Memories: First Half of 2022

Our retirement from Cru began exactly two years ago, in July of 2020! And though we love to communicate with our friends and family here, it has been pretty quiet on our blog! We are definitely loving retirement, and also are finding that even retirement life can be quite full! For us, it is wonderful with many restful, peaceful moments, and time for many (unending?) projects.  Also with many sweet connections with family and friends, and then, of course, with the realities of the daily responsibilities of life!

We'd love to share with you some of our memories and highlights from the first half of 2022. Here are a sampling of our digital scrapbook pages from the past six months, giving a glimpse into the joys and trials of our wonderful retirement life together. The year started out with 43 days in a row (weekdays) of treatment for Gary's prostate cancer. You can read more in the journaling above on the scrapbook page. We are so grateful for excellent results from the 9 weeks of treatment!

The page of photos above shows one of several trips we've made to McCook so far this calendar year ... visiting Carrie & Tyler & family. We're so thankful they live just a 4 1/2 hour drive away, and always love our visit with them. It is hard to believe that our youngest grandchild, Eva, is now 10 years old, and older brother Cruz is 13 already!!

It was such a joy to have Amy & Joe, and also Sara & Sean, and their families, here for Easter! Both families live nearby, which makes it possible to see them often! Levi is in college now, and Ali finished up her freshman year of high school (Amy & Joe's two children). And Sara & Sean's two sons, Jake & Cole both finished up 7th grade. Our grandkids are all growing up too fast!

Family nearby means that we get in a fair number of sports events ... soccer games, and baseball games throughout the spring/summer. Also, we are so very blessed by the close friendships within our CityGroup, a small group within Citylight Midtown. it is a special gift from God to do life with these friends, in the same empty nest season of life we are in, and also retirement season for some of us.

Oh, how we love springtime! We both enjoyed the planting of our veggie garden, herb garden, and various flower spots in our yard, and also on our patio. We're so very thankful for the two lots that our home is on ... a source of much joy for us.

In June we had a special treat ... our daughter Amy (& Joe) asked us to "cat sit" for them when they went on a vacation trip to Colorado. Of course, we were delighted, and therefore had our own week-long "vacation" at their beautiful home right on Beaver Lake, just a 45-minute drive from us. It also happened to be during the week of Father's Day, and Gary's 78th birthday!

Many, many more highlights occurred during the first half of 2022 ... too many to be shared. Of course, we are missing being with the other half of our family (in Texas, and in New York), and have loved every bit of communication we've had with them from a distance. 

Thanks for your friendship and prayers! And above all, we are so thankful to God for the gift of each day, and for His Love and Presence through all of life.

Six Weeks Later

Signs of beautiful spring are all around us ...  fresh blooms on our peach trees, goldfinches with their brilliant spring colors feeding on our bird feeders, a son-in-law tilling our garden for us (thanks, Sean!), and two sweet grandkids picking out some of our daffodils to bring indoors.

We also are experiencing some encouragement and answers in regards to Gary's health, particularly related to his stroke which was six weeks ago today. You can read the circumstances and details about his stroke by clicking here. We have so much to be thankful for!  Gary is experiencing NO lasting damage from the stroke!! None at all! He is continuing on with family and Cru responsibilities, just as before the stroke.

At the same time, the days and weeks since Feb. 28 have brought some winds and clouds, as well. Since his release from the hospital on March 2nd, Gary has had 8 doctor visits, 3 trips to Emergency, and 2 trips to Urgent Care. The Emergency visits were because of the necessity of the balancing of meds for high blood pressure. And most of the doctor appointments were for the purpose of finding out things that can be done to prevent another stroke.

We're very thankful for the thoroughness of the doctors in their various tests that they have done to try to possibly find the cause of Gary's stroke. All for the purpose of preventing a repeat stroke. 

Please join us in prayer for healing in the following areas that have shown up as possible causes of the stroke:

1) Deep Vein Thrombosis. We're grateful for the stroke specialist that we were referred to, who called for another MRI in addition to the ones that were done in the hospital. This MRI (of the abdominal area) revealed a still-existing blood clot (a DVT clot). It appears that this clot was the source of the smaller clots which traveled to his brain during the stroke.

Please pray that the strong blood thinner that Gary is on will aid in the dissolving of this still-existing blood clot.

2) Patent Foramen Ovale. We are also thankful for the TEE test which revealed that Gary has some small screen-like holes between the two atria of his heart (a condition called Patent Foramen Ovale - PFO), something he has had from birth. The cardiology specialists, as well as our stroke specialist, believe that some smaller clots broke off and traveled  from the DVT clot in his abdominal area, up through the small PFO holes within his heart, and to his brain ... thus, causing the stroke.

