Puddles of Paint ~ Updates

Family Issues In-The-Works

11/23/09
It has been almost a year since I have posted an update here, but I wanted to let you know how things are going. Can you believe it has been OVER a year since the kidney transplant surgeries? Dad is doing well. There were some glitches because the anti-rejection medications caused him to have diabetes and they are also making his hair thinner.... so he's not a happy camper about that... however... the kidney and dad are both doing GREAT! I feel just fine and have had no complications from the donor surgery :)

My little grandson, Hunter is now 2 years old. Yes, I know... time flies!!! He's just precious and funny too. I thought I would share some recent pictures of the family although my husband rarely makes a picture-appearance so you are likely to only catch him in the background. Here's some of the family at Halloween time.... Hunter was a "Towboy" (Cowboy).

12/09/08
Well here it is almost Christmas already ~ we have crossed the 3-month anniversary of our kidney transplant surgeries and everything is going well. There are a few complications due to the medications that dad has to take to keep his body from rejecting the kidney. However, we knew it would be a trade off... there is no cure for kidney failure, only treatments. Even with the brand new kidney working so well, there are still a few issues to face... but we are prepared and extremely thankful to have been given this chance. I am doing just fine and have completely recovered from donating the kidney to dad. Mom is also doing very well and is happy to be decorating for the holidays :) Speaking for my entire family, we wish your family all the best for the Holidays and hope you each have a safe, happy, healthy and MERRY Christmas!! This will probably be my last post on this page, at least for now, since things are getting back to normal here at Puddles of Paint ~ this "blog" was meant to keep anyone who was interested, posted on the goings on of the transplant surgery. As you know it was an uphill battle, but one that we have completed with *victory*!! Thank you all for keeping tabs on us. I hope that you will continue to enjoy this website and everything new I will be adding.

Left: Before dad got sick. Right: When he was waiting on the transplant.

Dad NOW!! Mom

11/09/08

Happy Anniversary to us!! It's been 2 months (yesterday) since we had the kidney transplant surgeries. I am doing well, and dad is growing stronger each day. It has been a blessing to watch his transformation back into the "old dad" that we all know and love. He had gotten so weak and passive from his kidney disease, and now.... he's looking to the future ... he's starting to walk and exercise... and he is getting quite bossy again! Gotta love it! The kidney is doing extremely well -- working hard to clean his system and get him back on track. Here is a recent picture of dad and my son, Travis. And below is a picture of grandbaby Hunter with his mommy, Jill.

We visited little Hunter on Halloween. He was dressed up as a "sock monkey" and what a cute little monkey he was. He's 14 months old now... walking, talking... and sassing his parents. I must admit I am taking great joy in that.... pay back!!! I'm really laughing too much, but it's fun to be the 'grammy' and throw discipline right out the window! Let his parents deal with it.

10/08/08

It's been over 4 weeks now since our transplant surgeries took place. Can you believe how time flies? Well I thought I would show you where I found my kitty after an hour of searching for her tonight .... she was as quiet as a little child when they're hiding!! Hubby takes a bottle of water to work each day and so we have a case of them sitting on the hutch nearby the door. I can't wait to see his face when he tries to get his bottle of water tomorrow morning! "KD" is such a sweet cat to her humans, but she's a terror to our other kitties. They just don't seem to appreciate her as much as I do. We rescued her from a shelter up in North Carolina a couple years ago. Isn't it odd how things work out in mysterious ways... she was scheduled to be "put down" the very next morning when I happened to find her via the internet while browsing adoptable pets. After making many emergency phone calls to the shelter and local NC Vets, we were able to hault the process until we could drive up from Georgia and rescue her the next day. Of all things... it was that very month that we learned of my dad's kidney disease .... and we began the long process to get the transplant surgeries. So as it turned out, we rescued a North Carolina kitty and then years later, North Carolina rescued us!!

10/02/08

My parents are home from North Carolina!! Dad and I are still recuperating from our surgeries, but all is going well. I can't believe we waited for so long for it to happen, it seemed that the time would never come. Then, suddenly, it was here and gone in the blink of an eye. The kidney is still working perfectly for dad and he is getting stronger each day.

