And So The Journey Now Continues.......

As I reflect on the events of the past two months, I realize so much has happened since my last post right after Mother's Day.  I started writing the blog many times since May but never completed any.  I would try again and again but the words were not right and I realized I needed to step back and reevaluate the situation.  So with that said, here is part one of our journey since May...

Ken in the hospital with his "joys"

Girls enjoying the beach

Ken was having blood tests done on Tuesday every other week now.  Since he was feeling good and his levels were about the same our life started to resume a sense of normalcy.  It was GOOD! We planned a trip to the beach in Florida - one of our favorite vacation spots with Stefanie, Danny, Addie, Sophie and Jillie.  We had not been to the beach since the summer of 2008.  The Tuesday after Memorial day everything changed in a hurry.  I got a phone call at home telling me that Ken had to come to the hospital immediately.  Needless to say I was very concerned.  Ken told the doctors he was going on vacation on Friday but they still insisted he had to come in.  So we packed for the fifth time since his kidney transplant praying that this would be a short stay.  And again it was hurry hurry hurry.......and then we waited, waited, and waited.  He got in his room rather quickly in "hospital time" but nothing was done.  The doctors had said because of his blood tests it looked like the kidney was in distress so they needed to perform another biopsy.  This would be biopsy number 4.  Easy procedure for the normal patient but Ken was on blood thinning medicine.  They would have to take him off that while giving him heparin.  Nothing happened on Tuesday or Wednesday.  Remember  "Come to the hospital immediately"  on Tuesday - and here it was Thursday and they decided to give him frozen plasma which would make his blood clot temporarily and do the biopsy in the afternoon.  We prayed that this would give him an answer and things would be good again.  There were no results on Friday and the reality hit us that this would not be the summer for our beach vacation.  We had already paid for the condo so we sent Stefanie and her family off to the beach.  We enjoyed our beach vacation through the pictures they sent us.  It was so hard missing the time with our granddaughters but we promised ourselves next summer we would try again.  Now the waiting game began.  No results on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.  We learned it was not a rejection or the BK virus but they were running more tests on it.  The sample had been sent out of town for testing.  Finally the doctors came to tell us on Wednesday it was the original disease that attacked his own kidneys but they only found some traces of it.  Needless to say this was a shock and not the news we were hoping for.  The treatment plan was an infusion of a powerful chemo drug to put the disease into remission.  The infusion would take about 8 hours to administer but then we would go home.  We called our children to let them know the treatment plan.  They were concerned but we reassured them all.

Gus and his proud mama

Meanwhile Kelly, entering her last month of pregnancy,  had been to the doctor for her checkup that Wednesday morning and everything was fine.  Her due date was still July 4th.  Later Wednesday night we got a call from Kelly.  Her water broke and she was heading to the hospital.  We all figured she would be put on bed rest and sent home.  But an hour later I got a phone call from Kelly telling me she was going to labor and delivery.  She was scared and we were suppose to be there with her.  We had rehearsed weeks before how we would get online immediately and get tickets on the first plane out to South Carolina.  Hopefully we would be there in time for the delivery but if not we would be there shortly afterwards.  Through tears I had to tell her I could not leave Ken because he was having his infusion the next day and I had to be with him.  It was heartbreaking.  I was so torn but I knew she was with Alex and his parents.  She was going to be fine.  Throughout that long night she and I talked and I tried to calm her down.  It was killing me not being there with her.  I actually booked my flight that night in the hospital.  I think it helped her knowing I would be there on Sunday.  Thursday morning finally arrived and still no baby.  Ken's infusion was going to start in the afternoon.  We were on baby watch.  We stopped thinking about the infusion or the side effects of the medicine.  The only thing that we cared about was Kelly and the baby.  Around 2:45pm Augustus Alexander Mclean V was born.  He was fine and mommy was too.  We got pictures instantly and knew all was well.  "Gus" changed everything for us that afternoon.  Our fears and concerns were gone. We were no longer worried about Ken.  We were given the best news with the birth of a healthy baby boy. And so the story will continue next week....

I wanted to end with a quote from this book I am reading  - Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly.  Ken and I are slowly learning these things but I love the way he puts it.."Stop trying to put together a master plan for your life and for your happiness. Instead, seek out the Master's plan for your life and for your happiness." We can do this through prayer.

Thank you for continuing your prayers for Ken and we continue our prayers for all of you.

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