post-surgery complications are resolved and he's now back to work full-time. I'm also doing great and have no iff-effects from the surgery. It was an amazing experience!
  
  
• My girls (and Keeley's fiancee Jon) are here in Lincoln safe and sound and I'm grateful that I don't have to worry about them traveling during this crazy weather. I wish that were the case for all families!
  
  
• Four-and-a-half years after suffering a traumatic brain injury, Dave is doing well! Those who were there in the aftermath of the accident know that he is a true miracle man.
  
  
• I have incredible family, friends and coworkers! And I'm reminded of that every day.
  

I am SO thankful to God for all the blessings in my life. And I pray that He will bless all of you abundantly during this Christmas season!

Love, Tricia

Starting to see clearer....

Hi everyone....Tricia has been after me to let you all know how I've been doing. Until recently, I had really felt like coming on or doing much of anything. This journey has been one of the toughest battles i have ever faced in my life. Its been tough on me, but it has also been tough on my family. Week after week after week in the hospital, and the constant bloating had taken its toll on my body as well as my mind. Being poked and prodded and talking to doctors over and over again about what they thought was wrong just wore all of us out. A few weeks ago, during my last stay in the hospital, I would have to say I was pretty much depressed. I had no desire to eat, or to get out of bed, or to shower, or to do anything that I normally enjoyed. I felt so bad. Ultimately on this last visit, they did find out what was wrong, and they did yet another procedure to fix the bloating problem, which was tied to the new kidney and my heart. Believe it or not I have lost over 20+ pounds in fluid over the last week and a half. I feel so much better mentally as well as physically. I feel like finally I am on the road to feeling better. Again, I need to send out thank you's to all that have been praying and sending well wishes. I apologize for not getting back to many of you sooner. But like the title of this blog says, I am starting to see things clearer now. You don't have to bug Tricia about how I am doing :-) Please feel free to contact me, and I'll give you the scoop.

Sorry for not posting any updates lately!

Good afternoon...it's Tricia with a long overdue update on the transplant saga. I say "saga" because that's what it's been for Delmer. The last update on October 31 announced that he was home from the hospital. Since that time he was admitted yet again! After experiencing no relief from the excessive fluid retention, the surgeon at the Med Center did yet another surgical procedure to fix the problem. Delmer reports that the combination of the surgery and a high dose of a diuretic has resulted in the loss of 20 lbs. of fluid over the past few days. Delmer says he feels so much better!

So...we'll hope and pray that the worst is over for our dear friend.

As for me...I started back to work on Monday and I have to say...it's kicked my butt! My poor body is going through serious couch withdrawal. But overall, I'm feeling great - and am very thankful for that. It's also great to back amongst my friends and coworkers.

So, on that note, I'd better get back to work. Delmer and I will be back in touch soon...I promise!

Once again...Delmer is home!

Good morning! It's Tricia once again. I know I'm sounding like a broken record these days either announcing that Delmer is in the hospital or that he's home. Well...I'm now happy to announce that he is home! He was released last night and seems to be doing well. Delmer said he is now in possession of a new Internet router which will make it much easier for him to update the blog and said he would do so later today.

When D gets on the blog, he'll explain the latest findings from his last hospital stay and surgical procedure, but, overall, he reports that there's nothing too serious going on - and that Patty K continues to function well! He sounded really good over the phone and that was a relief.

Nothing exciting to report on my end. Thankfully, I am doing GREAT and am getting geared up to go back to work in about a week. These past few weeks have gone amazingly fast (for me, probably not for Delmer...) and I'm feeling stronger every day.

As always, thank you for the continual outpouring of support and prayers for both Delmer and me. D still has quite a road ahead of him, but he knows we're all right there behind him.

Later!

Love, Tricia

D's roller coaster ride continues...

Good morning all. It's Tricia letting you know that our friend Delmer is once again hospitalized. He was admitted yesterday due to the ever-aggravating fluid retention. Later this afternoon he will undergo a minor surgical procedure during which the surgeon will drain the fluid and clean out the area around his incision. They will then test the fluid to determine if there's any infection going on. I talked to Lesley (D's wife) a few minutes ago and she is hopeful that this procedure will give D some much-needed relief and some answers as to what exactly is causing this on-going problem.