Hunter had his first birthday right before we left for the surgeries, and we were able to spend some time with him before heading out that next day. Here he is with his daddy (my son Travis) when he received his first, of many, four wheelers!! He's "all boy" and loves to be on the go... but there is a softer side to him :) Once he received a snuggly stuffed bear and then a homemade chocolate cake from great grandmother, he was quite torn as to which he loved more!!

09/20/08
We did it! The transplant is finally over. I donated a kidney to dad and it's working perfectly. We aren't out of the woods yet, still recovering from both surgeries... but the hardest part is all over with. We all stayed in North Carolina for a couple weeks to have the procedure done at Duke. They were *great* and we were treated very well.... and dad and I are both coming along as expected. My recovery time is quite a bit less than dad's and I was able to travel back to Georgia today (Saturday). Dad and mom stayed in NC and will be there a couple more weeks while dad continues to heal. He and mom are taking a much-needed break and are resting up so his recovery time is as short as possible. He has to go back for labs and check ups to make sure the kidney continues to do its job. I'll keep you posted here until he and mom are home safe 'n sound. We have been sooooo blessed with not only successful surgeries but also blessed with such a loving and caring family and friends support group that has surrounded us through it all. We never could have done this without your prayers. I'm forever grateful! I'll be back to work on Monday the 22nd (My birthday!) so if I owe you an email or an order -- I'll be catching up soon. Love to all, Susan

09/05/08
We're on our way! Thank you for the cards and well-wishes that keep pouring in. It has given us a boost of confidence knowing that so many of you are praying for us during our transplant surgeries. Our family is very optimistic that all will go well. We have lots of family support, not to mention our close friends who are going out of their way to help us with the little details to keep everything running smoothly. We are truly blessed! Baby Hunter turned a year old and is walking... and talking up a storm. I can't wait to post new pictures of him soon. Love to all! Susan

07/31/08
Apparently it's "official" and the surgery is a "go" for the 8th of Sept. I can hardly believe that we finally have the date. Thank you all for the pouring-in of cards, love, and support for dad 'n me (and mom). We appreciate all the good thoughts and prayers. If you would like to send a card to dad, just email me for his address. You can find my address under "contact us" here on website.

Little Hunter is just about to walk. He's also babbling constantly and even talks on the phone. The other day he said "ba bluda mmm se da" which I *swear* translates to "I love you grammy". He's a happy little guy and it's a pleasure to watch him grow and learn new things. I miss him by the boatloads when I don't see him for a couple of weeks. I think I'll go and visit him again soon just to get a dose of *happy*.

My middle son (step-son) just moved to a new state ... and also got engaged recently. Although we didn't see him that often while he lived close-by... still he was always right around the corner if we wanted to pop in. Now we have to drive 10 hours to "pop in". My husband is taking it pretty hard, so I anticipate many "pop in's" coming in the near future. I think I'll check into flights to avoid all that driving.

Here is a recent picture of some of my family. Left to Right: Cason (my youngest stepson), Ashley (Trav's fiance'), Spencer (my hubby), and Trav (my other stepson)... not to be confused with Travis, my son. Oh I almost forgot Patchet, Ashley's furry son!!

07/21/08
Just a quick note this time to tell you the *good* news. My surgeon called on Sunday, then his/my coordinator called later the same evening and we picked a surgery date for the kidney transplant. Okay... drrrrrruuuummmm rolllllllll please........

September 8th

is tentatively scheduled. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to putting all this behind us -- so it's a welcomed relief that we finally got the date. Still a bit more red tape to sift through, but so far, that's when it will happen. Thanks, as always, for caring -- more updates will come as I get more news.

07/15/08

      My aunt passed away and we were out of town for a couple of days -- but we are back now. If you are awaiting an email reply from me, I appreciate your patience while I work my way through to answer.
       In the meantime, I thought you might like to see a picture of Hunter who is just about to take his first steps! That is my son (Hunter's daddy) carefully letting go. This same weekend, Hunter learned how to "jump" from the side of the pool into daddy's arms. Can you believe how fast he's growing? I can't either!
     Tomorrow is the *big day* when I get to phone the hospital to see if they will give us the kidney transplant date for dad 'n me. Your prayers are especially appreciated! I'll post a note here soon.