Please pray for Gary's appointment with a cardiology specialist on Tuesday afternoon (April 12) to discuss an outpatient procedure which can be done to close these holes in his heart. Our stroke specialist, as well as several heart specialists, are recommending that this procedure be done in an attempt to prevent more strokes.

3) Heart Monitor Results. Gary was released from the hospital with a heart monitor that he wore for 30 days. This was for the purpose of checking to see if there were any further concerns with his heart. The results showed that he had several episodes of missed heart beats. The electro physiology cardiologist initially determined that Gary would need a pacemaker put in.

Please pray for an outpatient surgery Gary is scheduled to have done this Tuesday morning at 11 am (April 12). The heart specialist decided that there was not enough evidence to call for a pacemaker at this point; instead, he wants to carefully continue monitoring Gary's heart to determine if one will be needed at a later date. A small device called an "Implantable Loop Recorder" will be placed under the skin in the chest area for the purpose of continued monitoring of his heart.  

4) High Blood Pressure & High Cholesterol. Both of these conditions, which contribute to strokes, are being treated with prescriptions. It has been a process to find the right balance of these meds. The first weeks after the stroke, Gary's blood pressure was all over the place ... sometimes so high he was told to go to Emergency, and other times, too low, and he was told the same. Things are balancing out now, for which we are grateful.

Please pray for wisdom with the meds, that the right balance will continue to be in place.

- - - - - - - - - - -

If you have made it to this point in reading all these details ... you deserve an award - thank you! Many of our friends and family have asked how Gary is doing, so we thought we would share these details with you. We do appreciate your prayer for these things.

And mostly, we ask for your prayers for us as a couple (and as a family) as we walk this journey ... that we will be completely surrendered to God in whatever He allows into our lives. All for His purposes and His glory. How we thank Him for His peace and presence through this journey, and through all of life!

An Unexpected Event

Life is full of the unexpected, and we can be taken off guard without even a moment's notice. And this is exactly what we experienced just three weeks ago ...

Photo taken during Gary's hospital stay - Feb. 28 through March 2nd.

Three weeks ago, we were relaxing at home, just the two of us - sitting in our living room, making plans for our upcoming summer vacation trip. I (Cherry) got up from the couch to get some snacks from the kitchen. And when I called out to Gary with a question about what he would like to eat, I was taken completely by surprise ...

Gary was alert and aware, but ... he was exhibiting signs of a stroke.

Moving as quickly as we could, and after a phone call for advice from a trusted family member ... we headed to EMERGENCY! All the way there we second-guessed our decision for me to drive Gary in, instead of calling 911 ... but also, all the way to the hospital, we called on our Great Physician for His help. 

The signs of stroke diminished quite rapidly, and had mostly disappeared by the time we reached Immanuel EMERGENCY, just 15 minutes from our home. Gary was admitted to the hospital for testing. 

There were multiple tests over the next few days. The initial CT-scan did not reveal any clots, and so initially the diagnosis was that he had had a TIA. However, the additional MRI revealed that it had not been a TIA, but had been an actual stroke, with two blood clots in his brain. 

The amazing thing is that the two blood clots had dissolved quite quickly, and ... they had not left any damaging results. We are in awe of our gracious God who protected Gary from the harmful affects of a stroke!!!

Please pray for us as we continue on from this unexpected event ...

We decided to keep the details of this event close to our family, and to those friends who are close by around us for these first weeks. It has been quite an adjustment for us to have the dimension of having a stroke in our story now. 

After entering the hospital in an emergency on Sunday, Feb. 28, and going through many tests, Gary was released on Wednesday, March 2nd. Since then, he has continued on with multiple doctor visits, including an appointment with a stroke specialist. Of primary focus is learning all we can to prevent another stroke.

The doctors are still in the process of finding the right combination of prescriptions to keep Gary's blood pressure at the correct level. It is common to need to make multiple adjustments. It has been quite a journey as we follow the directions of the doctors to monitor Gary's blood pressure, and as we discern when extra help is needed, as the blood pressure readings fluctuate on a daily basis. 

Gary continues on with family and Cru responsibilities, though he also is needing to slow down his hours to what they should reasonably be now. The long hours are not as wise as we grow older, but the passion is still there! And we are praying for many more years of Cru ministry.

We praise and thank God for ...

• no harmful damage from the stroke
• God's presence and peace through this unexpected event
• our family who has been by our side through this whole journey (our daughter and two sons who live a distance away have supported us from afar, and our three daughters who live nearby have been close by our side - each day in the hospital, and many of the days since then when we have been in need. We are so grateful for their loving care.)
• friends who have encouraged us and prayed for us during this ordeal

Would you continue praying for us?

