Carver Kidney Transfer

Here's one of the fun things I get to do as a wife...talk about the good things my husband does and the rest of my family too...On July 1 Jeff donated his kidney to his brother, Bobby. Bobby has a hereditary kidney disease called Alport's Syndrome. It is passed through the female and can go to male or female. In the men it has been caught before age 5. Bobby got it - Jeff did not. Jim, their dad, donated a kidney to Bobby at age 13 or 14. That one began to fail about a year ago and also had a benign spot on it. It had to come out. So for the last 10 months Bobby has been on dialysis 3 days/week for several hours each time. He has been through a lot medically in the last year. Jeff went through all the rigorous testing a UAB and was approved to be a perfect match for Bobby. So early on the morning of July 1 they took Jeff back, an hour later, Bobby went to the OR...by 1:30pm I greeted Jeff in his hospital room...by 3pm Bobby was back... and with in a hour, urine was flowing! Praise be to God for the wonderful gift of excreting your own urine! These guys have been tough...worked through the soreness and healing and checking on each other daily...first thing out of each one's mouth was to check on the other...We are all proud and inspired by the gift of love each has given each other...Jeff the gift of a strong kidney and no more dialysis for Bobby...and Bobby for allowing Jeff to love him this way! Here's one picture from the 2 of them 24 hours after surgery and one 12 days after surgery. Now 20 days later, Jeff is driving short distances, walking an hour each day, an no longer needing physical help. He can't lift more than 10 pounds for 3 more weeks or so...Bobby is walking well, getting good reports from daily blood checks, staples out and preparing to be released to return to Baton Rouge in 3 more days! We can't say enough good things about the Kidney Transplant Team at UAB. Also have many thanks to give for all the love, prayers and support of many family, friends, neighbors and many from our church, Hunter Street...and many we don't even know! All while this is going on Joel also joined the ranks of those who can master their own urine and poop for that matter...Here's a sweet pic of him in Big Boy Underwear...We got a pay raise...No more diapers! Claire has been a super help and is so ready to turn 5 in a few weeks and start kindergarten in less than one month! Counting blessings!