Two Brothers--one kidney each

Below is a story of two brothers. Tom has already had one kidney transplant several years ago that started to fail about a year ago. His brother told him that he could have one of his kidneys and below is the rest of the story that you don't want to miss—our God is a great God!

 

Tommy's kidney transplant took place on Thursday, June 4, 2009.  However, his donor brother, Mark, took a turn for the worse.  See below. 

 

Sent: Tuesday, June 9, 2009 9:36:18 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Logsdon update on kidney surgery

Dear praying friends 

Sherrie and I want to thank you for praying for our two sons and their
families.    The kidney transplant went well.  Tom's new kidney started
working before they got him back to his room.   He has continually
improved day by day.   The new kidney is doing its job.  Tom's blood
toxin levels have not been this low in years. Tom went home Monday
afternoon.   

We had a very unsettling time with Mark after the transplant surgery.
He was not recovering well.  His remaining kidney was not working.  When
they moved him to a chair he passed out.  Sherrie and I were with him at
that time.  When one of the nurses ran out of the room and yelled for
doctors to come we thought the worst.  We thought he was having a heart
attack.  It was not.   He had lost so much blood that his blood pressure
dropped and he passed out.   Through the night they gave him 4 pints of
blood.  It did not help.  Bonnie, Mark's wife, is an RN..  Saturday
morning she insisted that they do something immediately.  The doctor
agreed to another surgery.  They found that during the first surgery
they had injured his spleen and it was bleeding.  They removed his
spleen and cleaned out the lost blood.   Mark has been improving quickly
since the second surgery. The doctors told us that they were glad for
Bonnie's insistence on another surgery.  More internal bleeding would
have had dire consequences.  His remaining kidney began to function
immediately after the second surgery.  They found that 45 years ago
while still in his mothers womb the Lord gave Mark two spleens. Even
though you can function without a spleen, the Lord provided a spare.
Lord willing he will be able to leave the hospital on Thursday June 11.

We have seen many answers to prayers in this last week with the healing
of our boys.  Thank you for praying with us for them.  Thank you for
your notes, phone calls and emails.  It is very comforting to know that
you have been praying.   

I want to share this because it was one of those areas of answered
prayer that I believe God does to show us that He is listening and will
answer accordingly.    Mark is self employed.  For him to be laid up for
6-8 weeks means he would not have income.  I asked him several months
ago what it would take to keep his family functioning for the 6-8 weeks.
He said $2000 would get them by.  Sherrie and I committed to give him
the $2000 dollars.  Since that time we had three very expensive
expenditures with vehicles that used up what we had saved and then some.
We were praying for the Lord to show us where we could get the $2000.
The men from Tom and Amy's church asked what they could do for them.
Tom and Amy suggested that they help Mark because he is self employed.
When the pastor and deacons left the hospital after the kidney
transplant on Thursday they gave Amy an envelope to give to Mark and
Bonnie.  It was exactly $2000.  God knew how he was going to provide.
We praise the Lord for his provision.  We praise the Lord believers who
care and are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  

Thank you for praying for our family.  I will attempt to keep you
posted.  

 Tom Logsdon

CBM Field Director

11650 Northland Drive

Rockford, MI 49341

616-863-2226