I cannot tell you how deeply moved we are by the love friends and family have showered upon us. Thank you so very much for everything. We have received hundreds of cards and emails, phone calls, meals, and just plain old love. It feels so good.
We received a letter from the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates yesterday telling us about Lynne’s donation. Lynne’s left kidney was successfully transplanted into a gentleman from Kentucky who had been on the list since last October. Her right one was successfully transplanted into a lady Kentuckian who also had been waiting since October. Unfortunately, none of her other organs could be used. Perhaps the whole purpose of the trip down here by the Mayo Clinic folks was for me to ask Dr. Rosen about his faith. Hmm.
In one of my earlier postings I spoke of how the Gospel unleashes life from death. I also spoke of how Christ keeps telling us in the New Testament, “See! See! See!”
Lynne’s death has given life to two people in desperate circumstances. See?
I’ll be posting soon on the Broke Down Bible Club. Stay tuned, and God Bless.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Heroes - Part Two
An exhausting day. Visitation is Thursday at Living Hope from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. We will have visitation again beginning Friday at 10:00 a.m., and the funeral service at 1:00 p.m., also at Living Hope.
Over the next few days I am going to discuss spiritual issues, but I want to write about heroes again today.
The heroes are small group moms, my small group, my church family, and our close friends. Everyone came together like a well-drilled team. My son Caleb is in a very tight group of teens at church. They have been with him almost around the clock since last Thursday.
The moms in that group stayed with them at the hospital for hours while folks brought scads of food into the huge conference room the hospital set aside for us. What a relief for my wife and I. I am so thankful for Leigh Anne, Kim, Lisa, Betsy, Karen, Debbie, Leslie, and others for kicking into high gear and watching the gang. And, of course, thanks to Hoss, our teen minister, who neglected his own family for days to sit with the gang. (We call him Hoss because he is a dead ringer for Dan Blocker, who used to play Hoss on the Bonanza series.) These folks are all heros, although I know it embarrases them to be called that.
The reason this is so important is because dozens of teens came through that room, many unchurched. They got to watch what really was a party, not some sort of death watch. They had to wonder why.
So did all of the people going up and down the halls at the hospital who looked in, and wondered what the three day festival was all about.
My own small group has been together for a long time. The small group theoreticians say that most groups last about two years or so, and then become stale and should disband. Not us. We haven't been able to bring ourselves to dissolve; we did for a while, and it didn't work. Instead, our relationships have matured and deepend, and my wife's death has brought us even closer.
The ladies have organized , come in and cleaned house, looked after us, given good advice, and joyously jumped in and helped organize all of the hundreds of funeral activities. Thanks to all of them so very much. Sisterly love in Christ is the best, and that comes from a guy who has grown a lot emotionally even in the last six months. They are heros.
And it goes on. My wife had so many other dear girlfriends. One of them just left after helping look through scads of photos so we can have a digital montage at Church. She and her husband worked trielessly at hospital to direct people around, see to the little things, and turn tragedy into God's glory. Others are making sure we get hot meals, and I am told we are booked though April! Cool! They are all heros.
I can keep going, and I know I am overlooking others. Please know I love and thank you all. You are heros.
This is the Gospel. We can talk about the Gospel all we want, but I promise you that if we live it people will notice that much much more than anything we can ever say or pontificate about. I am seeing it right now, and what an extraordinary blessing to be on the receiving end!
I'm fried. I'm going to keep posting at least once a day, and at some point will switch to a blog I am setting up. I found a photo of my sweet wife I like a lot. I hope you enjoy it, because it captures her spirit so well.
Over the next few days I am going to discuss spiritual issues, but I want to write about heroes again today.
The heroes are small group moms, my small group, my church family, and our close friends. Everyone came together like a well-drilled team. My son Caleb is in a very tight group of teens at church. They have been with him almost around the clock since last Thursday.
The moms in that group stayed with them at the hospital for hours while folks brought scads of food into the huge conference room the hospital set aside for us. What a relief for my wife and I. I am so thankful for Leigh Anne, Kim, Lisa, Betsy, Karen, Debbie, Leslie, and others for kicking into high gear and watching the gang. And, of course, thanks to Hoss, our teen minister, who neglected his own family for days to sit with the gang. (We call him Hoss because he is a dead ringer for Dan Blocker, who used to play Hoss on the Bonanza series.) These folks are all heros, although I know it embarrases them to be called that.
The reason this is so important is because dozens of teens came through that room, many unchurched. They got to watch what really was a party, not some sort of death watch. They had to wonder why.
So did all of the people going up and down the halls at the hospital who looked in, and wondered what the three day festival was all about.