We have many unanswered questions about the cause of the stroke, and also about what steps to take in the future to prevent another one. In the midst of our struggles and concerns, we are very aware that we are held by our loving, faithful God through whatever He allows into our lives.

Transplant Day!

Monday, April 20 - the day all of us as family, and especially Crystal and Amy, had been waiting for! It was a day greatly anticipated, and also a day that we approached with apprehension. It would bring the much needed kidney transplant for Crystal, but it would also bring surgery, pain, and recovery for both Crystal and Amy. But we all knew that we would not be alone - we had the promises and presence of God to carry us through all that lay ahead.

Crystal was admitted into the hospital on Saturday morning, April 18 ... and the next day (Sunday, April 19) Gary and I, together with Amy, checked into the nearby Residence Inn so that we would be close to Medical City Hospital for Amy's early entrance to the hospital the following morning. It worked out perfectly, and we made the 5-minute drive to the hospital very early (5:30 am) on Monday morning, April 20, with no problems at all. 

Amy reported to Day Surgery on 2nd floor to be prepped for surgery, and then was taken to the Holding area at about 6:35 am. We were able to be with her until about 7:30 am when she was taken for surgery. Amy was so brave and sweet through every step of the day, as she has been from the beginning of her decision to donate one of her kidneys to Crystal. It was such a priceless blessing for us as parents to be by her side. 

Crystal had already been admitted to the hospital on Saturday morning, two days before the surgery. She, as well, was brave and courageous even as she faced surgery, held up by God's peace and strength through her two-year journey of kidney failure. Her surgery was scheduled for 8 am, but was actually delayed until about 9:20 am because of a mixup in scheduling of the anesthesiologist. And we think that Amy's actual surgery was probably delayed a bit, as well, to keep the timing of the two surgeries just right for transplant.

It was quite a morning for us as family who were waiting while the surgeries were going on. Two precious family members in surgery at the same time ... a sweet daughter in one surgery room, and a sweet granddaughter in another. On the same floor, with surgery rooms near to each other. So much emotion with our hearts and prayers focused on two different loved ones going through kidney surgery at the same time. Amy's left kidney would be removed to donate to Crystal, and then taken on ice directly to Crystal's surgery room. Crystal's right diseased kidney would be removed, and she would be ready to receive Amy's kidney into her lower right abdominal area at just the right point.

We received texts on the progress of each surgery, and also kept watch on the screen in the waiting room showing what stage of surgery they were each in. The method of showing which stage of surgery was with a symbol - so we saw either the symbol of a knife, some stitches, or a bandaid. (We heard later that they are planning to change the use of the knife symbol to something else - and we thought that would be a good idea!) We all waited in the same waiting room for the first part of surgery, but then we needed to move to separate waiting rooms in order to keep receiving notices of the progress. Mark & Cristy & Abigail needed to be in the pediatric surgery waiting room, and Gary and I in the adult surgery waiting room. These two waiting rooms were just down the hall from each other, so we could still keep in contact with each other as family without a lot of difficulty.

Amy's surgery was started at about 8:30 am, and Crystal's at about 9:20 am. We received a text message at about 10:45 am that Amy's kidney was about to be transplanted into Crystal! We were amazed that things could be moving that quickly, that the transplant was actually taking place! So amazing and so incredible - and so emotional for us as we waited together as family! We were filled with thanks to God for His provision of a healthy kidney for Crystal Mae.

Shortly after, there was a bit of confusion for those of us in the waiting room as we were watching the progress on the waiting room screen ... as it looked like Amy was back in surgery after having been in the recovery room for a bit. And as we heard later from the doctor, that is exactly what happened! Dr. Aronoff remembered that there was one more procedure he likes to do for thinner, petite patients, and so Amy needed to receive a bit more anesthesia, and be taken back into the surgery room for some more stitching on an inner layer of muscle. We are so thankful that doctor made the effort to take care of this step.

Because of that bit of delay for Amy, Crystal was done with surgery and was moved out of surgery ahead of Amy. After their surgeries, Crystal was moved directly into  pediatric ICU at about 12:30 noon, and Amy was moved from the recovery room to her room on 8th floor at about 2 pm.

How we thank God for the good reports from the doctors - both surgeries went very well, and Crystal's new kidney from Amy began working well right from the start!!! How amazing!! You can read much more on Crystal's CaringBridge site, where Cristy so beautifully shares interesting detail about transplant day.

As time allows, I'll continue on with more posts about the days following the actual transplant day. This has been such an anticipated event for our granddaughter (and for all of us as family), and recording this journey is one way for us as grandparents to preserve our memories, emotions, and details of all that happened during transplant. We are filled with thanks to God, and also filled with thanks for all of our friends and family who are praying for our family throughout this transplant journey. Thank you so much - we are blessed by you, and are so very thankful for God's provision, love, and care! So much emotion as we anticipated transplant day, and so much emotion as we continue on. 