The good news? Delmer's new kidney is continuing to function well so that is indeed a blessing!

Please say some prayers today that the procedure goes well and that Delmer can finally get strong and well.

I'll let you know when I get more details.

Thanks!

Tricia

Delmer is back in the comfort of his own home!

Good evening! It's Tricia with the latest and greatest from transplantland. I'm very pleased to report that D was released from the hospital yesterday and we're hopeful that this will be the end of complications! While it was the fluid retention that put him back in the hospital initally, it was respiratory problems that kept him in for a few additional days. While the fluid retention may have contributed to the breathing issues, it appears that asthma may be part of the problem. Apparently D has had some undiagnosed asthma symptoms in the past and the trauma he's endured over the past three weeks may have caused a flare-up. But he's breathing better now and, to make sure it stays under control, he will soon undergo some pulmonary tests.

While in the hospital, D also went through some testing on his new kidney. Those tests came back great! Delmer reports that the doctor said the kidney is in "pristine" condition. I believe that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about any of my body parts!

Delmer also said the fluid retention is getting better, but the drainage tube is still in place. Continued prayers are appreciated that these nagging issues will soon go away so that Delmer can finally enjoy good health and healing.

Compared to Delmer, I'm pretty boring (thank God!) My stomach is behaving much better and I'm experiencing very little pain at this time. The only thing I'm really having to recover from, at this point, is three weeks of couch potato-ness (that's my new word of the day). I'm trying to get out and about a little bit more each day so that my body won't be in total shock when I go back to work in two weeks. This morning I even made it to Mass. I was sitting in my usual back-of-the-church spot minding my own business when I hear Father Connor calling my name. He put me on the spot and made me go to the front of the church to give an update on how Delmer and I are doing. I really can't complain though as Father Connor and the parishoners at North American Martyrs church have provided tremendous support and prayers over the past several weeks. The kids at the school even made homemade get-well cards that are absolutely precious.

So...that's all I know at this point. I will continue to hound Delmer for updates on how he is doing. I told him that I am now his sister so he'll just have to put up with my nagging.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support through this amazing experience.

More later!

Love, Tricia

Big D is back in the hospital

Hi all... This is Tricia. Just want to let you know that Delmer is back in the hospital. He had a post-op check-up at the Med Center today and his surgeon wanted to admit him to deal with the ongoing fluid retention. Apparently, the drain they inserted last time isn't working sufficiently so they made some adjustments and will watch him through tomorrow. If things haven't improved by Wednesday, they will do a surgical procedure to help the fluid drain more rapidly. The fluid retention is a condition that should resolve eventually, but for now, they're doing all they can to make Delmer more comfortable. We are happy to report, however, that Patty K (Delmer's new kidney) is working great and that, other than the fluid retention, Delmer is doing well. Please continue to send your prayers his way!

I also had a check-up at the Med Center today and came out much better than Delmer! The only concern is ongoing stomach issues, but we're working on that. Today is the first day I've really been out and about and it felt good, but I'm sure ready for bed!

So...that's all I know for now. We'll keep you posted.

Later!

Tricia

Hey everybody....

It's been awhile since I have posted something on this blog, and my apologies to you all for got getting on often. Right when we got home the first time my router for the computer broke, and acess to my son's computer is somewhat limited. But I wanted to touch base with you all to let you know how things are going.

I won't lie, I have been a bit down the last week or so. The persistent bloating I have had has been a nagging, frustrating issue ever since the surgery happened. Even after I was admitted to the hospital the 2nd time, I though the external drain they surgically put into my abdomen would help, but it still persists. Patty K is still working wonderfully, there are no signs of infection, blood pressure has been fine, and so has my temp. and my blood sugars, it's just this bloating that still persists. It's like I'm carrying around this small person in my abdomen. I am hanging in there though. I spend my days watching TV, walking when I have the energy to do so, and resting. On Friday I went in for a CT scan to see if there were any other pockets of fluid that were developing, and tomorrow (Mon., Oct 19th) I go into the Med. Center for my check up, and hopefully they will find a solution to the fluid build up. I promise I will be more faithful to reporting what has been going on with me. I thank Tricia for her updates and keeping you all informed as to what has been going on with me :-) Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I deal with this. Your e-mails and messages on my homepage have been so uplifting, they have really been keeping me going. I know this is a temp. situation, but it just gets hard sometimes. Know that we all are so thankful for everything you have done for us. I wish you all good wishes and great blessings.

