Transplant Reflections
November 10, 2005…
I was on my lunch break when I got a call from Chandra Wednesday, November 9, 2005.
On the phone I heard, "Well, this is it! They have a liver for Canon. We're heading to the airport. I love you! Bye!"
WOW! We thought Canon was still "on hold" due to waiting out the 1-month period from his 18-month-old innoculations, but apparently the transplant team decided that as there were only a few days left in the extra period they had tacked on to the hold time for safety it would be OK to perform the transplant.
(Once Canon's mom or dad get time and emotional energy to tell us "the rest of the story" I'm sure these holes will be filled in. Meanwhile, these are my "reflections" based on the incomplete picture I have.)
So I rush back inside to the office, tell a few folks (who knew this day would come sooner or later), "I'm outta here!", and head to Houston. Of course, I'm not sure exactly how to get to the right interstate from where I work, or where the hospital is exactly, or how to find Canon once I get there... but I figure these problems can all be resolved on the way.
Good thing I had my cell phone charger in the car, 'cause it seemed to be in almost constant use on the way, calling blood family, calling church family, calling friends, calling the hospital, calling, calling, ...
The lady at the hospital was nice on the phone, but she cautioned me, "You know, you may just have to turn around, because we haven't yet had time to fully qualify the donor liver."
I told her, "Yes, I know all that; Chandra has explained it." But I didn't know how to tell the nurse that the issue was immaterial, as how could I sit anywhere, besides in a vehicle getting closer to Houston by the minute, when my first child and my first grandson were heading there in a Lear jet? It just didn't compute.
I made it to the hospital, found the right waiting room, learned the jet was still in the air, and got to decompress for about a half-hour before Chandra's mom and two younger brothers arrived.
And just as they showed up, one of Chandra's dearest friend's dad came in. "I was in the area and heard from family in Amarillo that Canon was on his way, so I had to come too!" Wow. What a great feeling to have friends like that!
About 5:00 PM Chandra called and said (I knew from the tone of her voice what she was going to say before she said it), "Well, we're here, but the transplant is OFF. I'll call you back in just a minute." Then Drew called a few minutes later with additional details: "The liver was too large, even cut in half, for Canon. They're putting us back in the ambulance to take us back to the airport. Fortunately the plane has not taken off yet, and they've agreed to take us back to Amarillo if we get there ASAP."
Well, that was all it took to remove the last bit of the adrenaline we had been running on for the last few hours from our systems. We got up from the waiting room, headed back to our vehicles, and headed home. The trip home was twice as long as the trip to Houston. It's strange how that works, isn't it?
We heard from Chandra once they got back home that night. Even being prepared (we thought) for the events of the day, we all suffered from severe emotional fatigue. No one more than Drew, Chandra, and Canon though. Poor little Canon, once the call was received before lunchtime in Amarillo, was allowed no food or drink due to the impending major (MAJOR) surgery, and of course he did not understand why no one would feed him. Fortunately, there was Finding Nemo to distract him somewhat. (Hooray for portable DVD players!) Unfortunately (tongue in cheek), the jet was so fast that Canon did not have time to FIND Nemo before they arrived in Houston!
Goodness! Have you looked at Canon's guestbook for yesterday yet? Two pages of notes, prayers, and "We're wishing you well" observations. How do we say THANK YOU for the outpouring of love and support that continues to flow from all of you to all of us? It would make you think that we're part of the same family, wouldn't it? And in so many ways, we are. And what a great family it is!
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,unto HIM be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
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