My own small group has been together for a long time. The small group theoreticians say that most groups last about two years or so, and then become stale and should disband. Not us. We haven't been able to bring ourselves to dissolve; we did for a while, and it didn't work. Instead, our relationships have matured and deepend, and my wife's death has brought us even closer.
The ladies have organized , come in and cleaned house, looked after us, given good advice, and joyously jumped in and helped organize all of the hundreds of funeral activities. Thanks to all of them so very much. Sisterly love in Christ is the best, and that comes from a guy who has grown a lot emotionally even in the last six months. They are heros.
And it goes on. My wife had so many other dear girlfriends. One of them just left after helping look through scads of photos so we can have a digital montage at Church. She and her husband worked trielessly at hospital to direct people around, see to the little things, and turn tragedy into God's glory. Others are making sure we get hot meals, and I am told we are booked though April! Cool! They are all heros.
I can keep going, and I know I am overlooking others. Please know I love and thank you all. You are heros.
This is the Gospel. We can talk about the Gospel all we want, but I promise you that if we live it people will notice that much much more than anything we can ever say or pontificate about. I am seeing it right now, and what an extraordinary blessing to be on the receiving end!
I'm fried. I'm going to keep posting at least once a day, and at some point will switch to a blog I am setting up. I found a photo of my sweet wife I like a lot. I hope you enjoy it, because it captures her spirit so well.
Heroes - Part One
Heroes - Part One
It has been a long day, but everything went so well at the hospital. I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Rosen from the Mayo Clinic, the surgeon who flew in to harvest Lynne's organs. I'll talk about that some more some other time, but right now I want to talk about the heroes at The Medical Center.
Most of you know that I am a personal injury attorney. My office deals with medical charts a lot, but we rarely see or know anything about the people who give the care to our clients, or who put their information in the medical records.
I spent the last four days in ICU, and was able to watch these folks giving care to my wife and others. I am a bit of a wordsmith, but I find myself at a loss to describe these caregivers. The usual words like "dedicated," "caring," and "compassionate" come to mind, but these fall so very short of what I saw.
I saw love, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness.... Sound familiar?
My dear wife's friends and family almost overran the hospital, and the ICU. Thursday night the halls were packed, and dozens of folks were in the ICU. Well, this is an intensive care unit. Over a dozen other critically ill patients were on the floor. We really shouldn't have been allowed in there.
And I never once heard a single complaint. Over the last four days we had dozens of people streaming through the place to see Lynne and say goodbye. I saw moments of tenderness from friends I will never forget. The staff was so gracious and accommodating throughout all of this.
Downstairs, the Medical Center reserved its main conference room on the first floor, and it stayed packed for three days, mostly with my youngest son's friends. They consumed phenomenal amounts of junk food, and the staff, without a single complaint, let them surround my son with their love while his mother was ill upstairs. I kept listening for a collective crash from the youngsters from all the stuff they were gobbling down, but it never came.
I want to identify a few of the heroes who worked so very hard to give my wife such intimate care. The nurses I am thinking of are Amy, Alex, Jason, and Barbie. I cannot thank each of you enough. God Bless you. Thanks also to Barbara and Sally. I know you guys lets us break all the rules, but we all witnessed something very special while my wife was your patient.
Thanks also to Dr. Randy Hansbrough, Dr. Jiannua Zhu, and his partner Dr. Paul Burke. Your professionalism, accessibility, compassion, and lucidity are so deeply appreciated by myself and my family.
And a special nod to my old friend Dr. Bob Watson. Dr. Bob is the Chief of Anesthesiology at the Medical Center. Most folks in Southern Kentucky do not know that we have a national treasure here. This rare man is a trusted friend, mentor, adviser, confidante, and brilliant physician who kept outrageous hours while all of this happened to make sure my family and I knew everything that was going on, and so we could navigate through this difficult time. Thank you so much old friend, and God Bless.
To the Administration: you have heroes working at your facility. One of the senior nurses today told me, "We're a family hospital." That is true. Hold your heads high, for you should proud of them. Thank you for allowing these people to excel at what they do.
This is how things are supposed to be. This is a major part of the amazing story that the Lord privileged to me be a part of.
How great is our God!
See you again very soon.
In Him,
Mike
It has been a long day, but everything went so well at the hospital. I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Rosen from the Mayo Clinic, the surgeon who flew in to harvest Lynne's organs. I'll talk about that some more some other time, but right now I want to talk about the heroes at The Medical Center.
Most of you know that I am a personal injury attorney. My office deals with medical charts a lot, but we rarely see or know anything about the people who give the care to our clients, or who put their information in the medical records.
