Thursday, September 20, 2012

Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!

What a journey this has been and still is but things certainly look different with a husband who now has a beautiful kidney functioning normally.  There are so many visible physical changes in Ken but it is the “inner peace” that to me is the BEST!!!!!  I wanted to thank all of you again for following this journey with us.  We read all your comments and knew we had hundreds of people praying for Ken and Alex.  Your prayers were answered and so were ours.  Thank you God!!!!! 

As I look back on the surgery I wanted to share some moments with you.  I call these my “snapshots” of this amazing journey.  I think you will see the wide range of emotions we experienced this past week.   Sit back and laugh a little and cry a little as you read about the “moments” of  September 10th . 

3:30 am – Everyone was anxious but surprisingly all slept pretty well.  Ken was humming a song – Oh What a Beautiful Morning.   I smiled. 

8:00 am - Awaiting surgery, Ken and Alex were across the hall from each other.  Family members could go into each room.  Humor is so important to both our families so the jokes were flying between Ken and Alex.  After they took Alex to surgery Kelly came into her dad’s room.  She sat next to me put her head down and started to cry quietly.  I was rubbing her back and when I looked up Ken was staring right at Kelly.  He kept whispering, “ Is she ok?” I could see the pain in his eyes.   He told me it was tearing his heart out.  As we said goodbyes I knew this was on his mind but I looked at him and said, “This is what you wanted.  This is it.  I will see you in a few hours. I love you!”   

4:00pmRecovery room visit – Greg and I went to see Ken.  The first moment I saw him was magical – his color, his urine output, his voice and his HUGE smile!!!!  His first question was, “How is Alex and how is Kelly? It ripped my heart out to see her cry.” The conflicting emotions of wanting that kidney for a better quality of life and  wanting to protect your daughter from pain and sorrow were heartbreaking. I still get tears in my eyes when I think of that moment. 

8:30pmFirst visit for Alex and Ken on the transplant floor – Alex had been in his room for about 4 hours.  Ken had just been brought up from recovery.  The nurse was walking Alex down the hallway to Ken’s room.  Alex was on powerful pain meds and seemed out of it.  Ken had a terrible dry mouth from all the medicines administered during surgery that caused his upper lip to stick to his gum above his front teeth – this made him look like he had fake protruding teeth.  When he spoke it sounded like he had a mouth full of cotton.  When he saw Alex he mumbled, “You are my hero!”  Alex in pain looked at him with his wide eyes and said, “I hate you.”   

This new journey is just beginning.  Ken’s quest for a better quality of life has begun.  We know there will be many bumps in the road as Ken’s body adjusts to the anti-rejection drugs.  We know there will be challenges along the way but we can face them now with a kidney that is functioning perfectly in his body.  Keep the prayers coming.  Ken is going to the clinic for blood work and doctor visits 2 to 3 times a week.  He needs to build up his strength and energy levels.  He is still not having visitors at the house but does enjoy phone calls.  During the next few weeks Ken, Alex, Stefanie and Kelly will be writing their thoughts during this journey.  It will be so interesting to hear their feelings.

Until the next time, may the Lord carry us on our journey, 
Pat





Sunday, September 16, 2012

A Final Update and A Special Thank You

Hi everyone,

As we approach the one week mark since the surgery, I wanted to provide one final update on Alex and Ken before signing off as your resident blogger. Alex and Kelly are enjoying being back home in Greenville as Alex continues his recovery. Ken has also been enjoying a weekend of recovery and relaxation free of doctor's appointments. Regarding the football game I would rather not speak of, I will simply say that Alex enjoyed the result, Ken certainly did not. But we all enjoyed the fact that both were healthy enough to cheer for their respective teams :-)

Over the past week, we have doubled the number of visits to the blog. Amazing! This is a testament to all of  you and your love and support for Alex and Ken. Your prayers, thoughts, words, gifts, and other kind actions have nourished our hearts, minds, and souls all week long. We realize how busy all of your lives are and that you have your own families to take care of and with that your own set of challenges. But you chose to follow us, and for most not just this past week but since the very beginning. For that, we humbly thank you all and ask for your continued support in following this journey. 

