VICTORY FOR VINCE - KIDNEY TRANSPLANT NEEDED!

Hello, my name is Julie Embry, and I am posting this page on behalf of a very special person and his family. Several years ago, my dear friend and neighbor, Linda, had an outgoing message on her voicemail that I absolutely LOVED. Any caller trying to reach her would hear the chorus of a song called "Settlin." In this song, the vocalist declares that she's not "settlin," when it comes to love, for anything less than EVERYTHING.

As it turned out, Linda definitely didn't settle! In January 2009, she married her best friend and the love of her life, Vincent Lee Taylor. For over 14 years now, he has faithfully loved her and led their family in all things. This family includes 4 children and 3 beautiful grandsons - see photo above!

Vince is loyal, hardworking, and funny - a man whom my husband Shawn and I deeply respect. He loves being with family, fellowship with friends, riding horses, his numerous dogs, and the great outdoors. Shawn and I are posting this page because Vince urgently needs a kidney transplant - without it, he will not be able to live life without significant physical, emotional, and financial boundaries. In the event that a transplant is not feasible, Vince and his family will have a life centered around constant treatment, medical intervention, and exhaustion. We pray that you will join us in supporting Vince with a donation to help with his upcoming life-altering medical expenses. Our hearts are being driven to maintain this page and scripture fills our minds- Galatians 6:2 - Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. I invite you to take a brief look into the story behind this amazing man.

In 2007 at 39 years old, Vince was diagnosed with a progressive cancer that began in his testicles and moved into his left lung. Treatments associated with these diagnoses led to a spinal cord stroke, several invasive procedures, and a blood clot that affected direct flow from his heart to his lower body. This caused total paralysis from the waist down and the need to relearn basic living skills. In the midst of this physical hardship, he met Linda. Though clearly in love, the two started their lives together under substantial duress due to ongoing medical expenses. In the nearly fifteen years of knowing Vince, I know a handful of things to be true: he loves his wife, children, and grandchildren fiercely, he is a God-fearing Christian man, and he has never faltered in his faith. Vince believes that just like all other challenges, “this will all work out,” as he regularly lets his loved ones know. Shawn and I personally know, however, that despite his best efforts, Vince lives in constant pain, discomfort, and exhaustion without complaint.

NEVER ONCE have we heard him do so.

In recent years, Vince has had numerous medical interventions in an attempt to manage pain and improve his quality of life. They include the implantation and removal of a spinal cord stimulator, the insertion of a pain pump, and extensive medication. These medications have come with severe associative conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease. Vince’s kidney disease was diagnosed in 2013, and in the years since, his function has deteriorated below 14%. This is considered total kidney failure.

In the next few months, Vince will undergo a kidney transplant in order to save the life he's had to fight so hard to build, maintain, and thrive in. He has three potential living donors undergoing testing to determine the best match for him. In the event that these matches are not viable, the process could be significantly longer. Months could turn into years. As his friends, we love him and want to help ease the burden of another overwhelming health crisis by raising the money needed for surgery, which is over $400,000 before insurance assistance, and other related expenses like travel (gas/lodging/food) for numerous back-and-forth trips to care providers. The most qualified doctors are over 100 miles away from their home. People often think the battle is over once a kidney is found and the procedure is successful. A kidney transplant is a lifelong commitment that requires several prescriptions to ensure the continued acceptance of the kidney, (such as necessary immunosuppressive drugs), subsequent medical bills, and financial assistance for the donor. God's Word says in 1 Corinthians 13 that love "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Vince and Linda struggled with saying yes to letting us post a page for them; however, this is what love does, as they themselves demonstrated when they set up a GoFundMe page for the medical expenses of a friend's child in 2015. Now it’s OUR turn to reflect their love and generosity back to them!

Love gives back! Our goal is $40,000, and ANYTHING is a gift! All funds will go directly to Vince and Linda - thank you SO MUCH for reading our testimony, praying for healing, and contributing to the future of this man! His grandsons JB, Silas, and Cruz have years of fishing, shooting, and aggravation ahead with their Pawpaw. So, LET'S DO THIS!

We would be very grateful if you could help us circulate this page about Vince’s journey! Here is the link: gofundme.com/f/victory-for-vince-kidney-transplant-needed We will keep this page updated so you can follow his story. May God bless you richly!