One Year Mark

Wow.  Today, April 18, 2013, marks one year since Christopher's kidney transplant.  I didn't think it would feel any different this morning when I woke up, but it did.  So many thoughts racing through my head.   One of my early thoughts this morning was that I was already asleep preparing for surgery this time last year, and Christopher was well on his way.  It is surreal in some sense of the imagination.  We were so built up in prayers that I think we both were simply in another zone- if that makes any sense.  We both were so at peace.  No fear.  No hesitation.  Just our eyes fixed on what needed be accomplished.  My concerns or worries were never on myself.  Just my child.  To look back and reflect on the peace He gave me during that time is overwhelming.  So, here we are, one year down.

When you have a child going through a major health issue, fear can pop its ugly head. One phrase the Lord kept whispering to me on our journey prior to surgery was He would never leave nor forsake us and to not be afraid or discouraged.  There are different verses in the Bible where He reminds us of these important words, but they seemed to always show up.  Especially when I needed them. Interestingly enough, He still whispers those same words to me now.  A devotion came across my email this morning.  The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."  (Deuteronomy 31:8).  Gentle reminders but such strong words.

Christopher is doing great.  He continues to take everything in stride, as if he has walked this journey his entire life.  God has filled him with such strength, peace, and an amazing sense of self. He is grounded in who he is.  He is my hero.  We were walking yesterday and I brought up how quickly his life changed 1 1/2 years ago.  He went from going to the doctor once per year for well visits to monthly, and even weekly at times, lab visits.  He has accepted this "assignment" the Lord has given him with such grace it overwhelms me at times. He is a true soldier.

I asked him this afternoon what was the first thing he remembers when waking up from surgery.  He said that he remembers seeing Gracie and asking her if he could take his oxygen mask off.  She asked the nurse, and shortly after it was removed.  I asked him if he remembered any pain, and he doesn't.  I asked him the worst memory, and he said the catheter.  Of course.  When asked what his fondest memories were...his siblings visiting him and hanging out.  Overall, his memories of his hospital stay have faded (other than that catheter). 

What did we do today?  Celebrated with chicken wings from Pizza Hut, of course! This was the first thing he requested to eat upon leaving the hospital last year after 10 days.  He wouldn't eat in the hospital, but he sure did eat chicken wings that first evening home.

We give all the praise to our Lord Jesus Christ for carrying us!

Praising Him for ALL He has done and relishing in the fact we are finally at the one year mark!
Mia

Catching Up

We did post a brief update last month, but our last detailed posting was in August.  So much has happened, or should I say changed, since then with our family.

Skippy (CG's pet goat) did die, but I still find it interesting that she was with us until the weekend CG arrived home from Israel and days before he left for college. She gracefully closed the childhood chapter for CG before he left home for college.  It still seems a little strange to look in our back yard and her not be there.  I am ready to clear out the old dog house she sat on top of, but CG and Greg want it as a keepsake. Hmmm....

CG left for the University of South Carolina (USC) on August 18.  He is now well into his second semester of college.  He pulled a 3.8 for his first semester, and we were very excited about that!  He leaves on June 3 for Hong Kong.  He is already in count down mode, and it is really hard to believe that he will be leaving in a little over three months.  He will study the Chinese language throughout the summer for eight hours a day until school begins at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.  We will fly him home for Christmas, and then he won't be back home until August 2014.  He will study at USC his junior year, and then he will fly back to Hong Kong to complete his senior year.  CG and I still talk and text a lot, so that has made the transition much easier for me!