Reminders to Wait Quietly

These words from Psalm 62 have been on my mind these past few days - the days leading up to Crystal's transplant surgery and Amy's surgery to donate. There are so many things that are on our minds as the day approaches - details about upcoming surgeries and hospital stays, learning of many details of our care for Mark & Cristy's family and home during hospital days. And the state of our hearts and minds is often quite the opposite of "quiet".

And I love these words that remind us ...

Let all that I am wait quietly before God ...

I've actually been repeating these words (and others) over and over in my mind at times throughout the few days that we have been here. And I also need to purposefully pull out my journal periodically throughout each day, and write out my thoughts and my prayers. A practice that helps quiet my heart, pulling me aside to keep my focus in the right place.

We spent six hours at Medical City Hospital yesterday with Cristy, Crystal, and Amy. All the pre-op and pre-admit paperwork, lab work, and doctor appointments took place for both Crystal and Amy. It was also a time for Gary and me to get acquainted with the hospital, and meet some of the doctors. 

Today is a quieter day at the house, preparing for Crystal to be admitted to the hospital tomorrow morning on Saturday. And then on Sunday early afternoon Gary & I, and Amy will check into a motel near the hospital. Amy will be admitted at 5:30 am on Monday morning, and we want to be close by. No time to take any chances of delays in driving to the hospital  ... being close is best.

Click here for Cristy's latest update on Crystal's CaringBridge site to read more details of our six hours at Medical City Hospital yesterday ...

Thanks for your prayers and love for our family. And praise to God for the news just this morning that the "cross-match" lab work done yesterday reveals a "green light" for transplant. Confirming again that Amy is a great match to donate for Crystal.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,

for my hope is in Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will not be shaken.

My victory and honor come from God alone.

He is my refuge, a rock

where no enemy can reach me.

O my people, trust in Him at all times.

Pour out your heart to Him,

for God is our refuge.

(Psalm 62:5-8)

Starting Out on the Transplant Journey

This journey to our granddaughter's kidney transplant actually started a little over two years ago, when Crystal was diagnosed with a rare genetic kidney disease. We all knew back then that though there was no cure for this disease which would lead to her kidneys failing sometime during her teen years, there was something that could rescue her, a lifeline of sorts - a kidney transplant.

For two years, you (our friends and family) have been updated on how Crystal is doing through Crystal's CaringBridge site, through our monthly newsletters, and as we have met and shared our lives in person. Maybe we have sounded like a broken record for these two years, continually asking for prayer. For Gary and me, it has been an all-consuming thing always on our minds - in the midst of a very full life of Cru ministry, and a full life with our family of 22 (our six grown children, four sons-in-law, and ten grandkids!), and also during the past six months of helping care for our aging (Siebert) father. Thanks for always listening and caring, and for being forgiving to us if we have talked about this or written about this too much at times!

And now the time of transplant is here ... tomorrow we make the 12-hour drive to Dallas, also taking Amy along (our oldest daughter who is the amazing, generous kidney donor for Crystal). We'll be staying with Cristy & Mark and their family, and will have a few days all together in their home before Crystal will be admitted to the hospital this Saturday morning, and then Amy very early this next Monday morning. They also both have some pre-op testing this Thursday, and the actual transplant will take place on Monday morning, April 20th.

You are invited to read the very detailed updates of transplant and recovery on Crystal's CaringBridge site. Cristy does an amazing job of keeping family and friends updated through this site. We would love for you to follow her updates!

There is no need for us to repeat here what our daughter Cristy is doing so well on the CaringBridge site. She will be sharing many of the details of transplant surgery and recovery, as well as asking for prayer along the way. But this place here will be our own online journal of sorts, sharing our thoughts along the journey, asking for prayer from our perspective. Our days will be full serving our TX family, and also caring for Amy through surgery and recovery ... so we are not sure how often we will be able to write here. But as writing is part of living and breathing for me (Cherry), I'm sure you will see us here quite often! 

Feel free to respond or ask questions along the way ... through comments here or on facebook as we link our posts there. We both know that this is not a road to be walked alone ... we are in need of God's mercy and strength each day of our lives. And we are so appreciative of our friends and family who pray for us. Thank you for being part of this journey together with us.

I (Cherry) read these words yesterday, and they comforted me and encouraged me as we step into these days/weeks of caring for our family during transplant ...

