Supporting Patti thru Transplant
Donation protected
TODAY's NEED
Patti had great news yesterday and has been flown out to California at UCSF Medical Center. Kidney transplant surgery is scheduled for noon April 5th. It's time to start making things happen. Please consider supporting Patti and the Stephenson family through this time of need.
Will you help us?
HISTORY
She awoke Saturday of Memorial day weekend, 2013, knowing something wasn’t right. At first it was just pain that permeated from the middle of her back around the front of her belly. Thinking it was just something simple, she asked her husband to drop her off at the emergency room on his way to work, sure that her friend Laurie could pick her up later if needed. Little did they know that this would be the beginning of a two year journey, battling for her life.
of a 24 day stay in the hospital and the complete changing of their lives!
Because of the holiday weekend, things moved slowly. The specialist she needed to see for answers was making his rounds at other hospitals. Knowing that her kidneys were shutting down, they wanted to send her home, they couldn’t figure out why. But she felt prompted to stay, knowing something serious was wrong.
It was a long three days but on Monday, Memorial Day, at about 5pm, the specialist arrived. He said, “I know exactly what this is. Airflight her to Peoria NOW!!!” Unfortunately, the weather wouldn’t permit it, so they took her by ambulance. I think she was disappointed about missing the helicopter ride. The diagnosis came is, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS/TTP).
Upon her arrival at OSF Hospital they inserted a perm-cath, started dialysis and plasmapheresis. Each day they would watch her platelet count, starting out around 12,000 (Normal range being 140,000 to 400,000). A week later the platelet count was still barely reaching the danger zone of 50,000.
Over the next 24 days in the hospital, Dave and the kids stayed as often as they could. Visitors came to pray and encourage the family. Patti’s parents were able to come and stay the entire 3 weeks in Peoria during this hospital stay. Moved from room to room, IV’s being inserted time and time again in inconvenient locations like her chest and her foot, added to the stress. Maybe someday you can hear Patti’s song entitled The IV Blues!!
One day in prayer Patti felt the Lord speak to her. “This journey may not be easy, and it will be long, but I will gird you up.” After 4 percaths, a peritoneal catheter inserted and removed, two pleurodesis procedures, they finally gave up on the peritoneal dialysis, which is dialysis at home.
As you can imagine, the stress on the family emotionally, spiritually and financially was mounting. And the thought being placed on the kidney transplant list was becoming a reality. Just to keep her body functioning they began dialysis three times a week, 4 hours a treatment. Unable to work and limited on being able to take care of her family, they began to seek direction from the Lord, holding to His promises. With Dave, working full-time and the kids back to school, life was becoming more and more challenging.
After much prayer, the door opened for Patti to stay with her parents in California where a top ranked kidney transplant hospital was located. And then another miracle occurred, one of Patti’s closest childhood friends generously offered her a kidney. While it couldn’t be a direct donation, preparation began for a paired exchange transplant, which they are still in the waiting process for.
While Patti is thousands of miles away from her husband and three beautiful children, the reality of being away from them is intense. They are standing strong, trusting in the Lord, but life is a challenge on many fronts.
Patti’s statement just the other day let me know that no matter what, they are still holding on. “Though we may not understand, we KNOW He will see us through.”
We want to give you the opportunity to support this precious family through this difficult time in their lives. You will be blessed by your generosity and will make a difference in the lives of the Stephenson family as they journey through the transplant process.
Patti had great news yesterday and has been flown out to California at UCSF Medical Center. Kidney transplant surgery is scheduled for noon April 5th. It's time to start making things happen. Please consider supporting Patti and the Stephenson family through this time of need.
Will you help us?
HISTORY
She awoke Saturday of Memorial day weekend, 2013, knowing something wasn’t right. At first it was just pain that permeated from the middle of her back around the front of her belly. Thinking it was just something simple, she asked her husband to drop her off at the emergency room on his way to work, sure that her friend Laurie could pick her up later if needed. Little did they know that this would be the beginning of a two year journey, battling for her life.
of a 24 day stay in the hospital and the complete changing of their lives!
Because of the holiday weekend, things moved slowly. The specialist she needed to see for answers was making his rounds at other hospitals. Knowing that her kidneys were shutting down, they wanted to send her home, they couldn’t figure out why. But she felt prompted to stay, knowing something serious was wrong.
It was a long three days but on Monday, Memorial Day, at about 5pm, the specialist arrived. He said, “I know exactly what this is. Airflight her to Peoria NOW!!!” Unfortunately, the weather wouldn’t permit it, so they took her by ambulance. I think she was disappointed about missing the helicopter ride. The diagnosis came is, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS/TTP).
Upon her arrival at OSF Hospital they inserted a perm-cath, started dialysis and plasmapheresis. Each day they would watch her platelet count, starting out around 12,000 (Normal range being 140,000 to 400,000). A week later the platelet count was still barely reaching the danger zone of 50,000.
Over the next 24 days in the hospital, Dave and the kids stayed as often as they could. Visitors came to pray and encourage the family. Patti’s parents were able to come and stay the entire 3 weeks in Peoria during this hospital stay. Moved from room to room, IV’s being inserted time and time again in inconvenient locations like her chest and her foot, added to the stress. Maybe someday you can hear Patti’s song entitled The IV Blues!!
One day in prayer Patti felt the Lord speak to her. “This journey may not be easy, and it will be long, but I will gird you up.” After 4 percaths, a peritoneal catheter inserted and removed, two pleurodesis procedures, they finally gave up on the peritoneal dialysis, which is dialysis at home.
As you can imagine, the stress on the family emotionally, spiritually and financially was mounting. And the thought being placed on the kidney transplant list was becoming a reality. Just to keep her body functioning they began dialysis three times a week, 4 hours a treatment. Unable to work and limited on being able to take care of her family, they began to seek direction from the Lord, holding to His promises. With Dave, working full-time and the kids back to school, life was becoming more and more challenging.
After much prayer, the door opened for Patti to stay with her parents in California where a top ranked kidney transplant hospital was located. And then another miracle occurred, one of Patti’s closest childhood friends generously offered her a kidney. While it couldn’t be a direct donation, preparation began for a paired exchange transplant, which they are still in the waiting process for.
While Patti is thousands of miles away from her husband and three beautiful children, the reality of being away from them is intense. They are standing strong, trusting in the Lord, but life is a challenge on many fronts.
Patti’s statement just the other day let me know that no matter what, they are still holding on. “Though we may not understand, we KNOW He will see us through.”
We want to give you the opportunity to support this precious family through this difficult time in their lives. You will be blessed by your generosity and will make a difference in the lives of the Stephenson family as they journey through the transplant process.
Organizer and beneficiary
Patti Stephenson
Organizer
Galesburg, IL
David Stephenson
Beneficiary
