With Calmer Heads Prevailing

First of all, I have been overwhelmed with peace in the last 24 hours. I stood back and took a breath, and felt the support of the prayer support going up around the country. Your emails and comments have been a touch of grace for us.

Here, for those of you that have asked, is the layout of our battle over the next 6 weeks or so, tied into how the whole "eligible for transplant" process flows- as I understand it. There is an entire team in Denver, at Porter Adventist, that handles this- but these are the pieces I am aware of at the moment.

First, I have to be accepted as a viable candidate. This involved a recommendation from my nephrologist, visits with each person on the transplant team - Nurse Coordinator, Surgeons, Financial Coordinator and Social Worker. This was done in September. PASSED.

Next came the tests- 29 vials of blood, EKG, Stress Test, Mammogram (joy), Pap Smear, Hepatitus Vaccine Series, and a bunch of other vaccines. PASSED.

Fast forward, slowly, to now.

I have passed all the tests and will be presented by Karen, my Nurse Coordinator at this month's review. All of the transplant teams have to review each file and all sign off as OK. This way, no one can recant later and say "I would nto have operated on her". The biggest obstacle is that I need to lose some weight for the procedure, but can be approved for the list while that is continuing to move along.

Once that is done, and I'm "on the list" then we look for a living donor. I need a donor with a or 0 as a blood type, no high blood pressure or diabetes. The good news, well the GREAT news, is that Medicare covers the donor medical at 100%. we simply need to pay for airfare and hotel stay. The procedure for the donor is pretty in/out. The technology is basically like sucking it out with a straw. Well, not literally- but that is how it was explained. Basically a very short recovery and the donor is home in days.

Once on the list, I will be eligible for a cadaever donor as well, but prefer a living donor only because a living donor kidney lasts an average of 15 years- longer that a cadaver. At my age, if all goes as planned, I will only have to do this twice in my life. The match for living can be more precise as well, for medical reason that are way too hard for my brain to comprehend, due to things that can be done ahead of time to prepare the two people for success.

Either way- it's life. And a gift that no one can fully fathom. I can't even fathom it- even from where I sit.

The other more exciting and terrifying aspect we have to deal with is the financial end of it. I currently have Medicare which will cover 80%, and private insurance which covers 20%. We still have some costs involved-including 1200./month of anti-rejection meds post-surgery. We are dealing with how that will be covered, but have time to save.

The issue now lies within the private insurance. I am due to lose my insurance, unless we can cover COBRA in February. My work has told me they will keep me on as long as they are allows- they have been amazing through the entire process. I have been there three years, and its a fast growing company. But, we are family and they are trying to help where legally possible. John contracts with them as well, so they seem to have a vested interested in us. Praise God.

If I lose my insurance (COBRA rates being too high) then we will have to show the ability to pay the 20%, even if over time. No one can give us an actual amount, which I can understand, but the rough figures are $50-100,000. Choke. Without the ability to show that, we are a no go.

So, the big and the small of it. The very big.

Oh- and did I mention Kati needs a root canal not covered by her insurance? and a crown.

We are laughing all the way to the bank.

And continue to pray. Hard. That God will reveal His Plans abit faster, if possible. But in the meantime, know that we are awash in your prayer and support. It's an oasis in the world of melting down.

We thank each of you- our church family, friends, sisters and brothers.