Starting tomorrow, we will be going back to our regular weekly blogs on Thursday. We expect to have blog entries from both Alex and Ken soon so please stay tuned. Have a great week!

Until the next time, may the Lord carry us on our journey,

Greg



Saturday, September 15, 2012

Goodbye Kelly and Alex!

Ken and Alex posing for one last pic
Sometimes pictures speak louder than words. Alex, you are and will continue to be our hero. Kelly, your strength, courage, and faith this week was amazing. We love you!!

Until the next time...
Greg

Goodbye tears of joy
Pat thanking Alex one more time


Father and daughter special moment


Beaming with pride for my brother-in-law and lil sis
Ready to get back home!
Alex and his parents reunited



Onward to Greenville, SC

Friday, September 14, 2012

Day 4 and 5 Updates

Hi everyone,

Apologies for the radio silence the last 48 hours. Yesterday Ken had a bit of a setback and spent most of the day in the ER. The good news is that it was a false alarm and today he is back to feeling well and recovering at home. It was a lesson on how this road to recovery will have its speed bumps and challenges from time to time. But overall, Ken is doing amazing and we are so blessed the new kidney is working as well as it is after only 5 days. We also have been reminded of how important it is that he is not exposed to many germs in these first few critical weeks of recovery. Our entire family appreciates how all of you have been so respectful of this. And your outpouring of gifts and delicious food items (my favorite of course) have been overwhelming. As always, thank you for your kindness.
 
Regarding our hero, Alex is doing so well.  It has been inspiring to watch him get stronger every day. His follow up appointment went great this morning, so great in fact that both he and Kelly will be flying back to Greenville, SC on Saturday. Amazing, right? Back home within a week! I also wanted to mention that Alex and his selfless act will be spotlighted in the Greenville News on Sunday. We will post the link as soon as it is online.

And lastly, I wanted to share the first post-op picture of both donor and recipient together. What a wonderful and life-changing week this has been!

Onward to the first weekend with a new kidney.

Until the next time...

Greg

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Home Sweet Home

Hi everyone,

I have wonderful news to share with you all. Ken was discharged from the hospital a couple hours ago! That means two things: 1. He is doing very well and 2. His anti-rejection meds have been increased and continuing to stay in the hospital would present a greater risk of infection since his immune system is supressed. Regardless of the reason, Ken is very happy to be back home as seen in the pictures below. Tonight he will get to sleep in his own bed at home without being connected to a dialysis machine in over 15 months. The simple things in life have never been sweeter. Alex also had a great day. He has been relaxing and taking walks outside. It is amazing to watch his recovery, every day he seems to be getting stronger. Watching and listening to both of them together sitting in their recliners talking and smiling right now as I write this is music to all of our ears. 

Thank you again for your messages and phone calls! Your words of prayer and encouragement continue to inspire us. For now, doctor's orders are that Ken not receive any vistors for a couple weeks since his immune system is suppressed and his regime of anti-rejection drugs continues to be adjusted and ramped up. As he feels up to it, he will begin responding to your emails and phone calls.

Onward to Day 4.

Until the next time...

Greg






Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Day 2 Wrap Up

Hi everyone,


Tonight I leave you with two pictures that I think best summarizes Day 2:

Alex was discharged late this afternoon and is relaxing back at the Roig home. Kelly snapped this pic tonight of a relieved and recovering Alex enjoying some R&R in Ken's recliner. Well deserved to say the least! 

And after 15 months of dialysis without a drop of chocolate, Ken was able to endulge a little this evening. Thank you, Ms. Peggy Fisk! They were delicious. 

Onward to Day 3.

Until the next time...
Greg






First Meal and More Updates

Hi everyone,

As Ken enjoys his very first meal with his new kidney (doesn't he look great?!), I wanted to update everyone on what has been a busy morning. The doctors named him the "model patient"  and having that "strong McLean kidney"  made it possible.  Ken is slowly feeling better but this will take time. The best medicine for Ken has been the messages and emails you sent to him through our blog and facebook pages. Last night he asked me to read the messages we got throughout the day instead of a bedtime story :)  He was totally overwhelmed and wanted me to thank each and every one of you for your love and support.  In the future Ken will be answering emails and phone calls but right now we ask you to give him time to rest and heal. In other good news, we are happy to say Alex has been cleared to go home!  This amazing young man continues to be our inspiration and we are proud and honored to call him family.

