Scott, checkin' in on you...

[ohtobeahayes]

Hi! Still thinking about you and your circle of love, and wondering how you are faring, as well as Matt.

[Scott337]

Hi Nicki

I've pretty much come to terms with it all.  Matt, not so much.  One of his sisters called me about two weeks ago and told me how upset and angry Matt is with the transplant center as much of this had to do with them originally not implanting a stent at or near the site of attachment of the ureter to the bladder.  The ureter closed and they were unable to reopen and then installed a stent and a bag for urine drain.  They had planned on replacing the stent every six months or so and trying to make the kidney last for a couple two to three years, but alas - no such luck with the latest infection, which caused the removal of the kidney as the infection had apparently depleted the kidney's ability to effectively filter. 

To make matters worse, Matt's father suffered a significant heart-attack at work about 10 days ago and had a pace-maker installed.  He's doing better but it is believed it was stress-related (not hard to understand). 

Mostly, I pray for their family and for another donor to step forward for Matt.  Now the public awareness campaign during the Grandma's Marathon takes on even more meaning for me.

I hope you're doing well and thank you for checking on me - you're great for doing so.

Hugs

Scott   

[ohtobeahayes]

Omigosh, Scott.
First, I feel glad to know that you are doing okay mentally and emotionally with this. Matt must feel very overwhelmed. What a hard time for him (and his family, for the whole slew of reasons!).
I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers.  Is his dad going to recover?
Man.
Thank you for the update!
Love!

[Scott337]

Hi Nicki,


Yes, his dad had a pace-maker implanted and is doing well apparently (this coming from Matt's sister).  Additionally, good news is, according to Matt's sister, he has two potential donors stepping forward to be tested.  They can't initiate anything for about a month as Matt was recently hospitalized with an episode of dangerously high blood pressure, which has since been brought under control once they determined it was potentially caused by a medication he was on, which they have now discontinued.  I pray one of the donors will be given the green light and Matt is finally given a chance to move on with his life and be healthy.

How are you doing?  I hope you're training to run with us all.  Take care my friend -


Scott   

[ohtobeahayes]

Oh! I got the goosebumps reading about the 2 possible donors! Oh, I hope I hope I hope!  Matt's journey...wow.  WOW. I'm happy to hear about his dad too. We should have a celebration of some sort when things turn around for him. HEY! Well, you know their family better than any of us do (obviously, hehehhe!)---if at any time you think that Matt would like to be sent encouraging things or comfort gifts, say the word! I would love to send something (and if you have suggestions that'd be awesome too). I can't imagine the mental strength needed to keep leaping hurdle after hurdle.

I'm doing well!  I plan on being so well trained that 13 miles doesn't seem so far.
We actually drove the whole 26.2 last weekend and I gotta say- YOWSERS!  Even the 13 left me feeling a little bit breathless. I kept saying "You call that FUN!? How is running that far FUN?!"  <---party pooper. I clearly need more training.
XO

[Jewels]

Nicki - Your post made me laugh...the distance is intimidating, especially the first time you clock it from a car. I have done 1 Full marathon and 4 half - the first 2 half marathons were of course brutal - I felt like I couldn't run another step when I was finished.  Then I did a Full...woa - talk about brutal (Fr Pat - I can't believe you keep doing them...KUDOS!)  I think the best thing that came out of the torture of a Full marathon was that it actually made doing the next 2 Halfs seem like no big deal.  I just started running again 8 weeks post-op...can't wait to get the next race on the calender!

Good luck training!
Julie