D

Why this surgery was a gift...to me!

Good morning! This is Tricia. It's nearly 6 a.m. and I've been awake since 4 a.m. with all sorts of thoughts rambling through my head, so I thought I would spill some of them out onto the blog.

First of all, a quick medical update. I talked to Delmer yesterday and he is doing well, although he continues to deal with constant fluid drainage. He says it's something that should clear up once his lymphatic system adjusts to all the dramatic changes his body has encountered over the past two weeks. Delmer will have to provide more details when he updates the blog, which he says he will do soon.

I am also doing well. The issues I'm dealing with at this point are minor compared to Delmer's. I'm tired, sore, and have ongoing stomach issues, which I know will get better once my intestines get over the shock of being jostled about during surgery. I'm spending way too much time curled up on my couch with either a book or the remote control - but I have to say...it feels good!

That brings me to the thoughts that are running through my head this morning. I was thinking about what a blessing this transplant experience has been for me - especially in light of what my life has been like for the past four years. As many of you know, my husband, Dave, suffered a traumatic brain injury in July 2005. The issues and challenges we have encountered since then have been staggering. Those issues, on top of a stressful job, have pretty much left me in a continual state of anxiety for the past four years. That's why, when I told friends and family members that I was donating a kidney, some of them looked at me like I was crazy - and asked why I would do that on top of everything else I was dealing with.

Well...I know this was part of God's plan for me. Donating a kidney was not only an amazing gift for Delmer - it's also been a gift for me. Yesterday, for the first time in over four years, it dawned on me that I was feeling totally relaxed - that I had no big projects or deadlines, or issues, hanging over my head. I'm sleeping a lot each day and can feel the anxiety draining out of my body. I know this time is short-lived and that soon enough I'll be back in the thick of things, but for now, I'm savoring this respite from the real world - and am very thankful for it.

Thanks for letting me get all of this off my chest this morning. Now it's time to go back to my couch! :-)

Much love,

Tricia

Fluid retention = no fun!

Good evening family and friends! It's Tricia with an update on the latest happenings in transplantland. First...an update on Delmer. Unfortunately, Big D is back at the Med Center tonight, but thankfully, it's nothing too serious. From the day he came home from the hospital, he has been plauged with very uncomfortable bloating around the area of his incision. The fluid retention became so bad these past couple days that Delmer reports he looked like he was not only pregnant, but overdue!" This morning, doctors gave his some mild sedation, stuck a needle in his gut (ouch!) and extracted a full liter of fluid. They're keeping him overnight to keep an eye on things and hopefully, he'll come home tomorrow - but we'll have to wait and see. Delmer reports that other than the fluid retention, everything else is good. The new kidney is functioning well and his blood pressure and blood sugar numbers are normal. So, hang in there, D, and know we're all praying and pulling for you to get on the road to a full recovery.

As for me, I'm doing quite well today. Friday and yesterday were a little rough as my intestines finally kicked in and were angry at me for some things I had eaten that I shouldn't have. But all is much calmer today. I'm spending way too much time on the couch so am forcing myself to get up and do some laundry and other low-key chores around the house - and then I tell myself "hey...it's okay to veg out on the couch!"

So, that's the latest on this cold, dreary Sunday evening. I'll bug Delmer tomorrow for an update and will let you know how he's doing.

An update and some FAQs

Good afternoon! It's Tricia yet again. I haven't bugged Delmer today to get an update, but do know he made it home safe and sound yesterday. It's so good to have a week behind us! I cringe when I think about what we were doing at this time last Tuesday...

I am feeling like a new person today. After being plagued with ongoing nausea for the past week, the Med Center changed my pain medication and ordered in some anti-nausea medication. That really seems to have done the trick. I'm even starting to feel hungry, which means I can start enjoying all the wonderful food my co-workers have been bringing in.