The Lord will guide you always;

He will satisfy your needs

in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

(Isaiah 58:11)

An Update on Cherry's Father

Thank you so very much for your prayers for Cherry's 93 year-old father, Johnny Siebert! Click here to read our previous post, describing the difficult situation our father found himself in during the middle part of October.

He has had two doctor's appointments since our last update here. At this point, it does not look like Dad will have a colostomy done to help with his problems, but more time is needed to know this for sure. There are many factors that are leading to this decision. His age and ability to care for a colostomy are one factor, and also, the doctor wants to give more time to see if the problem will remedy itself. At this point, his incontinence continues. Thank you for praying for wisdom for the doctors, and also for us as family. We have been so blessed by the patient, compassionate care of his doctors, and his caregivers at the Health Center.

We also requested prayer for Dad, as this has been such a humbling and frustrating situation for him to be in. He has been struggling with peace and trust, and we are so grateful that there has been a bit of a turn-a-round in the past week and a half. He has been more calm and accepting of his situation, and has even started to participate in the physical and occupational therapy that is offered him there at Skyline's Health Center. 

Thank you to those who have been sending cards and letters for him - these things brighten up his days as he continues on in Skyline's Health Center. We have also been printing out emails that are sent to us for him. He especially is so encouraged by those from former missionary friends that he served with for much of his life with SEND International. (You may use his current address at Skyline as we pick up his mail for him, or you may use our address to send mail for him. You may also send emails for him to our email address, and we will print them out for him. )

We continue to make the 20-minute drive 3-4 times each week to help and encourage him, and are grateful to live close by. We are also on the phone with Cherry's three brothers often, and greatly appreciate their care and advice from a distance (two in the Portland area, and one just north of New York City). 

Please pray for continued peace for our father, for wisdom for the doctors, nurses, and caregivers, and also for us as family as decisions will be made in the next 30 days for the next step. His 90 contracted days at the Health Center will be up in mid-January, and a decision will need to be made as to where he will be staying after that (continuing on at the Health Center or returning to his independent living apartment). 

A Difficult Journey

Mid-October brought some big changes for Cherry's 93 year-old father. Within just a few days, he went from his independent living apartment at Skyline, to an overnight stay in the hospital, to Skyline's Health Center for treatment. 

We are thankful for the timing of things - just a few days after we returned from our trip to Colorado Springs, we found our father in great need of our help. His bowel troubles had led to complete incontinence; a very humbling situation to be in. We were so thankful that we were close by to help with each step. 

A biopsy during the first few days showed that there is no cancer. The doctor went ahead and prescribed five weeks of treatment under the care of nurses at the Health Center, to try to see if his functions will return. Dad's next doctor appointment will be on Dec. 2nd. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, and also for my father, and us as family - that we will all know what the next step should be. Also, please pray for peace for Cherry's father - Johnny Siebert - as he struggles to accept this difficult situation that he is in.

We are grateful that we can be nearby to help, and we thank God for the strength and grace that He gives as we have been driving in every day, or every other day to help with details, and to be an encouragement to Dad. We do appreciate your prayers.

Cristy's Surgery

Thanks to all who have been praying for our daughter, Cristy's, surgery on July 28. This was the surgery to remove a suspicious-looking cyst from one of her kidneys - this cyst was discovered when she was going through testing to see if she could be a kidney donor for her own daughter, Crystal. 

The surgery took place yesterday afternoon, July 28. Here is Mark's report on FaceBook late afternoon yesterday:

Quick update on Cristy: Surgery went well and the Dr is confident that he got all of the growth on her kidney. It took longer than expected as the cyst went a little deeper into the kidney than the Dr realized. So he had to make a 2nd cut to be sure he got it all in case it turns out to be malignant. We should know by the end of the week whether it was malignant or benign. She is recovering and resting now. We hope to go home tomorrow. Thank you all for your prayers, for help with meals and for encouraging notes/comments. We appreciate all of you and your concern for Cristy. -Mark

Of course, we wish so much that we could be there in Dallas at this time. And though we offered to go and desire to be there with our TX family, Mark & Cristy felt that they would be covered well with the care that they receive from their many friends there, including their very caring church family. Thankfully, we were able to see them in TX in early June, and also in mid-July when they came up here for a visit. And though we desire to be there now again, we realize this is probably best, especially as my (Cherry's) three brothers and their families will be coming to our home in just a few days for a visit, from the east and west coasts.

But, as you can imagine, our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with them constantly these days. And we are so thankful to Mark for his texts, phone calls, and photos that he is sending to us ... before and after surgery, and as she was recovering last night. And we're thankful for many who are praying ...

This quote from Streams in the Desert this morning was a good reminder - to keep our eyes on God, and keep His perspective as we go through trials. So thankful for the trust He is giving our dear family in TX, and for His grace and strength through trials. For them, and also for us as parents and grandparents.

