New Year, New Kidney! :)

The year has arrived. The year we will wave good bye to our lovely dialysis machine and say hello to feeling good with a new kidney! Or, at least Owen will. :)

Lord willing, Owen's transplant has a "tentative" date scheduled for early spring. I'll reveal the date when it's finalized.

We had a follow up appointment yesterday in Cincy with cardiology and his monthly dialysis clinic. Both appointments went very well. Our cardiologist assured us that although he cannot fully explain what happened with Owen's heart during his surgery, but he can confirm it did NOT happen because of a malformation in Owen's heart. Praise God! We were sent home with a holter monitor for him to wear for 24 hours. This is just to take a second look at his heart to make sure it doesn't go out of rhythm on a regular basis. It never has, so we aren't concerned.

We are "tossing around" the idea of possibly have a g-tube placed before Owen's transplant. Mainly, as a "trail run" for the new type of anesthesia plan for transplant, but also because he will continue to need the feeding tube after transplant anyway and it's a fairly "minimally invasive" surgery.

Owen is doing wonderfully well on dialysis. His labs look great and he is developing amazingly well for a baby dealing with so many medical issues. In fact, the "non-mobile" boy has found a way to scoot his little bottom all over our floors! He is a very mischievous boy, getting into anything he can get his little chubby fingers on!

              A little holter monitor didn't slow this boy down! Digging through Daddy's video game drawer.

                               And here we are trying to get out our toys all by ourself....such a big boy. :)

We had an absolutely wonderful Christmas and Owen was royally spoiled. :) But hey, I think you would find it difficult not to "over do" it a little if you were in charge of caring for such a big miracle boy!

We were able to go home for about a week after Christmas and spend wonderful, cherished time with family and friends. However, we always manage to bring back some yucky germs after a visit with our little friends, and unfortunately Owen rang in the new year with a fever and yucky stomach bug. :(

                        Sweet boy resting in Mommy and Daddy's bed....he just wasn't feeling too great!


We are so, so excited about the many changes or family will experience this year. Words cannot describe our gratitude to Michael's sister and her willingness to offer Owen a new start at life. We are blessed beyond measure with the love that surround us from our family and friends. Thank you so, so much for you prayers and words of encouragement. Keep them coming!

As we approach this year I am "chewing" on this verse from Exodus:
"The Lord will fight for you: you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14

I am so excited for transplant, yet anxious nerves are starting to spread through my body. Owen's body will completely transform after this, and he will finally know what it feels like to feel good and healthy. But, along with that will come new, very important medication regimens and a host of new worries. But I can't, cannot let it consume my thoughts. The Lord will fight for Owen, this is his year to shine and shine he will!

Please join me in praising God now for the healing we know is coming!

"There is nothing that so fully solidifies faith as being so sure of the answer that you can thank God for it."