Are We There Yet?

It didn't take Missy five minutes to ask this question when we left home on our way to Phoenix. She was kidding of course...at least I think she was.

Actually, we are there. Missy's liver transplant is scheduled for tomorrow morning. We get to report to the hospital at 5:30 in the morning. The hospital staff has some things to do to get everybody ready for the surgery: paperwork, get IVs ready, waking Missy up so they can put her to sleep, etc. The actual surgery for the donor should start around 7:00. Missy's surgery should start around 8:00. In approximately five hours, they will be done and beginning recovery in ICU.

This has been a long journey for us. Missy has been on the transplant list for almost two years. This journey has had its ups and downs, twists and turns, and starts and stops. The last word that I would think of to describe it is boring. But, here we are, just a few hours away from the transplant. To me at least, it doesn't seem like it is really here. There were many times when I thought that this time would never get here. Now, I can't believe that it's really here.

Thanks to our very generous donor, Tim, Missy's life will be forever changed tomorrow. Tim has been more than awesome through this whole process. I will share more of his story a little later. Please pray for him and his wife as well. One irony of the live donor transplant procedure has been shared with us. The donor comes in feeling well and leaves feeling lousy. The recipient comes in feeling lousy and leaves feeling well.

As we have gone through appointments and testing this week, several hospital staff have asked us if we are excited about the transplant. Excited isn't quite the word we would use at this point. Anxious seems to fit. There is a little bit of frightened in the mix. I think that there may be even a little hint of relief. I have a suspicion that many more emotions will reveal themselves during the day tomorrow.

Missy and I would like to thank all of you who have been praying for her during this journey. We couldn't have made it without your love, support, and encouragement. God has done great things throughout this journey, and He has used many of you to accomplish those things. Stay tuned for whatever happens next. The transplant is coming up, but it is not the end of our journey.