"Our trials are great opportunities, but all too often we simply see them as large obstacles. If only we would recognize every difficult situation as something God has chosen to prove His love to us, each obstacle would then become a place of shelter and rest, and a demonstration to others of His inexpressible power."

This is our prayer for Cristy, for Mark, and their children ... and this is our prayer for ourselves, and for all who know them.

We're hoping to get another update this morning soon, and may add more to this post - so feel free to check back. Also, we anticipate talking to Cristy soon, as well ... the morphine and other meds kept us from being able to communicate with her last night.

Later (9:15 am)  ... just heard from Cristy, and also here is an update that Mark posted on CaringBridge:

Since surgery, her recovery has gone as expected except that she has had some trouble with nausea and headache.  The nurses have assured us that these are typical reactions to the surgery, the anesthesia and some of the pain meds she has been on.  They are giving her Zofran for the nausea and finally this morning it seems to be helping.  The pain from the surgery and the headache seem to be under control this morning as well.  We are hoping that she will feel well enough to keep some food down this morning.  They had her up walking at 4:00am today and she seemed to handle that ok, so if all continues to go as planned, we will be home some time this afternoon.  Thank you so much for your prayers!

You are invited to click here for more updates as Cristy recovers - from Mark & Cristy on Crystal's CaringBridge site.

Celebrating Crystal - and Kidney Update

Today is a very special day down in TX, and we'll take this opportunity to also share an update on our granddaughter, Crystal! She turns "sweet sixteen" today, and there couldn't be a sweeter sixteen year-old! Even with all the daily affects of kidney failure, Crystal continues to be the sweet, cheerful, caring person that she is. We thank God for the sweet fragrance of His Love that she spreads to all those around her.

Crystal recently received a great honor from her high school in Wylie, TX. At the Academic Awards Ceremony earlier this month, her name was called to receive a plaque for the final award of the evening ... the Assistant Principal's Award. This award was given to two students in each grade, chosen by the administrative team for excelling in academics, service, character, and hard work. The following words were announced as Crystal received her award: "Crystal Enns is a delightfully personable student, who gets along with all of her peers despite her often reserved demeanor. She is always punctual to class and very polite. She is an excellent role model and consistently displays a diligent work ethic and she self advocates in a respectful manner. She puts others before herself and quietly does what she is expected to do. She is a joy to have in class."

Especially meaningful for Crystal, and also her parents ... as Crystal suffers each day from nausea and general fatigue, often throughout the school day. We praise God for the strength and grace He is giving her, even as she endures kidney failure. And we thank Him for honoring her with this very special award!

An Update on Crystal's Kidney Disease

Kidney Function Levels ...

Though her kidney function levels have been as low as 21%, we were surprised when a recent, more accurate type of testing revealed her kidney function has gone back up to 34%. (Transplant most often takes place when the kidney function levels go down to 20% or below.) It is normal for the levels to fluctuate as the kidneys continue to decline, but this was definitely a surprise to have them back up at 34%, giving more time before transplant. As family and friends we have been praying for God to keep her stable for several reasons ... until a donor is firmly in place ... and also, until after all the celebration and festivities of her older sister, Abigail's, graduation from high school the first part of June. We are praising God for this blessing!

At the same time as we celebrate this answer to prayer, we ask for your prayers for Crystal as she continues to not feel well, and experiences nausea, and general fatigue daily. Low kidney function affects so many things as the toxins build up in the body - things that we just take for granted in a healthy body.

Related Eye Disease ...

As many of you may remember, Crystal also has the related eye disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa - Senior Loken Syndrome, which 10% of those with her type of kidney disease also have. This eye disease involves "the slow degeneration of her retina which usually causes night blindness first as the peripheral vision slowly closes down, most likely to complete blindness, although sometimes a very small bit of central vision remains, as though looking through a straw." (From Crystal's CaringBridge site)

Crystal had another eye exam the beginning of this month, and we are praising God that peripheral vision loss since her last test a year ago, was small! It has been the prayer of her family and all of us that her loss would be very slow-progressing, so this was great news! Please pray for her vision loss to continue to be slow progressing.

Donor Update ...

Many of you remember, also, that our daughter, Cristy (Crystal's mother), was tested six months ago to be the kidney donor for her daughter. A small cyst was discovered on one of Cristy's kidneys ... this led to their testing of Mark (Crystal's father). We were all dismayed when a suspicious lump was discovered on one of Mark's kidneys ... yet, we praise God for this discovery. Mark underwent surgery to have the lump removed, and it was, in fact, cancerous. How we thank God for this discovery, which led to the removal of the lump in very early stage, with no need for any chemo or treatments - only periodic checkups in the future.

