The word of God declares, "He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen" (1 Timothy 6:15-16). God is the only Sovereign. Regardless of time or circumstances, elated joy or searing loss, He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords to whom all honor and eternal dominion belong.
Micah returned to Duke today for both his bilirubin and prothrombin time to be tested. This afternoon we received the results. In the last week, Micah's bilirubin level has notched up another three points to 21. The prothrombin time which was 35 has come down to 21. While we were initially excited believing this was a great sign and would buy some more time, it does not appear that it likely will.
In the last week Micah has been on a vitamin K supplement. He is currently receiving all that
they are able to give him. The fact that the prothrombin time is still 8 points above the normal range concerns the doctor. It appears that regardless of the amount of vitamin K (and he is currently on all that he can receive), the liver is unable to properly process the vitamin K due to the scarring and disease that has already occurred.
For this reason, the GI doctor has chosen to take Micah's medical information (history, levels, blood results, etc.) before the transplant team on Monday of next week (July 9). With the current state of things, including the doctor's concern, our expectation at this point is that the transplant team will concur that we should start down the path of a liver transplant for Micah.
We should receive word as to what their conclusion is regarding Micah Monday or Tuesday at the latest. Should the decision be to start the process toward a transplant, Micah would begin a series of tests which include more extensive bloodwork, ultrasound, echocardiogram, etc. to insure his overall health is good and to provide a baseline to measure against. Provided that he is overall in good health and approved for transplant, he would be placed on a transplant waiting list (for a cadaver organ). However, at the same time, the doctors would also begin conversing with Sarah and I about the potential of a family member being a "living donor." A living donor would be someone who has been screened and determined to be a match for Micah. The doctors would then take a small lobe of the liver from the living donor to transplant into Micah. Were there to be a living donor available, the wait for transplant would not be much of an issue.
It has been a hard day. We know God has not failed. We know God remains in full control of the entire situation, from the first word to the final exclamation mark. It is the difficulty of knowing that we're quickly coming to a transplant situation. It is the difficulty of being faced once again with the full reality that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. While we affirm and confess that when He gives or takes away He is still blessed and to be praised, the depths of struggle and pain you experience as a parent thinking of how the Lord may choose to take your son to heaven so early is hard to express or put into words. And yet we know, the Lord is able to bind up the broken-hearted, to lift up the weak and comfort the deeply afflicted.
Again, we see more clearly the depths of sacrifice our Heavenly Father underwent to give up His only Son for us. He who "knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (1 Corinthians 5:21). I don't want to give any of my sons. Yet I am eternally grateful unto my Heavenly Father that He gave Jesus Christ that I might have life and have it more abundantly.
You have been so faithful to pray for us. Will you continue to hold us up before the Lord? Specifically, we need comfort (as we wrestle with the magnitude of what we believe is soon to come)...we need wisdom (as we seek to know the Lord's will and plan in this situation)...we need perseverance (as we strive to fight the good fight, to finish the course and keep the faith for the glory of God)...we need prayer (as we know that we must "pray always" whether we have the words or not). Thank you for your great concern and care for our family. To those who have given financially, you'll never know the level of impact you have made upon our lives by your generosity. To those who faithfully pray, may you know our abounding gratitude that you kneel before the Father for your brother and sister in Jesus Christ. May God continue to use you for His glory!
