A Gift from Julie

I came out of the Operating Room around 5:30 PM. Julie was out of the O.R. around 2:30 PM. My husband Jim saw both of us a little after 6PM. Julie's first questions were "are we done yet" and "how is Aunt Judy"? Jim told her I was very cold and itchy and wanted to move around in the bed, but the nurses wanted me to lay still. Jim said I was very bloated and my face was as round as a ball. The next morning Dr. Pomposelli came into the PACU (Postanesthesia Care Unit) while I had an Ultrasound. He was very surprised and extremely upset with what he saw. He told me I had to go back to surgery. Dr. Pomposelli called Jim at the McLaughlin House where he was staying which is about three miles from the hospital. Dr. Pomposelli told Jim I had a blood clot in the artery going to the liver and there was no blood getting to the liver. Dr. Pomposelli said I had a very slim chance of surviving. He could not wait for Jim to get to the hospital to see me before surgery. I was then taken immediately to surgery. If the liver had started to die they would have to remove the liver or leave it in hopes some of it would work while they would try to find another liver. There is no supply room with extra parts on hand! Dr. Pomposelli got the blood clot removed before any visible damage was done to the liver. This was a major miracle because there should have been damage to the liver from the lack of blood flowing to the liver. Thank you Jesus for this miracle that saved my new liver and my life. In I Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Jesus says rejoice always, pray continually,give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." In Isaiah 41:10 it says "so do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God, I will strengthen you with my righteous right hand." As soon as Jim finished talking to Dr. Pomposelli he called Mike and Katie and Pastor Dave to tell them about this life threatening emergency. Pastor Dave called the Prayer Chain to inform the church body what they needed to pray for and then he drove three hours to be with Jim and pray with him during my surgery. Mike and Katie came to Lahey Clinic as soon as they could make arrangements to leave.

Remember, if you never faced any adversities or trials you would never experience God's victory. Prayer is the arena where our faith meets God's abilities. The reason God responds to persistent prayer is because prayer is changing the one who is praying.

Right after I had my liver transplant my daughter's Black Lab puppy, Emmet, was not able to keep any food down. He continually got sicker. Katie took Emmet to the vet where they did exploratory surgery and discovered Emmet had two livers or an extra gall bladder. The mass was so infected the vet was not sure what it was. The vet did surgery and removed the infected mass and it was a wait and see time to see if the other liver was going to function. When Emmet came home from the vet he was wearing a plastic "lampshade" to keep him from getting at the incision. My youngest grandson, Harrison, who was six years old, asked his mother why Grammy didn't have to wear a "lampshade" like Emmet after liver surgery! We all thought that was really funny, then Katie explained why dogs needed to wear a "lampshade" and I didn't.