During this update, I thought I would share a few questions and answers I've heard alot during this transplant process. Here we go:

1. Which kidney did they take? They took my left kidney, which is customary as it's easier to access.

2. What restrictions/changes will you encounter now that you've lost a kidney? Actually...very few. One thing the doctors are adament about is that I don't lift over 10 pounds for 8 weeks. Lifting something heavy could cause a hernia in the area where they did the surgery - and they emphasized that the surgery to repair it is actually worse than the kidney removal, so I will follow that rule diligently - even if it means not vacuuming for 8 weeks, darn it!

Also, I am to avoid Ibupropen for the rest of my life as it's hard on the kidneys, and am supposed to drink at least 60 ounces of water every day for the rest of my life. That's it!

3. Did they remove Delmer's kidneys before putting the new one in? No. The existing kidneys typically stay unless they are hugely enlarged or infected. So Delmer now has three kidneys in his body!

4. When will they know for sure that Delmer won't reject the new kidney? I'll have to let Delmer expand on this, but from what they told me, the first three months are the most critical. After that, there is always the chance for rejection, but will know Delmer will take very good care of Patty K. The first signs were extremely encouraging. When they attached the new kidney, it immediately "pinked up" and gave a healthy squirt of urine. In the hours afterward, Delmer's "creatinin" level dropped which was an excellent sign! (creatinine is a substance found in blood and urine; it results from normal body chemical reactions; high blood creatinine levels are a sign of depressed kidney function .)

5. How did you come up with the name "Patty K" for the new kidney? About a week before surgery, Delmer and his wife Lesley came over to my house for dessert. Somehow, during conversation, I mentioned that as a child, I went by "Patty" instead of "Tricia." (I made the change in 6th grade. :-) My maiden name is Keeley, so I guess that's how we came up with little Patty K. Is that how it was Delmer?

Okay...that's enough Q & A for now. If you have questions, feel free to post them in the comments section.

As always...thanks for your ongoing support and prayers!!!

Delmer is coming home today!

I just talked to him on the phone. He had another delay yesterday because of some high blood pressure, but they're kicking him out today. The care at the Med Center is wonderful and it's great they've get such a good eye on Delmer and Patty K. Delmer reports this Patty K is continuing to work wonderfully.

We'll report more after he's home.

Tricia is home, Delmer will be soon!

Hi everyone! This is Tricia. It feels good to be posting from my own computer in my own house! I just enjoyed some homemade chicken noodle soup delivered by my dear friend and co-worker Marron. She and the folks at EducationQuest and our family of companies are taking very good care of Delmer and me!

I was dismissed from the hospital yesterday (Friday) and was so happy and relieved to sleep in my own bed last night. I really am doing quite well, but can't deny bouts of ongoing nausea and pain. It's resulted in a love-hate relationship with Percocet! It makes me a bit nauseous, but also gives my great pain-relief (and that wonderful warm sleepy feeling :-). I knew this first week was not going to be loads of fun, so have been fully prepared for how I feel.

I just talked to Delmer on the phone and he sounds good! He had thought he might come home today but was derailed by a low-grade fever that hit last night. He reports that the fever is now gone, but they are doing a few tests to make sure everything is okay. He's hoping to go home tomorrow.

So...overall..things are hunky-dory in transplant land! I can speak for Delmer when I say we are both overwhelmed by the ongoing support from our friends and family. Despite pain and nausea, I can honestly say this has been an incredible experience - and I feel very blessed that God chose me for this journey. And hey...it's nice getting waited on hand and foot!

I'll update again tomorrow to give you the latest on Delmer.

Thanks again for everything!!!

An update from the communication station... aka Keeley!

Greetings, everyone!

For those who don't know me, I'm Tricia's daughter, Keeley. She's given me the responsibility of managing her status updates while she and Delmer focus on recovering! And now that I've got the password to the blog, I can post all of her dirty secrets! :) Just kidding....

