Mark Thomas' Reminder

My parents came up for dinner last night. Before we ate, Mark Thomas asked my mom to pray. After she said her prayer, Mark Thomas looked up and said, "Mimi, you forgot to pray for Daddy's kidneys!" Although kidney disease has been difficult for Mark to say the least, I am thankful that through this trial, Mark Thomas is learning the importance of prayer and faith. Although he doesn't realize the seriousness of his Dad's situation, he does seem to understand the importance of turning our problems over to our Heavenly Father. I am thankful for the reminder that good things can happen in the midst of not-so-good situations.

Praying and Waiting

As many of you know, our family is waiting to hear from Johns Hopkins with the decision of whether or not the referral from UK will be accepted and Mark will start the evaluation process for a third transplant. We submitted all of our paperwork and consent forms in early June. We've heard from our insurance company a few weeks ago. Apparently, Hopkins is "out of network" on our insurance plan. Humana wanted to make sure that we were willing to pay the "out of network" charges. Of course, we agreed and were told that Humana was pre-approving Mark for a transplant evaluation. The Transplant Management team at Humana thought that Hopkins would be contacting us soon with information about Mark's case. However, at present, we still haven't heard anything from Hopkins. So, we are waiting and praying.

Although we have enjoyed a wonderful summer (minus Mark's hospitalization in June), it is difficult to simply wait. It feels like we are at a crossroad...either we will start the journey for another transplant or we will have to go down a different road that entails coming to terms with "life on dialysis" or searching for another facility that would transplant Mark. To be honest, both options are really scary. The thought of another transplant is promising in so many ways, but can also cripple you with fear as it brings back so many painful memories. Of course there is always the chance that Hopkins will accept the referral, complete the evaluation process, and then decide Mark isn't a candidate for a third transplant. I'm not sure which would be worse....never going to Hopkins or getting your hopes up and then learning it won't work out? The thought of Hopkins saying "no" seems like the worst possibility. At what point do you give up on transplantation? It would be difficult to know when to stop searching and simply accept life as it is. I am praying that we will find God's peace in whatever situation is the outcome. I am also praying for strength and guidance.

On a positive note, Mark went back to work!!! About three weeks ago, he started working part-time as a Loan Reviewer at the Bank of Harlan! The Bank has been so extremely supportive of Mark throughout the situation with his health. After being gone nearly a year, they welcomed him back and have been very accommodating of his doctor's appointments and dialysis needs. We remain so thankful for the love and support of our community.