06/12/08
We're back from our short trip to North Carolina for what was hopefully the final round in the transplant evaluation.... the continuing saga. Okay we are *almost* there. I have to lose 5 more pounds and they have to be sure that my blood pressure is low-enough. I did a 24-hour BP monitor which they will read this week and then let me know the results. As it stands..... our transplant surgeries will take place in August. WOO HOO! Finally a 'sort of' date. We can live with that for now. Thank you for your continued thoughts, well-wishes and prayers. It means so much to know everyone is pulling for us.

06/09/08

Well I just had to go see my little fellah before we head back up to North Carolina for another 'evaluation' with the kidney transplant team. It's a neverending process; I wonder how anyone actually gets a transplant these days. Hopefully when we return this time, it will be with some good news to share! We are anticipating a surgery date, once again, but I'm still working on the weight loss. A few more pounds to go... they have been with me for so long, they are having trouble letting go. HAAAAAA. This is a picture of little Hunter trying his first pickle.... oh the faces he made!!! He is 9 months old now, can you believe it?

04/15/08

Little Hunter is growing faster than I can keep up with. He's almost walking already! I am going to take a 'grammy' day soon and go have a play date with him. He's 7 months old now and is still just as cute as a button.

We postponed our trip back to the transplant center because I haven't lost the weight necessary for the surgeries to take place. I'm still working at it, but losing 10-20 pounds in a month was nearly impossible for me! The 12 lbs. are gone but the surgeon wants me to lose even more. Dad is doing okay -- kinda weak -- but is adjusting to dialysis and is being very supportive of my weight-loss efforts. Mom is fine, always busy.

04/04/08

I hope you had a wonderful Easter! We enjoyed a big family get-together with lots of love, laughter, and food! It's been a slow-go with my weight loss efforts; but I have incorporated exercise into my low-fat diet plan and have lost one more eensy pound!! Only a gazillion more to go and then we have "lift off" Houston!! The transplant surgery meetings and testing continue with more coming in a few short weeks. Dad is doing well and is anxious to move past this 'glitch' in his life. I am as anxious as he is to put this chapter behind us.

No other big news to report, which depending upon how you look at it, could be a *good* thing. We are busy over at ToleTown with tons of members who inspire us to continue scrambling for new trends and projects; if you haven't dropped by lately, come see what's new.

Spring cleaning here on the homefront is going to become a big priority very soon. I'll post pictures as I complete the redecorating project in the guest bath. It's been an ongoing "project" for 4 months now! LOL. All I had to do was paint the walls and replace the flooring ~ dunno know WHAT could be taking me so long!!

03/13/08
Well Hunter is 6 months old already ... where did the time go? He's now enjoying baby food (as you might guess by the look on his face!).
My testing for the kidney transplant didn't go as well as expected -- they still want me to lose even more weight and now I have to get my blood pressure to behave (it's pretty consistent at 125/75 but occasionally it rises higher than that; especially when they make me wait two and a half hours for an appointment). They want me to come back in a month to follow up AGAIN. Dad is ready and approved... so now it's just up to me to get in shape enough to make it happen. I've lost 10 lbs. and now will work on the next 10. Wish me luck! It is very frustrating because we have complied with every single 'recommendation' the doctors have given us. And they even knew my weight and blood pressure readings prior to me making the 7 hour trip -- but they waited until after I drove all the way to NC, and even after giving us surgery dates to pick from -- then at the very end of the day -- dropped the bombshell on me that they want me to be even thinner. HUH? What's ten more pounds on a chubby person? It's not like I'll be THIN if I lose ten more ... but I have to do what they ask. It seems that we are once again getting the run-around from this 2nd hospital.... just like the last one. It's disheartening to try so hard, knowing dad doesn't have all that long to wait!!! Just to have them "change their minds" but they keep reassuring me it is in our best interest. I am beginning to wonder!! Your continued prayers are appreciated and in the meanwhile, we are enjoying every minute of having baby Hunter around to keep us smiling!

