It's A Match

My DIL, Thatcher's Mom, has been approved to donate a portion of her liver to Thatcher!!  We have been waiting for this news for weeks and she finally got the call yesterday.  Prayers are being answered.

What does this mean for Thatcher now?

1.  Thatcher will receive approx. 1/3 of his Mom's liver, along with bile ducts,  which will allow the bile to drain properly, not poison his system, and his coloring will become more normal.

2.  Both Thatcher and his Mom will have major surgery at the same time, at different hospitals, within minutes of each other.  This is going to be hard for Mom and Dad, but she will be able to see him via a monitor, while she recovers.

3.  The possibility for rejection is GREATLY reduced.

4.  Although Thatcher is currently a very sick little boy, he doesn't have to wait for an accident to occur to receive a liver from an expired donor (baby) and the possibility of him getting MUCH SICKER is reduced..  (This part REALLY makes me happy!)

5.  Thatcher's Mom will have to quit her job, as she will have a fairly long recovery herself and then will be in hospital or near hospital for several months while Thatcher recovers.

6.  Big sister will be staying with family during the surgeries and recoveries.

7.  Daddy will be putting a lot of miles on his vehicle traveling back and forth between home and hospital(s).  But his job has generously offered to consider this paid time off for him so that he is free to do what he needs to do for his family!
Isn't that amazing in this day and time?!

Unfortunately My Handy Man and I will not be able to see much of them while this is going on because the surgery will take place a few states away.  We do, however, plan to spend some time with Big Sister when her other Grandparents will let her loose for a while and we will go to see them if/when possible.

So, as you can see there are a lot of mixed emotions going on right now.  We feel blessed that this solution is even possible, but concerned, as you can imagine, that both Thatcher and his Mom will have to undergo surgery for all of this to be possible.  The up side is that both surgeries are usually 95-98 percent successful, for both the donor and recipient and Thatcher will be able to live a pretty normal life after recovery.

What can you do?  PRAY WITHOUT CEASING!  for I believe in the power of prayer!

Update-Transplant Time Grows Near For Our Youngest Grandson

Several months ago I did a brief post of what had been going on in our lives in 2010.  It was a VERY challenging year.  With God's blessing, this year will be better!  I am asking for your prayers to make it so!

One of the items I mentioned in this post was the health of our youngest grandson, Thatcher, who was diagnosed with biliary atresia at the age of 2 months.  This is a life threatening disease of the liver, which usually results in the patient having to have a liver transplant.  I haven't done updates on his situation because everything was changing on a day to day basis.  Thatcher is now almost 7 months old and the time for transplant is here.

I am asking for your continued prayers for this little man and the wonderful young couple that are his parents.   I have known both parents since I first moved to Tennessee almost 22 yrs. ago.  My daughter and son went to school with them and I was lucky enough to marry Thatcher's Granddaddy, My Handyman, 11 yrs. ago.  They are a fine young Christian couple who are struggling to deal with everything that comes with having a very sick child, in addition to having a 2 yr. old daughter that needs their attention and whose life has been turned upside down.

Please feel free to read Thatcher's story and pass it along to your friends and fellow bloggers.  Several funds are being set up to help with the expenses and I will post that information when it is available.  In the meantime, please keep them in your prayers.

Edited to add link to Link 4 Life 5K. Proceeds will go to a fund to help with expenses for Thatcher's medical care.

There is nothing like the power of prayer!