The next step in testing for a donor is for Cristy to have a repeat MRI ... and this will take place tomorrow, May 23. There needed to be a six-month wait to see if there is any growth in the cyst. The doctors do not suspect that there will be any concern related to her cyst, and they expect that Cristy will be able to be the donor. We are praying that this will be the case! If there is any concern in Cristy being the donor after the MRI results are in the beginning of June, then the transplant team will continue with the testing of several other family members who have offered to be the donor.

Thank you so very much for your prayers for Crystal and all her family! You are invited to read their detailed updates on their CaringBridge site - click here. They are held up by the prayers of family and friends who care, and are filled with thanks to God for carrying them through this difficult journey. 

(Thank you to our family in TX for both photos of Crystal!)

Following Step-by-Step

Life is certainly filled with the unexpected; journeys that we never dreamed we would need to travel. What would we do without God, our loving Father, who walks along with us, and who gently and lovingly carries us through the most difficult times? We are in need of Him, every day.

A year ago this month our dear granddaughter, Crystal, was diagnosed with a rare genetic kidney disease. (Click here to read more details.) Since then she and her parents and siblings, along with all of us as family, have been following God through this unknown journey, step-by-step, many times not having any idea what the next turn would reveal. 

One of the turns in the road which took us so completely by surprise (after the initial diagnosis), when we were not sure we could even handle this journey, was when we found out that Crystal also has the eye disease that is sometimes associated with this kidney disease. And then again, we were completely taken off guard when the doctors discovered that Mark (Crystal's father and our son-in-law) had a cancerous lump on his kidney (discovered when he was being tested to be a donor for his daughter). This lump was successfully removed at the end of February. (Click here and here to read more details.) The pathology report shows that it was, in fact, cancer (renal cell carcinoma), but it was caught in early stages, and was all removed, with no need for chemo or radiation. Thank You, Lord!

And now ... one year after the initial diagnosis, we are continuing on this journey, wondering what lies around the next corner. Wondering when Crystal will be at the point where they will proceed with the kidney transplant. Typically, the doctors will proceed with transplant when kidney function goes below 20% (though it can go even lower, with the patient put on dialysis when it reaches about 15%). And, of course, a transplant cannot be done until a donor is in place.

As a result of Crystal's most recent lab test, the doctor is estimating that her kidney function is currently around 21.5%, down from 25% just five weeks ago. He is planning to retest to be accurate, and will have the results a week from now. The doc is still saying that she may be able to wait until this summer for transplant, which is now just a few months away.

Please pray for a donor to be in place soon. The doctors are now saying that our daughter Cristy (Crystal's mother) may be able to donate after all. They plan to do another MRI the end of April on Cristy's kidney to see if the cyst they had found earlier shows any sign of concern. They are quite confident that there is no concern but needed to wait a number of months to retest it. (We're grateful for several other family members who have offered to be tested if it does not work out for Cristy to be the donor.)

We now know that this delay in determining if Cristy can be the donor was by the providence of God, as it led the doctors to proceed with testing Mark as a donor ... which led to the discovery of his cancer, which was removed by surgery last month. 

So we continue on this journey - Crystal struggles with side-effects each day, though she never complains. She continues on with her sophomore classes and activities. Please pray for strength and endurance for Crystal. As her levels decline, the side effects increase. We thank God for the peace and trust she is experiencing, in the midst of this very difficult journey. We're so grateful to all who are praying for her ... 

We will continue to post updates here periodically, and you are also invited to read Cristy's updates on Crystal's CaringBridge site ... click here. Thank you for praying for our dear granddaughter and her family!

(We will be traveling to TX at the time of transplant to care for our family for several weeks - please also pray for us as we plan for this time away. And for strength and peace for us, as well. We are in need of His grace and mercy, each day.)

Thanking God Today, and Always

To our friends and family who have been praying for Mark's surgery today ... here are the words directly from our daughter, Cristy, shortly after her husband's surgery (as she shared on their CaringBridge site):

"The surgeon came out with good news at 3:10!  He said everything went well...he believes he was able to get all of it and although the tumor did have the look of cancer, he did not see any signs of cancer anywhere else.  PRAISE GOD!!!  We just give him all the praise and glory for his healing and mercy and love!!" 

You are invited to read more details on their CaringBridge site - click here. We thank God for caring for our dear family in TX today! They are praying for a good report with the pathology result on Friday, as well - thanks so much for continuing to pray for them as Mark recovers, and as they continue on the journey with their daughter needing a kidney transplant in the near future.

As I was reflecting on past times of trial, I was reminded of several other difficult times we have gone through in past Februarys ... and shared my thoughts in a post on my Pursuing Heart blog. You are invited to read it - click here ... or you can read the small print version (below) on the digital scrapbook page I made of the post, for our family album ...