I spent the last four days in ICU, and was able to watch these folks giving care to my wife and others. I am a bit of a wordsmith, but I find myself at a loss to describe these caregivers. The usual words like "dedicated," "caring," and "compassionate" come to mind, but these fall so very short of what I saw.
I saw love, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness.... Sound familiar?
My dear wife's friends and family almost overran the hospital, and the ICU. Thursday night the halls were packed, and dozens of folks were in the ICU. Well, this is an intensive care unit. Over a dozen other critically ill patients were on the floor. We really shouldn't have been allowed in there.
And I never once heard a single complaint. Over the last four days we had dozens of people streaming through the place to see Lynne and say goodbye. I saw moments of tenderness from friends I will never forget. The staff was so gracious and accommodating throughout all of this.
Downstairs, the Medical Center reserved its main conference room on the first floor, and it stayed packed for three days, mostly with my youngest son's friends. They consumed phenomenal amounts of junk food, and the staff, without a single complaint, let them surround my son with their love while his mother was ill upstairs. I kept listening for a collective crash from the youngsters from all the stuff they were gobbling down, but it never came.
I want to identify a few of the heroes who worked so very hard to give my wife such intimate care. The nurses I am thinking of are Amy, Alex, Jason, and Barbie. I cannot thank each of you enough. God Bless you. Thanks also to Barbara and Sally. I know you guys lets us break all the rules, but we all witnessed something very special while my wife was your patient.
Thanks also to Dr. Randy Hansbrough, Dr. Jiannua Zhu, and his partner Dr. Paul Burke. Your professionalism, accessibility, compassion, and lucidity are so deeply appreciated by myself and my family.
And a special nod to my old friend Dr. Bob Watson. Dr. Bob is the Chief of Anesthesiology at the Medical Center. Most folks in Southern Kentucky do not know that we have a national treasure here. This rare man is a trusted friend, mentor, adviser, confidante, and brilliant physician who kept outrageous hours while all of this happened to make sure my family and I knew everything that was going on, and so we could navigate through this difficult time. Thank you so much old friend, and God Bless.
To the Administration: you have heroes working at your facility. One of the senior nurses today told me, "We're a family hospital." That is true. Hold your heads high, for you should proud of them. Thank you for allowing these people to excel at what they do.
This is how things are supposed to be. This is a major part of the amazing story that the Lord privileged to me be a part of.
How great is our God!
See you again very soon.
In Him,
Mike
Caring Bridge – First Entry
Folks, I just got back from hospital. I had the privilege of finishing up the paperwork with the awesome folks at Kentucky Organ Donor Association. As I write, a medical team is en route from the Mayo clinic to harvest Lynne's liver and kidneys. After working all night, the KODA folks found recipients for them.
The kidneys will be dropped off in Louisville, and the liver will be taken to Rochester. Right now, critically ill people who had little hope only a few hours ago are being prepped for surgeries that will save their lives. Imagine their joy, and the joy of their families!
I'll be going back shortly because I will be allowed to go into the surgical suite and observe the harvest. I wouldn't miss it for anything. My sister-in-law, Janice, will be there too.
I weep as I write this. I weep not because of sorrow, but because of joy. We sit in Church Sunday after Sunday hearing the good news of the Gospel. Sometimes this starts to sound dull and repetitive. But what we forget, and what we need to hear more about is the power of the Gospel that has been unleashed upon the Earth. I am seeing it right now. It is the power of the Gospel that is bringing life to people who but a few hours ago had no hope.
Christ keeps saying in the Gospel, "See! See! See!" "He who has ears, listen!"
This morning I tell you, "See!" Behold the power of the Gospel unfolding before our very eyes, where the death of my wife unleashes the power of life in others!
If you have ears, LISTEN!
The kidneys will be dropped off in Louisville, and the liver will be taken to Rochester. Right now, critically ill people who had little hope only a few hours ago are being prepped for surgeries that will save their lives. Imagine their joy, and the joy of their families!
I'll be going back shortly because I will be allowed to go into the surgical suite and observe the harvest. I wouldn't miss it for anything. My sister-in-law, Janice, will be there too.
I weep as I write this. I weep not because of sorrow, but because of joy. We sit in Church Sunday after Sunday hearing the good news of the Gospel. Sometimes this starts to sound dull and repetitive. But what we forget, and what we need to hear more about is the power of the Gospel that has been unleashed upon the Earth. I am seeing it right now. It is the power of the Gospel that is bringing life to people who but a few hours ago had no hope.
Christ keeps saying in the Gospel, "See! See! See!" "He who has ears, listen!"
This morning I tell you, "See!" Behold the power of the Gospel unfolding before our very eyes, where the death of my wife unleashes the power of life in others!
If you have ears, LISTEN!
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