Dear Family and Friends,

We are in Charleston spending time with Danielle before she heads to London, England for a rotation in cardiology. We always have a great time in Charleston and we definitely needed it after the days we spent at Vanderbilt at the beginning of the week. Believe it or not, we were having Don’s year end visits. July 10th will be our one-year anniversary and although it may appear like it has gone fast…well, let’s just say it has been a long (but blessed) journey. The week began with a Lumbar/Hip Bone Density test, a VQ scan, a chest PA and lateral scan in radiology, an EKG, Pulmonary Function test, and then a high resolution chest CT. Next, Don had a six minute walk and performance test at the Dayani Center, a visit in the Lung Transplant Clinic, and to finish it off – a bronchoscopy…which is always great fun. I thought we had met all doctors at Vanderbilt, but this week we met some new ones!!!!! I must say if Don has as much as an ingrown hair they will find it. I feel so blessed that we have Vanderbilt in our hometown and all his appointments are fairly easy to make!

The results for the test have been very encouraging. He is getting stronger, his kidney function, liver function, and medicine levels in his body are all good. (This is a praise the Lord)! His lungs are operating beautifully and just maybe the old diaphragm is trying to get with the program. We are looking forward to the day when we can decrease the prednisone, but we are not sure when that will be. Anyway, he is back to his “pre-transplant” self. Last Sunday in Sunday school, the teacher asked Don to read Psalm 100 and he did much better than that, he recited the whole thing from memory! Wow! I was amazed that he could do that and not miss a beat! Ashley and I both were so proud! The next passage, we had to look up because, he has not memorized the whole Bible!!!

Please continue to pray for Don’s continued progress toward complete healing and his endurance. Also remember our donor’s family. Our letter is written to give to them, but has not been turned in to the Donor Services yet. Hopefully, they will want to meet us and we can thank them in person for giving Don a second chance in life!!!

Thank you so much for sticking with us, praying for us, and loving us through the dark days of this last year! 

We love you!

Bev and Don

Ecclesiastes 3: A Time for Everything

Ecl 3:4 “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…” That just about covers our last year! Thanks for being there for us!