02/04/08

Transplant update: They told me I had to lose 8 lbs. to be in the right range for donor surgery (like that's enough?) so okay I just lost 8 lbs. in 3 weeks. Lean Cuisines twice a day with the help of Relacore which is an all-natural supplement to help reduce belly fat... one or the other or both.. are working cuz my pants are loose. Tonight I got to eat dinner with little Hunter who is now 5 months old to celebrate my weight loss... guess that's not a great way to celebrate!!! But, it sure was fun seeing my little precious guy... oh and his parents too of course.

My next mission is to spend 2 days in North Carolina for further testing as a donor for dad. That is to be scheduled within the upcoming weeks; so please say a few more prayers that I am still healthy enough to get this kidney outta me!! You know I'll lose a few more pounds when it's gone. *giggles*

01/08/08
Is he growing up *fast* or what??

12/31/07

Happy Holidays!! I hope that each of you enjoyed the holidays as much as I did! And boy was it even greater with little Hunter included this year. Although he had no idea what the holiday season was all about, he sure seemed as though he completely understood! Dad has finally been officially approved for a kidney transplant through a hospital in North Carolina - and now we are once again waiting for my tests to be completed. It looks like the on-again... off-again... transplant surgeries are now "on again"!! Your continued prayers are appreciated.

11/17/07
Here's my little grand-santa just as jolly as can be. Well... maybe not. Ha. Update on dad, he made it through the heart cath last Wednesday and they found no blockages and actually proved his heart function is better than they once thought. The good news just keeps pouring in!! Stay tuned, I think we will get a transplant surgery date soon. Until then, we are just enjoying little Hunter to the fullest.

10/31/07

We received good news today from a hospital in North Carolina. It appears that dad's kidney transplant surgery has been "unofficially" approved! Can you believe it? Since early 2007, we have been pursuing this option at a hospital close to home, but have run into snag after snag. FINALLY the doctors in NC have done their jobs thoroughly, sorted through the misguided information and have come to the brilliant conclusion that dad and I are both fit enough to get through the donor/recipient kidney surgeries!! Woo hoo. Of course there's still some red tape to get through ~ but just some little details and a few more tests. Paleeeeeze continue to pray for a successful outcome for both dad and me as we undergo this scary, yet exciting chapter in our lives!! We will most likely be having the surgery 7 hours away from home; so it will be hard living in a hotel while going through this whole thing. I will post it here as soon as we know the date of the surgeries. More good news, my little grandson, Hunter, is thriving and doing well. He's 2 months old already and is a chubby little fellow ~ cute as a button of course *grin*. Above is another picture of him taken this week. Yes he really does open his eyes, we have a picture finally to prove it. ROFL.

10/04/07
Good news for baby Hunter. He is out the woods with the jaundice and all blood tests came back normal! He weighed in at a whopping 9 pounds today for his one-month check up? He was actually "due" tomorrow (Oct 5th) so we feel sure he'll open his eyes up for the next photo! Since he was born so early, we guess that he decided there was no need to wake up until time to really be born. HA

09/27/07
We had another meeting with the hospital to state our case, so to speak. And, it appears that it might have done some good. We are once again awaiting their new decision regarding dad's transplant surgery being "on again" instead of "off again". Boy the ups 'n downs of this are enough to make me have gray hair-- oh wait I already do!!! HA.

09/10/07

Little Hunter is *here* and what a grand entrance he made. We had just left for the coast when we received the call to hurry back home ~ driving like my car had wings (and wishing it did), we made it back to Atlanta with 3 hours to spare before Hunter made his appearance! Although he's over 4 weeks early (born Sept. 4th instead of Oct. 5th), he weighed in at a whopping 6 lbs., 14 ozs... big enough to go right home, but still a premie with a few issues that are being addressed. Mom and baby (and Daddy) are doing just fine. We are helping out as much as we can, and soon I'll have new pictures to show off!

Since dad was turned down for the kidney transplant due to "health reasons" (that we sort of disagree with)... we have decided to consider trying another hospital. We have an interview in November ~ and hope to have good news to share with you then. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers so we can put this all behind us and enjoy our new grandson (and great-grandson to dad). What a wonderful burst of happiness to have Hunter arrive at this time!!