Anyway, Tricia and Delmer are doing GREAT! We all send our thanks to the thousands of people worldwide for their well wishes, prayers, and happy thoughts, because they certainly did the trick! The surgeries went absolutely according to plan and without a hitch. And while Tricia and Delmer were busy swapping organs, the two families had a chance to become well acquainted - we are blood related now, after all! The fantastic hospital staff did wonderful job of keeping us updated throughout the surgery and explaining just what was going on. For example, did you know that sometimes, when a new kidney is first attached to the recipient, it'll release a squirt of pee right out of the gate! While it may be slightly annoying to the surgeon it splashes, it's a great indication of a happy kidney. And little Patty K (that's the kidney's name; it also goes by Sidney or Delcia) gave a healthy squirt!

After spending a few hours sleeping off anesthesia in the recovery rooms, Delmer and Tricia were moved to opposite sides of the transfer floor. The fabulous nurses became familiar with us all as we moved from one side to the other, checking in on donor and recipient. Tricia had a bit of a rough night, but once the doctors switched her pain medication she felt much better. Delmer showed great progress and made lots of urine! Patty K is doing her job! Both of them were able to go on short walks by Wednesday, and Tricia will be ready to go home by Friday. Her job is over, but Delmer's is just beginning. He'll be in the hospital a little longer as the doctors work to regulate his anti-rejection medications and get him set on plan to keep him and Patty K healthy and happy.

I think that's all I've got for updates now. Again, Tricia, Delmer, and all of their families thank everyone for all of their support and prayers! (Tricia had a record 112 Facebook notifications!) While the process hasn't been easy, it's pretty amazing to witness how a gift like this can create so much life and happiness. We are all so proud of Delmer and Tricia and their families and doctors for making this happen!

Details, details...

Good morning everyone, this is Tricia! I've been getting a lot of questions over the past few days about my upcoming procedure. So, I thought I would provide a few details...

The action begins tomorrow, September 28 at the Med Center. I report at 7:30 a.m. for bloodwork, a physical, and meetings with the surgeon and anesthesiologist. Starting at noon, I'm restricted to clear liquids for the rest of the day, so that means I may have to indulge in a Runza cheeseburger and fries tonight!

On Tuesday morning, I report back to the Med Center at 6:00 a.m. My surgery should begin around 7:30. It's expected to take 4-5 hours. How does one remove a kidney from one's body? It's done with a procedure called "hand-assisted laparaoscopy." They'll make four small incisions near my belly button and will do the scoping and cutting that way. Then, when the kidney is ready to come out, they'll make a larger incision. Piece of cake!

My husband and my two daughters will go with me - and my two lovely sisters will also be there. I will be in the hospital for about 4 days and then it's home to my comfy bed, remote control and lots of books!

Delmer will have to fill you in on what his experience will be like, but I do know that he will also be at the Med Center tomorrow for pre-op testing so we will undoubtedly have one big party!

I am so ready for this - and am very much at peace with it - all because of family, friends and faith. Thank you for coming along on this ride!

Okay Delmer...now it's YOUR turn!

Tricia's turn...

Okay - this is my first time on the blog, so I hope I do this right...

Wow...the big day is almost here! As many of you know, I caused a 3-week delay from the original date of Sept. 9 because of a minor gum infection - but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Having that extra time allowed me to better prepare at work, at home, and even mentally. Yesterday, I had a scare when I thought the infection had returned. I couldn't imagine telling Delmer we had to postpone it yet again! But a trip to the dentist this morning brought immense relief when I learned all was fine. That experience made me realize how much I need and want to do this.

So...that brings us to tonight. Father Connor, the priest at our neighborhood parish, came over for dinner. He's been a very special connection through this whole experience as he donated a kidney to his nephew this past April. Following dinner and great conversation, he led me in confession and gave me the annointing of the sick to help me prepare for surgery (if you're Catholic you'll appreciate this). He also prayed for Delmer. Afterwards, I asked if that was the first time he had given confession with 70's classic rock in the background and a dirty sock at this feet that the dog had dragged in!

Delmer and I both have so many special people in our lives to help us through this experience. So thank you - for all the support and prayers!

P.S. - I have to say thanks to my friend Jackie who sent a package that I received today in the mail. It contained three cans of kidney beans and a container of "kidney stones" plus a few other assorted goodies. It made my day!

