Over the last year or so Todd and I have grown significantly closer to our friends, Ricky and Melissa, and their four boys. Ricky and Mel are a hardcore Cross Fitters who coach our church's Fit for the Cross with Todd, and Mel is my assistant director at Little Sprouts. They have also come alongside Todd and me to work with our Junior High students in youth ministry. You could say we see each other quite a lot.
In early February we started our 3rd annual Fit for the Cross Challenge. Ricky and Todd coached the early morning workout, but after just a couple of weeks Ricky had to take a break due to illness. Over time, his list of symptoms increased, and he started to feel really badly. Long story short, he went from being diagnosed with just an ear infection in February to finally being diagnosed with 5% kidney function by mid-March. He would need to start dialysis as soon as possible and would need a kidney transplant. The day Ricky and Mel were summoned to Lubbock and were given this news, Todd and I both joked with them about giving Ricky a kidney. Oh, little did we know...
Todd began to research what donating a kidney involved, and we discovered that he and Ricky have the same blood type. During Ricky's initial stay in the hospital to begin dialysis, Todd told him he would be willing to go through the initial testing to see if he was a compatible match. Ricky's brother, Mickey, also offered to be tested, and both went in for blood work. After about a week, doctors confirmed that both Todd and Mickey were compatible, and Ricky just needed to pick who he wanted to donate. However, at dialysis the next day, Ricky learned that Todd is an H-4 match (which I'm still not sure what this term medically means). To us this just means one thing: Todd is a closer match genetically than Ricky's own brother! Ricky came to the church, the four of us sat down at lunch together, and he told us the news. Then he and Melissa asked Todd if he'd be willing to move forward as the potential donor, and they asked me if I would be OK with this. I want to bawl now just thinking about it again. Am I OK?? My response was, "How in the world can I NOT be OK?!?" The thought that Todd was knit together from birth to genetically match, not a sibling, but a friend is mind-blowing. For us to all be in Midland, TX at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship and to have become such good friends with this family in the last year is beyond anything I could EVER imagine. I am overwhelmed by God's sovereignty... absolutely overwhelmed.
There are so many more details I could share, but I will catch you up to our current status quickly. Since the first of May, Todd has done several urine collections to check his kidney function, has given more blood, has been to San Antonio to the donor center where he has had a physical exam, a medical history evaluation, a CT scan, etc. Yesterday he got his final results from these tests, clearing him to be the donor. The last step prior to surgery is a board meeting on Monday to officially declare him a compatible and fit donor. Todd's contact at the donor center says he will pass with flying colors, because he is in perfect condition to donate.
So there you have it: Our newest adventure! People keep asking me how I'm holding up in all of this, and I am able to confidently say that I am doing amazingly well. I suppose our joking around about Todd and Ricky sharing organs helped in preparing me for this moment of reality, but more than that I serve a good God who has orchestrated our lives for such a time as this. Todd and I both have an opportunity that not many people get: to actually walk out our life verses. His is John 15:13: Greater love has no man than this: to lay down his life for his friend. Todd has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live this out and to see our dear friend receive life. As for me I'm getting a major opportunity to trust the Lord with all my heart, to lean not on my own understanding, but in all my ways to follow Him and see Him direct my path (Prov 3:5-6).
I will not fear, for God has His fingerprints all over this. He is a good God, and I'm honored to witness this incredible process. To Him be the glory now and forever.
Prayer Requests through this journey:
- Continued peace that surpasses all understanding from now through the day of surgery
- Health for both Todd and Ricky so the surgery can go as scheduled
- Finances for Ricky & Mel - all financial responsibility falls on the recipient
- A quick recovery for both Todd & Ricky
- For Ricky's body to accept Todd's kidney with no complications
We love you, Nikki & Todd
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