Most of you who read this already know the background but we found out just over 2 years ago that Max and Addie would both need kidney transplants. We also found out it would be a while before they could have them. And so this happily ever after of them both being transplanted has been in our plans and on our hearts for two years. And it felt so far away so many days. When Addie first went onto dialysis and went almost immediately into heart failure and stopped breathing, we did not know if she would get to transplant because her heart was suffering so much. And then miraculously she got better, quite quickly and very completely. Then a few months later when she lost her peritoneal dialysis ability and had to go on Hemo, we wondered if her body could handle that and if the months of Hemo would compromise her ability to transplant. But last May, Addie got my kidney and her life turned around in an instant. The sick complicated baby girl who created medical complications that the doctors did not even know existed is a happy healthy 2 year old. Meanwhile as we prepared for Addie's transplant, we faced the very real possibility that Max would never be transplanted due to what seemed to be a progressive neurological condition. We feared he would not survive long enough to transplant or that if he did, his case would just be too complicated. But Addie was an amazing sister and led him to the perfect team who embraced his case with open arms. And suddenly our dream, our goal of them both being transplanted was back to being our reality. God moved mountains for us to arrange a second long California trip in a year and Max got his dad's kidney. And within about 8 days of the transplant, he was so sick he was on a ventilator and the head kidney doctor came to tell me that they were looking at starting Max back on dialysis the next morning because his kidney had stopped working. It was a terrifying night and I worried and cried and doubted Max would make it through this without at least losing the kidney. But the next morning came and he started peeing again. And the next month pretty much went like that- 2 steps forward, one back. He got within an hour of being released a couple of weeks ago and then spiked a high fever and the next day they found a staph infection and he was very sick again and ended up spending another week in the hospital. But through it all, he stayed strong and kept smiling and he is now very well and he did finally get his happily ever after.
We are so thankful to be at this point. For the journey to transplant to be complete. We thank God for protecting Max and Addie's lives time after time. For leading us to doctors who knew how to take care of them. And I am thankful that at every crisis and every turn, God took care of Al and I. I never walked through a terrible day alone. He always provided someone to hold my hand and provide the support and love I needed. Even as we faced long difficult days in California with my Addie and my parents so far away, he provided very special friends for me in California who took amazing care of me. Our parents have given everything to help us and to get Max and Addie transplanted, our extended families have given us money, love, and neverending support. We walk away from this 2 year journey victorious but with a lot of battlescars, all of us. We carry physical scars and we carry emotional scars, but we also walk away stronger and filled with great gratitude to God for the lives of our precious children, for every wet diaper we change and for the people in our lives who have shown us unconditional selfless love and carried us through to this point. We are so thankful for this happily ever after (but stay tuned as this is far from the end of this blog or the end of the miracles God has in store for Max and Addie!)
Some photos of Max's last day in the hospital...
With Addie and I back in Texas, Max had the Australia crew with him...
One of my favorite Max pictures ever, courtesy and Aunty Em
He certainly does not suffer from lack of love does he?!