Thursday 24 February 2011

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!

3 comments:

Catherine said...

Congratulations! This is wonderful news.

gail@My Repurposed Life said...

Praise the Lord, this is awesome news!
My best to everyone!
All in my thoughts and prayers.
gail

John and Christina said...

It sounds like this has been a truly challenging year for you and your family, but it also sounds like it comes with a very happy ending.

Congratulations and all of the best wishes to your family!