Doing Something Great

We have the potential to do something great every day of our lives...I thought of Tricia's gift to me next week, and how I could repay that gift. Doing something great in the lives of others is one way to do that....I found this passage by Steve Goodier especially poignant.....

DOING SOMETHING GREAT

When was the last time you were challenged to do something really...
well... great?

President Abraham Lincoln helped me to understand that there is a
bit of greatness within all of us. It is said that he often slipped
out of the White House on Wednesday evenings to listen to the
sermons of Dr. Phineas Gurley at New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church.

He generally pre­ferred to come and go unnoticed, so when Dr.
Gur­ley knew the president was coming, he left his study door open.
On one of those occasions, the president quietly entered through a
side door of the church, took his seat in the minister's study,
located just off the sanctuary, and propped the door open just wide
enough to hear the preacher.

During the walk home one Wednesday even­ing, an aide asked Mr.
Lincoln his appraisal of the sermon. The president thoughtfully
replied, "The content was excellent... he delivered with
elo­quence... he had put work into the message.."

"Then you thought it was an excellent ser­mon?" questioned the aide.

"No," Lincoln answered.

"But you said that the content was excel­lent, it was delivered with
eloquence and it showed much work," the aide pressed.

"That's true," Lincoln said. "But Dr. Gur­ley forgot the most
important ingredient. He forgot to ask us to do something great."

There is nothing wrong with average lives and average
accomplishments. Most of the good of the world is built on the
accumulated efforts of everyday people. But, as Lincoln seemed to
know, a life should strive for some greatness.

Are you part of a relationship that, if given more effort, could be
outstanding? Or do you volun­teer for an organization which is truly
doing something excellent? Have you joined a cause that is
attempting something great? Or have you ever said to yourself
concerning a beautiful dream, "I could never do that," while knowing
that if you were to attempt it and succeed, you just might
ac­com­plish something significant?

If Abraham Lincoln is right, then every life should strive to reach
a little further today than it did yesterday, for there is some
greatness in each of us.

-- Steve Goodier

The first one...

This is the first in hopefully many posts I will create over the next couple of months and beyond. Tricia and I, my wonderful friend and giver of life :-) , wanted to pass our stories on to you, our family and friends, to give you an idea as to what we would be dealing with in our journey. This is a first for me in so many different ways, the first thing being that I have never had major surgery before. I had an initial operation when they created my fistula in my arm (check this link if you don't know what a fistula is http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Dialysis_Access.html ) but this is the first where I will be on an operating table for an extended period of time. One of the common questions I get about the surgery is "are you afraid?" My answer to that is no, I am not afraid. In this 3 year journey, I have not been afraid of anything. It may sound unusual, but God took that fear away from me a long time ago. It was the fear of finding out about my kidney disease in its beginning stages that made my condition more worse than it had to be. So I learned from that mistake, and now I submit myself totally and fully into God's hands, and the hands of the surgeons, nurses, and anesthesiologist that will care for me. I certainly want to help create an environment of positiveness and faith as I face this, but I can't operate on myself, you know? LOL I have to trust others, and I trust God to guide the hands of the surgeon as they operate on me. I've described to others in this way....it's like jumping off a cliff into the beautiful ocean. You submit yourself to gravity and it's pull on you as you fall, knowing that the safety of the water is below you. There is freedom in that act of jumping into the unknown, knowing that whatever happens, God will be there as my "ocean".

The best way to describe how I feel is that I am eager. Eager to begin my new life with a new kidney. Being on dialysis has been a blessing in so many ways, but I am gone from my family 3 nights a week at 5 hours at a time. That's 15 hours of my kids lives that I have missed over the last three years that I can't get back. I've missed numerous concerts, games, Halloween celebrations, laughing and hanging out with them. I am eager to regain that part of my life again. I'll talk about the food I've missed in another blog entry :-), but having the freedom to eat or drink what I want again is an added bonus. No more having to worry about setting up treatments when we go on vacation to see our families and friends. But most of all having a new lease on life is the most awesome part of this tremendous blessing Tricia is giving me. A future...thank you again Tricia for this. Your gift will not be taken for granted, I can guarantee you that.