08/23/07
Not so good news about the transplant. After leaving us on the edges of our seats for so long, the transplant team has determined that dad's heart might not be strong enough to sustain the new kidney at this time. (Although *nothing* has changed regarding his physical condition since the onset of the transplant testing when they thought it was fine...?) This is such sad news for us because we have documentation to prove that their "theories" are not accurate. Well, "no" doesn't always mean "no" and they're not the only hospital in the world... with that said.... we will continue our pursuit at 3 other hospitals who have very reputable transplant teams. I believe that eventually this transplant surgery will happen, and so does dad.... and that's what we are hanging onto right now; that and our faith!!

08/07/07
Okay after a long wait, we are now back in touch with the transplant teams. Follow up testing is scheduled for early September. Prayers are appreciated that we can get this behind us with a positive result!! Another ultrasound is scheduled for my new grandson in 3 more weeks -- they think he's coming earlier than Oct 5th; maybe 'weeks' earlier!! I am hoping for a birthday baby-- on *my* birthday (9/22). How odd that we will be in the midst of the transplant all the while my new grandson is coming. Bittersweet, for sure!!

07/23/07
We got to the kidney transplant meeting; only to be a little discouraged by the fact that the doctors are suddenly thinking that dad's heart won't hold up through the surgery and then taking the heavy medications after the transplant. Not sure why "now" they are thinking this since we have gone through months and months of testing for both dad and me -- with no change to his heart condition in the meanwhile. They really didn't give us a very good answer; but they must have their reasons. It's not definitive yet; we will know more in about a week. *sigh*

07/05/07

My first grandson is due to be born around October 5th! His mommy had a recent stay at the hospital, but they are both doing fine now! Between my dad, my mom, my husband, my brother-in-law, and my daughter-in-law (oh and my bird who recently had surgery).... I feel like I should have a wing at each hospital dedicated to our family since we are there so often. ROFL! (About eight times since April!!!) So, if I seem to be a bit distracted or get a tad behind.... I hope you will be patient with me!!

06/25/07
Kidney Transplant Update: Dad's waiting on a 30-day timeout until conference day to determine if the kidney transplant surgery is a "go". There are questions about his heart being too weak for the surgery, but he's getting stronger every day. I have high hopes that he will be fine to receive my kidney. I visited with the doctors today, and it was determined that not only did I have that tick disease many years ago (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever)--- but wouldn't you know it... I have *another* tick disease now! This time it's Lyme Disease. Okay 30 days of antibiotics and we will be back on track for the kidney transplant. Cross your fingers for us :)

06/13/07
Just a quick spot of "weirdness" that happened ... we had a very unusual hail storm here (Georgia). It hit our area very hard. The entire yard was covered in golf-ball sized- all the way up to baseball sized hail. The yard was *white*. Our cars are very dented. No broken windows, though. Here's a few after-shots that I took with my camera. Somehow a 'ghost' ended up in the pictures!! Too weird, eh? It was actually still somewhat daylight out until the storm hit -- then total blackness. I wanted to grab some pictures during the storm; but as you might guess, I was trying to squeeze my big behind under the bed to hide!!! LOL

My bird had surgery yesterday on her wing and other than being a little loopy from the valium, she is recovering quite well. She might get to come home today or tomorrow.

06/11/07
Dad found out he had kidney failure in March. Since then, we have been going through transplant 'testing' phases to determine whether he can be a kidney recipient; which means that he would be put on a list to receive a kidney from a living or deceased donor. From there, I learned that I could be tested to see if I could give him one of my kidneys. As it turns out... I'm a perfect match. From March until now, dad and I have been going through a series of tests to determine whether we are both healthy enough to withstand (and survive) the surgeries. The *good news* is that dad finally passed all his tests (whew there were tons of tests) and he received his letter today that he is going to be added to the recipient list. This means that as soon as a matching kidney becomes available, he will be given a very short notice to pack a bag and come to the hospital and get ready for surgery! And, as for me... I had passed all my tests and was waiting for my "happy letter" to be his kidney donor.... but instead I got a not-so-happy phone call. They had overlooked one teensy thing that showed up in my bloodwork. Many years ago, I got a tick bite which gave me Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It's a rare but serious disease. I survived it and *thought* it was all over with. Sadly, it left a trace of something in my blood which might interfere with the kidney donor surgery.... SO.... your prayers would be appreciated over the next few weeks while I go through another series of tests to find out where I stand.

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