Until the next time.....

Pat

Monday, September 10, 2012

Final K-Day Update

Hi everyone,

After a very long but beautiful day, I wanted to provide one last update. Earlier tonight both Alex and Ken were moved from PACU where they had been recovering to their hospital rooms. Both are doing really well. They even had a chance to briefly see one another which needless to say was a rather amazing moment.

Tomorrow and the days after it will certainly present its own set of challenges, and we realize tomorrow begins a new journey, one of recovery and continued advocacy for all living donors and those seeking organ transplants. But I would be remiss in not taking pause and marvelling at today's events. Thanks to the selflessness of a wonderful man I am honored to call my brother-in-law and the skilled hands of the Ochsner surgeons and entire transplant team, my dad received the ultimate gift, the gift of life. There are no words to quite describe the immense joy and excitement we are all feeling right now. I am also speechless and truly humbled by the outpouring of love and support you have all given us today. It strengthened our families and helped us push through every hour as we waited and prayed and prayed some more. Today was just one day, but one that will never be forgotten. Thank you so much for being a part of it. I will continue to provide updates tomorrow and throughout the week as the recovery period for Alex and Ken continues. 

Until the next time, may the Lord carry us on our journey,
Greg



My Husband is Back Too!

WOW!!!! How many emotions can our family experience in one day?  So many ..... but the greatest emotion of all was walking into the recovery unit and seeing Ken.  Greg and I had the biggest smiles on our faces and we saw an amazing man smiling back at us. All is well. God is good. Please keep those prayers coming for the speedy recovery of Alex, our hero, and Ken. My family is totally overwhelmed with the love and support from our family and friends. We have spent the day waiting for news about the surgery while reading the messages from all of you.  We read each and every one and share the messages among ourselves.  We cried tears of joy, laughed out loud and thanked God for blessing us with all of you.  Thank you for walking hand in hand with us on this journey. We will keep sending updates about these two phenomenal men.

Until the next time......

Pat

My Husband Is Back

Good Afternoon to Everyone, 

Although I am not nearly as good of a writer as my brother, I decided to give him a break and write the newest update. I was able to see Alex just a few minutes ago! Wow, talk about one of the best feelings to see his groggy, but smiling face. He said that he was not in any pain and very relieved everything went well. Alex had not yet been informed of the news that my dad's body had immediately accepted his kidney. We were only given 10 minutes to visit with him, but in those 10 minutes, I knew I had my husband back because he was immediately cracking jokes. When the nurse asked if he wanted something to drink, he asked for a gin and tonic. He then asked me if he could go on a golf trip to San Francisco and turned to me and said, "It would be hard to say no to me now." Yep, Alex is definitely back! We were not able to see my dad, but we will be able to see him at 4:00 CT. To know what my father and husband went through today makes me realize that they are true heroes. Thank you all again for the prayers and please keep them coming.

Until the next time...
Kelly

Ken Has A Kidney!!

Hi everyone,

Consider this the best news ever part 2! Ken's surgeon just came out and told us that the surgery went very well and that his new kidney is already working. So much so that the surgeon also removed his peritoneal dialysis catheter. We are beyond ecstatic, tears of joy, relief, and excitement for the future. We will get to see both Alex and Ken in recovery starting at 2pm CT. What an unbelievable feeling this is! We share it with you. You are all part of our extended family and we thank you so much for the power of your prayers and thoughts today. 

Until the next time...
Greg

Best News Ever Part 1

Hi everyone,

Alex's surgeon just spoke to us and it was all great news. Alex is in recovery now, he did beautifully, no complications at all. We will be able to see Alex at 2pm CT. We are all feeling very excited and relieved. The surgeon also gave us a positive update on Ken. His new kidney is already connected, and expects Ken's surgeon to be giving us an update in about 45 minutes. My previous timeline of 3:30pm CT looks way off, and Ken will be in recovery much sooner. I can't stop smiling as I write this :-)

Until the next time...
Greg





Lunchtime Update

Hi everyone,

We just received some great news about Alex. He is still in surgery, but they have started to close him up. The operation seems to have gone very well. We should hear from his surgeon in the next 30 minutes or so. The nurse estimated that Ken should be receiving the kidney at this very moment. Since his surgery will take longer to complete, he likely won't be in recovery until around 3:30pm CT. Keep sending the both of them your powerful prayers and good thoughts!


