# Transplant



## dordtrecht5 (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello Folks, 

This is Dallas Crist again. We just got a call from the university and they MAY have a match for Audrey's organs. We are to be there at 8p. CST to do the preliminary tests. If it is an exact match, Lord willing, she will be getting her small bowel, liver, and pancreas transplant tonight.

Please pray for us, especially the transplant team, the family who lost there child in order for another to have new life, and Audrey. Peace be to you and may the Lord's will be done.

Blessings, Dallas, Brigitte, and Audrey

Hello again,

It has been a long night for us all. They took Audrey down to OR at about 4a. They called us from the OR at 6a. and told us they had just started with the incision of Audrey. This is it! Bless the Lord, O my soul. Brigitte and I are much more at ease right now. We have been anticipating this since the middle of October, so the Lord has prepared us for such a moment as this. Audrey was very calm going into the OR; her history is she suffers much separation anxiety when they take her back. It is probably sad to say this, however, she has had a lot of practice.

Perhaps, if the opportunity arises, I can give a further update on her progress.

Please, please remember this family from which the donation has been harvested. At this point we do not know anything about them (the situation concerning their child's death; where they are from/liveThis experience is extremely humbling/humiliating. It is quite the picture of our Savior giving his life (yet nothing like it) to save those whom He has chosen to give eternal life. 

I must go for now.

Blessings, Dallas

Another update folks:

First I would like to thank you all for your many prayers throughout the previous months, especially over the past 18 hours. 

The surgery has gone very well. We were blessed with the main surgeon coming out to greet and inform us of Audrey's condition at approximately 12:45p CST. She did very well in the procedure. The outcome is as expected and she handled everything wonderfully well. They removed more than we anticipated, but felt the need of doing so. They were able to close the wound up, which was UNexpected. She is being carefully monitored in PICU at this point and will not allow us into her room. We understand this since the room is so small and her condition at this point is very intensive and critical. They have started the anti-rejection and immuno-suppressin therepy already. Perhaps, if I have more time, I am busy with giving information to family and such, I will be able to write more within the next 24 hours. 

The hard part has just begun now. She has a very long road ahead of her. There is much risk of infection and rejection, so please pray in accordance to this information. My wife and I are doing fairly well. We are physically getting exhausted, but the LORD is still blessing us with endurance and a clear head (to a certain degree....I can't think too well!! LOL) Anyways, thank you again for your kindness and prayers.

Blessings, Dallas and Brigitte

Once again, we thank you for your prayers.

Well, we are now a little over 24 hours out of surgery and things are going fairly well. Actually, better than Brig and I anticipated. The LORD is blessing us with much emotional stability and peace through this thus far. It has been pleasant to have family here, which for me can be a struggle because of all of the different things happen when a bunch of family gets together. Just my in-laws are here right now and they are Christians, so the LORD has blessed us in those regards. (Here I am whining.)

There is much going on with Audrey, as would expect. It is kinda strange this whole replacing of body parts. It is not like going down to the auto parts store and getting an oil filter. I think people have become accustomed to thinking that when something like this takes place in the body everything is just SUPPOSED to start working, just like what they removed. However, this is hardly the case. I am not sure I have the words to explain what I mean, other than what I just wrote. Just a very strange experience.

Overnight, Audrey had some problems with her blood pressure. They decided to give her some Dopamine to increase her blood pressure. In addition to this, she is receiving another medication that DECREASES her blood pressure by dilate her vessels to help prevent blood clotting. With this said, it is hard to take all of this information and make sense of it all. However, they have increased one of these medications (a positive move) and decreased the other (another positive move). 

Furthermore, they have had the need of increasing her pain med. and sedation, because she was showing signs of discomfort. Overnight they were noticing a decrease in her urine output. They needed to provide her with more blood product, as well as hydration fluid. For some reason she was not putting out the remainder of what her body was not absorbing through urine, thus they were concerned that the lungs may take on some of this fluid. If she did start taking on fluid in her lungs they informed us they would not be able to extubate her respirator. However, later in the morning the surgeon mentioned to us that they were considering taking her off of the respirator because she had improved. Though she is improving overall, and many of these aforementioned things are concerning, the team is not OVERLY concerned with the issues. Hopefully this makes sense.

Brig and I were able to go home last night to get a good rest. We believed that she was in good hands, and since she was so heavily sedated we believed that we would do better by getting solid rest at home. The whole family slept well last night.

I also wanted to share with the board something that we learned while we were waiting for the surgery to be complete. We were sitting in the waiting room and my wife struck up a conversation with the parents of a 23 year-old gal who was a single mother. This young mother had heard of a little 18 month old girl who needed a liver transplant. They soon found out they lived within six miles of each other and had similar circumstances. 

Each mother were the same age, single, and had a child the same age, however, the children were different sexes. This young mother decided that she wanted to give the little girl part of her liver. We do not know much news of how things are going; however, Brigitte and I are finding this to be a very noble thing to do for another person. 

Romans 5:7 says, in other words, that it doesn't happen often that a man would give up his life to save another. This woman should be commended for her love for a child that she did not previously know. When we see all of the negativity and sin in the world we scarcely hear of people who are willing to make such a commitment and give up so much for another. Like I said previously, this whole experience has been very humiliating and humbling to both of us. I know that my view of LIFE is much different than what it was. We often take so much for granted!

I should probably go for now. Thank you again.

Blessings, Dallas

p.s. I also wanted to tell those of you who may read the post, if you are confused over something, or if you have any questions you may email me privately, or ask them in the room. I will do my best to answer any questions even though I may not be able to respond immediately to them.


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## Southern Presbyterian (Jan 3, 2008)

brother.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 3, 2008)




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## NaphtaliPress (Jan 3, 2008)




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## ANT (Jan 4, 2008)

Praying as well!


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## Semper Fidelis (Jan 4, 2008)

Wow!


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## Blueridge Believer (Jan 4, 2008)

Please Lord bless and keep this dear family.


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## VictorBravo (Jan 4, 2008)




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## Barnpreacher (Jan 4, 2008)




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## MeanieCalvinist (Jan 4, 2008)




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## PuritanCovenanter (Jan 4, 2008)

Thy Kingdom Come....

Thy will be done....

I can't imagine the emotional roller coaster you guys have been on. I wouldn't wish this upon my enemy. But God's ways are higher. And his Love is everlasting. May you sense his loving presence in this time. 



Keep us posted.


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## kvanlaan (Jan 4, 2008)

Strength, brother.


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## DMcFadden (Jan 4, 2008)

Wow! What a story! May the God of all comfort comfort you in your anxiety, steady you in the requirements of the moment, and steel you for the challenges of tomorrow.


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## Gryphonette (Jan 4, 2008)

Praying for y'all during this difficult, yet intensely hopeful, time!


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## Augusta (Jan 4, 2008)

Thanks for letting us know. This is great news. I will pray for her recovery and the donation family.


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