Well, we have yet another Pendarvis kid getting ready to graduate!  Yes, Gracie will be graduating this June!  We are planning her gradution party on June 1 so CG will be able to celebrate with us.  He won't be here for her graduation since he will need to be in Hong Kong by June 5.  Very disappointing, but we all understand of course.  We always knew having children so close in age would mean them leaving close to the same time, but again, I can't believe we are here.  Gracie had a long road to recovery, therapy, and training after her ACL surgery.  While she worked extremely hard to get her knee strong again, she slowly gave up her dream of playing soccer in college.  She has been Clemson bound for the last six months, but now that soccer season is here again, and her knee is almost back to normal, her dream has awakened.  At this point, she is leaning towards Wofford College in Spartanburg.  She has spoken with the coach, and she may have an opportunity to be on Wofford's soccer team.  Wofford is listed as one of the top 10 colleges in the nation in biology, so this school would be a good fit for Gracie since she is going to college to become a pediatrician.  She has her first high school game next week, and she is so excited to be on the field again.  Something she doesn’t take for granted now.

Cody is getting ready for another play.  I was unable to attend Cody's play last spring due to the surgeries, but I will be there every night this time!  Cody is a sophomore, so we have him home another two years. He is very active in student council (he serves as the school Treasurer), and he was the school mascot during football season (the Falcon...aka "My Bird").  Greg and Cody are actually in Columbia this evening visiting with CG.  He has really missed his brother, and he has taken over CG’s room rather quickly.

Well, Christopher turned 13 years old on January 31.  13!  How can that be?!  Four teenagers.  Wow.  We celebrated Christopher's 10th month post transplant February 18 (Greg and I celebrate days & months quite often!).  In eight short weeks he will be at the one year mark.  Can you believe it?!  One year!  The one year mark is a very good place to be following a kidney transplant.  Nurse Bill always gets the children a cake to celebrate their one year anniversary post transplant. Christopher tells me he isn't going to his appointment that month:-)  Christopher isn’t into the hoopla stuff like his mama.  I told him that I would at least like a piece of cake.  During the first year following a kidney transplant there can be different bumps in the road along the way (as the medical staff likes to call them), but overall, as the doctor stated this past month, it has been an uneventful year for Christopher.  Praise God.  We are so grateful!! We have so much to be thankful for. 

Greg continues to be busy shepherding almost everyone he comes into contact with:-)  Love God. Love People.  That is my husband.  I am blessed to be his wife.  He is an amazing husband and father.

Me?  God continues to grow me each and every day.  At times I get a little sad when I think about CG no longer living at home and knowing that he will be in Hong Kong for 14 months. Also realizing our only little girl will be heading off to college early August leaving us with another empty room.  It's strange how the Lord prepares a mother's heart to let her children go, don't you think?  Stages have always been a part of child rearing.  But here we are at the stage of preparing to let our second one go.  Strangely, I am okay. I have found that God gives me peace and comfort during all of the stages, as well as changes in life. On a different note, God has also grown me in more ways than imaginable within the past 21 months (since starting on this new journey).  The little things that use to get me down no longer have a hold on me. I see life through a different set of eyes now.  I realize that if my children are healthy, then everything else will be okay. I guess you can say that I don't sweat the small stuff any more.  Nothing will ever top what I went through emotionally and mentally the first few months of this new journey when my mind struggled to make sense of everything.  I suppose that is why I can put life in better perspective now.  Honestly, I am still healing emotionally from the early months of this new journey.  It will take some time, but I am content and very thankful to be where we are right now.  I am very grateful to have a God fearing husband and four children that are thriving in their walk with the Lord and grounded in who they are.

I would like to end by posting a beautiful song about life's journey and our walk as Christians.  The song is by Sidewalk Prophets, and it is called Help Me Find It.  Click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIpIHfZ88PM .

Living in His Amazing Grace,
Mia

A Brief Update

I wanted to post a brief update to share that Christopher continues to do amazing.  We have a very healthy young man!  Praise God!  January 18 (four more days!) will mark nine months since his kidney transplant, and he has not missed a thing.  I tell many people that Christopher never experienced the symptoms that many patients do prior to their transplants, so he went from "one side to the other" without skipping a beat.  Truly amazing, and we do not take that for granted.  There is so much to catch up on with our family.  I hope to post more soon!
Mia