Prayers Needed for Our Son-in-Law, Mark

Another update on our dear family in Texas, as they await Crystal's kidney transplant ...

(Left to Right: Crystal, Luke, Mark, Cristy, Brianna, Abigail)

Our daughter, Cristy, and Mark, and their four children have been on quite a journey for the past twelve months. Click here to read of the diagnosis they received in early 2013 - that Crystal has a rare genetic kidney disease, which will require a kidney transplant. And click here for our last update in January.

Our new update is that we are requesting prayer for our son-in-law, Mark. He was in the process of being tested to be a kidney donor for Crystal, and on the last phase of testing, the doctors discovered a solid lump on his left kidney. Mark was told that when something like this is seen, it is "lights and sirens", and needs to be removed as soon as possible. They are highly suspecting that it is cancerous, so the lump along with a small portion of his kidney need to be removed.

Please pray for Mark's surgery, which will be Monday, Feb. 24, at 1 pm. They have an excellent doctor to do the surgery, one who has done 1200 surgeries utilizing the robotic surgical system that will be used, and he has also done 250 of the exact type that Mark will have done. Please pray for a successful surgery, and that all traces of cancer will be removed. Also, please pray for peace and strength for each family member as they walk through this time.

This latest news about Mark has been quite a blow considering all that our Texas family has gone through in the past twelve months. And at the same time, we thank God for His mercy and grace in revealing this problem so that it can be cared for before it would become life-threatening.

Of course, Mark will no longer be able to be considered as a kidney donor for Crystal. Please pray for the right donor to be found, at the right time. There are several other family members who are offering to be tested, and it is still a possibility that Cristy will be able to be the donor if the cyst found on her kidney turns out to be of no concern. Please pray for strength for Crystal as she awaits the time of transplant, while continuing to experience nausea and fatigue each day. Her kidney function is now at 24%, and the doctor is thinking that she may be able to wait until summer for her transplant, giving a bit more time to find a donor, as well. 

Thank you so much for praying for these needs - Mark & Cristy are so very appreciative of all the prayers and support that they feel through this difficult season of their lives. You are invited to return here to our family/ministry blog for an update after Mark's surgery and periodic updates throughout Crystal's kidney transplant journey. You are also invited to visit Crystal's CaringBridge site for updates that Cristy shares with family and friends - click here. 

Update on Our Granddaughter, Crystal

It is past time for another update on our sweet granddaughter, Crystal Mae. Please click here for our update this past September, with the story of her kidney disease diagnosis in early 2013. 

Donor testing ... by both parents!

Crystal's Kidney Function

Since our last update in September, Crystal's kidney function has fluctuated from as low as 24% to a high of 35%. The doctor says that this can sometimes happen as kidneys fluctuate back and forth as they continue to go downhill. Her next testing of kidney function levels will take place the first week of February.

It is actually a huge answer to prayer that her levels have stabilized somewhat (instead of going rapidly downhill this past fall as we had expected), for it has given more time for donor testing. Both of her parents (our daughter, Cristy, and son-in-law, Mark) found out in early fall that both their blood types matched to be donors! 

Testing for Donors

Cristy continued on through the very detailed testing to confirm if she matched up on all levels, and it was a big disappointment for her to find out on one of the last steps of her testing, that she has a small lesion on one of her own kidneys. This eliminated her from being able to donate a kidney for Crystal. Cristy also now has had to find a nephrologist to check out the lesion on her own kidney. They will be watching to see if the lesion is of concern, and will be following up with another MRI this coming June. Please pray for this concern.

The testing to find a donor for Crystal is now continuing with her father, Mark. So far his tests are looking good, and even amazing as his kidney function is excellent! We expect that all of his testing will be completed during the first week of February. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, and that he would pass all the tests to be the donor, if that would be God's will.

Pray for Crystal                                                                                                                 

Crystal continues to hold up well with her high school studies and activities, though she continues to struggle daily with nausea and fatigue. She is on various medications, also to help stabilize high blood pressure which accompanies kidney failure. How thankful we are to God for surrounding her (and her whole family) with peace and strength during this difficult time, and for the great faith He is growing in Crystal. She is an inspiration and encouragement to all of us!  

For more detailed regular reports, you are welcome to read their CaringBridge updates ... click here. And we will also be giving updates here, as well, especially as we near the transplant date. We will be traveling to Texas to help out for several weeks (even up to a month), as needed when transplant time comes. Of course, it is hard for us to be a distance away now, especially on the more difficult days, and we are so thankful that we have been granted time off to travel and be of assistance at the time of transplant.