Until the next time...

Greg

Ken is very close to getting his kidney!

Hi everyone,

Ken is now officially in surgery. We left him in good spirits around 9:15am CT as they were preparing to administer anesthesia.

We were just updated that Alex is still in surgery, but is doing great, woohoo!

And now both families are in the main waiting room doing exactly what you do in those rooms :-)

Until the next time,
Greg



The Waiting Game

Hi everyone,

We just received word that Alex's surgery has begun. We expect that it will be another hour before Ken is brought in. The entire family is crammed in a small pre-op room with Ken trying to keep things light. Pops (aka Ken) is being a good sport and allowed me to snap and post a quick father son shot!

Until the next time...
Greg

Gametime!!

Hi everyone,

Ok, so maybe we are a bit sports crazy in our families, but Ken and Alex have their game faces on and are ready to do this. We snapped this pic shortly before they were both taken into the back for surgery prep. Let the prayers and good thoughts begin!

Until the next time...
Greg

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Less than 12 hours away...

Hi everyone,

I wanted to post a quick update as we approach the beginning of K-Day. Alex and Ken are doing well and anxious to get tomorrow started. This weekend both families spent quality time together and despite the tough losses by the Saints and Panthers today (double ugh) a good time was had by all.

The day starts very early tomorrow. We will be leaving for the hospital at 5am CT. Alex is scheduled to start his surgery at 7:30am CT and Ken will follow at 8am CT. Both surgeries will take between 3-4 hours. I will be updating the blog throughout the day. Please keep those wonderful prayers and thoughts coming. Your support means the world to us.

Until next time, may the Lord carry us on our journey,
Greg

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Hurricanes, and Insurance, and Manual Dialysis...Oh My!!


I hope everyone in the path of Hurricane Isaac made it out okay and are on their way back to normalcy. In today’s blog, I could share with you the last two weeks of our lives. To say the least, it has been an emotional roller coaster, one that has tested the limits of faith and family. But instead, today I am reminded that God never gives you more than you can handle. And that with every piece of bad news you may receive, a blessing is sure to follow. I can excitedly announce today that we are officially 5 days away from “K-Day”. On September 10th, Alex will give the gift of life to Ken. This is the day we have waited for, and despite the many challenges and obstacles we encountered and with that the many emotional ups and downs, Ken will receive a kidney from Alex on Monday. As I write that, I have to pause. It certainly hasn’t sunk in yet for either Ken or me. The blessing we are receiving from Alex is truly overwhelming, and the support and love that all of you have showed our family is truly humbling. On behalf of Ken and our family, we want to thank Alex, his family, and all of you from the bottom of our hearts.
Our son, Greg, has volunteered to be the resident blogger next week and will be providing multiple updates starting on Monday morning so that all of you can follow along with the progress of the surgery and status of Alex and Ken. He may even have some video updates if possible. So I ask you to keep following along and be part of this celebration of life. In addition to your continued thoughts and prayers, on Monday morning, when you wake or at some point early in the day, I invite you to join us in saying the prayer below:
Dear Father, we thank You for this beautiful day and for the blessing of calling upon You for help with a prayer before surgery. We love You, Father and we know You love Alex and Ken. We love Alex and Ken very much too. We are grateful they are in our lives. We ask You to please bless them to feel Your love and our love through comforting healing power. We ask that You give them strength to be at ease and free from worry or concerns at this time. We thank You for the talented doctors and good medical staff that are all around them now. We ask You to bless the surgeons; that they will be directed by You, that their skills be heightened and their hands be made steady and sure. Please send Your love and Your angels with their helping, healing hands. We thank You for all You have given us, and humbly ask blessings on all; especially Alex and Ken. This is our prayer for surgery and we ask for these blessings to be given if it is Your will, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Until next time, may the Lord carry us on our journey, 
Pat