Christian Momma

I know I haven’ t been the best at blogging lately, but have wanted to get on here the past few days to let you all know what has been going on.

As you may (or may not) know, my dad had been on a “Road to a Kidney” for some time now.  He started on Dialysis 3 times a week this past summer after his open heart surgery.  He fought as much as he could, however, I come today with a very heavy heart.

My beloved father passed away early Sunday morning.  He had said he was “tired” and just couldn’t fight any more.  As hard as it is, I know my father is no longer in pain and is spending is days with our Heavenly Father.

I never had any doubt about my father’s faith, but if I did, those doubts, they would have long since been gone.  We found a book that my dad had been writing in called “A Father’s Legacy”.  In it, we found out what an awesome relationship with God he had.  It was amazing…brought tears to our eyes to see how passionate he was about what it means to be a Christian and how he felt about his family.  What a great Legacy to leave behind!

I have decided to be sure to work on my “Reflections from a Mother’s Heart” book that I have received.  No one knows how short life is…that was made all to clear for me this past summer when my cousin’s wife (41) passed away of a heart attack and again with my dad who seemed fine just a few short days ago.

I have been so blessed with having that “Peace that Passes all understanding” that God gives (Philippians 4:7).  My heart is overwhelmed with the love and comfort from family and friends…some who lived close and those who live very far away.  The prayers were felt from the time I sent out a plea to pray on Wednesday (11/4/09), through dad’s death (11/8/09), through the funeral (11/10/09), and even today.  We have the Memorial service this Saturday.  We are calling it a “Celebration of Pat’s Life”…how appropriate!  We do need to celebrate all that my dad has done in his life and where he is now, standing on the streets of gold with Jesus…although, I’m sure he’s probably fishing.

My thoughts are now getting all jumbled up in my head, so I’m going to stop for now.  Thank you to those who were praying for our family, we greatly appreciate it!

Tonight I had a first hand glance at how God is using technology to minister to people.

Let me start by saying, my dad is in need of prayers.  As you know he’s diabetic and is waiting for a kidney.  He recently has been dealing with circulation problems in his legs…the lack of circulation is starting to turn his leg/s black.  Please pray for him, he is scared that he my lose his legs.

I started with that prayer request because it’s part of my story here.  I sent out an email to our prayernet at our church along with close friends that I know will pray for my dad.  One of the people I sent that request to is a dear friend of my parents.  Pastor Steve Keller is a minister our whole family has sat under for about a year when the church we were attending was going through a transition from one pastor to another.  Steve, his wife Annette, and my parents became very close friends.  My parents even went with him to some of his revival services.

Distance now hinders them from seeing each other.  My parents living in Ohio and they live in Georgia.  I try keeping them connected through emails so that they know what’s going on with my dad’s health.

After sending out my prayer request last night, I woke up to an email from  Steve.  God had laid it upon his heart to contact a friend of his that he ministered with, who happened to be having revival meetings going on right now in Florida.  My parents also know Larry & Corrinne Silverman from those revival meetings that they went on with Steve and Annette.

Another email arrived from Steve shortly after that with a link to the online podcast that would be happening LIVE tonight.  I made it a point to log on when it started.  Once I got it all up and running, I made sure to introduce myself and let them know who I was and where I was from.  Shortly there after, Steve signed on for the same meeting.  I sat and watched as they started their worship time.  Larry chatted with me for a little while to let me know that they would be praying for my dad as soon as the worship time was over.  I immediately called my mom and dad to let them know what was going on (my parents have been having issues getting online, so they were unable to connect to the internet today).

After the worship was over, I was sure to turn up the speakers on my computer, put my mom and dad (who both happen to be on the line) on speaker phone so that my computer speakers would pick up fully.  And through all this technology, my dad was prayed for and felt God touch him…from Florida all the way to Ohio!

God doesn’t allow something like distance to hinder His ministry.  Nothing is too big or too complicated for Him!

How awesome that God used technology to reach my dad!

Anyway, my dad goes in tomorrow morning to see his doctor about the circulation in his legs.  Please pray for healing for my dad.

Thank you!  And Praise God for all that He is doing in the lives of those in FL and in my dad!

Things aren’t progressing the way I would have thought.  I had always thought that my dad would be getting a kidney by Christmas…but the looks of that are slim.

Dad’s cousin was going through the testing to see if she was a match to give him a kidney.  All the preliminary testing showed up as a match, putting her into more and more testing.  Well, on the heart testing, they found blockage with her heart.  That puts a huge kink in the plans for her to donate a kidney to my dad.  However, I look at this as a blessing in disguise!  Had my dad’s cousin not been getting tests done for a kidney donation, I’m not sure they would have seen the blockage in her heart.

My dad has been having some swelling in his legs.  So he went in on Friday to see if they would be able to get a stint put into the legs to help with the flow of blood.  After being at the hospital for some time, they were unable to do anything about his legs.  He has a very high percentage (not sure the exact number, my mom had said something like 90%, but I’m not positive) of blockage in both legs.  With my dad being diabetic, this isn’t good.  He goes back on the 29th to the doctor to see what their options are now to get it fixed.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed and frustrated.  I know my dad really wants a kidney…like Yesterday…but for now he goes in to dialysis 3 times a week.  Dialysis is really taking a toll on my dad too.  He’s usually extremely exhausted when he’s done and there are days he’s really sick from it as well.  I can only imagine what a number this is doing on my dad.  As for me, I feel bad…I feel helpless.  All I can do is pray, pray and pray some more.  I know God has my dad in his hands and He will give my dad a kidney when the time is right.  In the meantime, we learn to treasure each day.  Never missing a moment to tell my dad I love him and I care for him and I want him to do what’s best.

If you are a follower of our journey, please continue to pray.  I am really trying to keep up here, but I know I’ve been slacking!

I know a lot of you were able to keep up with what was going on with my dad via Facebook.  But then again, some of you probably are wondering.

My dad had open heart surgery on July 13, 2009…which happened to be my mom and dad’s 41st wedding anniversary.  The doctors had to do a Triple Bypass surgery on his heart.  The surgery ended earlier than expected.

Due to dad’s failing kidneys, gout, and diabetes, his recovery from heart surgery was slowed.  Dad is now at home recovering…still in some pain, but overall doing well.  They had to put him on dialysis as well.  So he is overly exhausted, but he is recovering.

In a few months (6 hopefully) dad will be placed back onto the kidney transplant list.

We pray daily for a kidney and have watched God walk beside my parents…giving them both strength throughout this past couple of weeks.  Please join with me in prayer for them, for dad’s continued healing, strength for both dad and for mom (to endure), and that a kidney would be available for my dad soon after he is back on the transplant list!

Please keep him in  your prayers…we are looking at Open Heart Surgery…in doing so, his Kidney function will be lost and he will be on dialysis.

Also, because of his heart condition, he will not be considered a good candidate for a kidney transplant for at least a year.

Thanks

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you know that I have been asking for prayers for my dad who has been sick.

My dad has Chronic Kidney Disease. He is a diabetic whose kidneys are failing. I have decided to begin posting about his Road to a Kidney.

Feel free to follow along in our story. I will give you background on my dad so that you all can be a part of what we are all going through.

Prayers are always welcomed and we love hearing from you.