Sounds Familiar

The kidney started producing urine before it was secured completely in place. My friend, the recipient, has become stronger and stronger in her health from the get-go. It is common for the recipient's body to try to reject a kidney at least once, and possibly a few times, before the first year post-op is complete. This never happened with her. As a matter of fact, she was given the go to get pregnant, and one year and 3-4 months post-op, she did, having never experienced a single rejection!  Three months later, her body recognized the intruder we know as the transplanted kidney, and it tried to reject it for the first time. (First time at a year and six months post-op! Incredible!) The hospital got the situation under control, and the baby and mother are both doing fine.

My friend is now four months pregnant.  I think I have picked up that she is closely monitored by her doctors and has been admitted into the hospital a couple of times, for a couple days each, because the body is trying to reject the kidney.  Again, this is normal even when not pregnant.  It was a miracle the body took as long as it did to reject the kidney the first time. A miracle, because if it had tried to reject it before she got pregnant, she wouldn't have been allowed to get pregnant as soon as she was, and maybe not at all.  P.S. It is a baby girl!

(My restaurant friend who is the recipient of her brother's kidney had desires to become pregnant sometime after the transplant, and her doctors told her that she cannot do that because she will die.)

My own recipient friend's husband got a new job in a town six hours away. They move next week, after only three weeks to pack, put their house up for sale, and make new living arrangements in their new location. Amongst all her hospital visits and packing, she has had to let people walk through to look at her house.

On Facebook, yesterday morning, she had had filled out one of those "getting to know me" list of questions. One of the questions was, "What's your favorite dessert."  She said, "Right now, huckleberry ice cream," then mentioned where she gets it, which happens to be where I work. I knew right then that I really wanted to get her a quart of it.

When I got to work I realized that I had no time to get the huckleberry ice cream to her before it would melt in my car, so I said a prayer asking God to send someone who could deliver the ice cream to her for me.  I laughed at myself for such a silly request, because we have very few common friends, and I have never seen one of them during the hours I worked. I figured if it were important, someone would show up. I was surprised and delighted when two such "someones" showed up a couple hours later!! Coincidence? I don't think so! I knew as soon as I saw them that they were on an errand for the Lord!

This morning I got a text from my friend that said, "You were an answer to my prayer," then it went on to explain that yesterday she was really feeling down. She prayed and mentioned to God that she could really use some help and huckleberry ice cream. Later that day her mom showed up as a surprise (from another state) and then a little later the huckleberry ice cream was delivered!

This reminded me of her mom's and my roles in her life, in general. This friend of mine has had medical problems her whole life. Her mom was there by her side laboring with her, raising her, teaching her, all the dedication moms do.  I had something my friend needed. My role was insignificant in comparison and was only for a short time period in both cases. First, I was keeping her kidney safe in my body until she needed it, and when she did, I gave it to her.  Yesterday I had her ice cream. In both cases the item came from me, but someone else delivered the item from me to her, and in both cases her mom was with her when it was received and enjoyed. These similarities are what hit me hardest with warm fuzzy amazement!

I am also deeply touched with how important each of us is to God. He (and in my opinion, angels) arrange and coordinate several of us to let one of his daughters feel His love.  I don't know how I got lucky enough to be part of this, but I feel so blessed that I was somehow invited!  I love watching his gifts of love unfold in our lives!