Last month I asked you all to pray for Noah and I and our upcoming procedures. I went in on June 14th to have my pacemaker switched out. There was nothing wrong it was just time for a new one. Because of my past surgeries My biggest prayer leading up to this procedure was for no complications and to be able to come home same day. The Lord was so gracious in answering our prayers. The procedure went smoothly, I was the first case at 8:00 a.m and was discharged at 1:00 p.m. It was a smooth recovery and I’m so happy to have it behind us.
Noah was scheduled the same week for his routine heart biopsy. Unfortunately they had to reschedule his procedure for a later date due to a more pressing case they had. It got rescheduled this last Monday and he spent the whole day at UCLA. The next day we got an unexpected call from UCLA saying the biopsy came back showing some rejection. This occurs when the immune system reacts to the foreign antigens in the donor organ by mounting an immune response. Basically your body is recognizing there is something that doesn’t belong and attacks it. We knew that at some point Noahs body would eventually begin to reject his donor heart, we were just not expecting this to come so soon. They explained to us that they wanted to admit Noah and give him high doses of steroids for three days in hopes of controlling the rejection. This went smoothly and Noah is home now. They have added some new meds and adjusted some others. He will continue to be monitored and they will do another heart biopsy in three months, As usual Noah had an amazing attitude and willing heart to do what he needed to do. He often encourages my heart by the way he responds to hard things. He seldom complains and just does what is asked of him. It wasn’t a great week to have to be admitted. Not just because it was a holiday week but because many of his plans got canceled including a big event for the young adults ministry that he helped plan. He often has had to miss out on planned events including one of his own birthday parties because of unexpected hospital stays. This is hard when you don’t feel or look sick but your heart very much is. His level of acceptance of these hard things is an example to me in my own challenges. I don’t often have this level of response immediately. My first instinct is not always acceptance. Truthfully I often cry out to God that I don’t want to do the thing he is asking of me even when I know it’s probably for my good or a way that will bring him glory. It’s hard to accept hard things.
Elizabeth Elliot in her book “Suffering is Never For Nothing” says this about acceptance, she says" It’s never for nothing. Faith is the key to acceptance. Faith is not a feeling but a willed obedience action. Jesus said believe in me, accept, take up your cross and follow me. Jesus said if you want to be my disciples, there are three conditions. First you must give up your right to yourself. Second you must take up your cross. Third you must follow. My understanding of giving up your right to yourself is saying no to yourself. And taking up the cross is saying yes to God. Lord, whatever it is You want to give me, I’ll take it. Yes Yes Yes."
I want to keep these truths of Elizabeth Elliott on my heart as we walk the next hard thing. Whatever it is Lord you ask of us we want to say YES because we trust you.
Will you continue to pray this for our family. We love you and we thank you for walking with us.
