An Active Heart

This is an actual Christmas letter we received from friends my wife and I have known since 1963. The events are all true. The attitude is genuine. The letter truly exemplifies someone who has an active heart. They are not victims of circumstances. This letter is used with permission.

Dwayne Collins

Dear Friends,

Ordinarily, we don’t send Christmas letters, but thought you might like to hear about our year after Bill’s kidney transplant! We have had lots of excitement around our house to say the least, and it started off with a rejection in January for which Bill received outpatient treatment for 10 days at Baylor. The massive doses of steroids given in January brought on type one diabetes in February. He was at Baylor hospital for six days while doctors were adjusting insulin and diet. His doctors tell him he will be a lifetime diabetic, but he manages diet and insulin quite well.

March brought on a much worse rejection episode with 14 intense days of massive anti-rejection drugs as an outpatient. Then in April, Bill was hospitalized again – this time for a blood clot behind his left knee. This too was brought on by medication. Recovery there was slow, but the blood clot finally dissipated and he hasn’t had any more trouble.

Bill was on crutches May and June because of osteo-necrosis (deterioration) of the hipbone. Again, this was brought on by the massive doses of steroids in January and March. He had surgery July 2, where they replaced the diseased ball and pin of the hip. He was recovering quite nicely from that when in early September, the ball and pin popped out of place and it was back to the emergency room, then admitted to the hospital. Doctors were able to manipulate the hip back in place and put him in a very restrictive brace from the waist to the knee. He was in that for 6-8 weeks. The brace did its job, because he hasn’t had hip pain or problems since.

In October/November both of Bill’s ankles were hit with the osteo-necrosis. His kidney specialists say this happens in only 10% of transplant patients. Both anklebones are in early stages of deterioration and damage can’t be reversed. The next step will be braces from the knees down taking the pressure off ankles to try to slow down progression of deterioration. The final prognosis is not in yet on full treatment of ankles. For now, he is on crutches again and manages well.

These are just a few of the highlights – there’s been a year chocked full. However, we have had a lot of pluses along with all this.

Bill’s kidney is doing wonderfully well – and he is free of dialysis. His outlook, attitude and determination are awesome!
Bill’s doctors have been great – some of the best – and have taken very good medical care of him, taken personal interest and have been very encouraging!
Bill had driven from Colleyville to Baylor (an hour’s drive) and then passed out when he got to the receptionist desk, the time his sugar got so high and they diagnosed diabetes. We shudder to think of what might have happened in the Dallas morning traffic had he passed out at the wheel!
We had just flown in from Colorado and drove home when his hip popped out of place and we had to call the ambulance. We were so glad not to have been airborne or at the airport when that happened.
Every time we have had a crisis, there has always been someone there to help – usually without out asking. They just show up and are ready to do whatever is needed…picking up our mail, driving Bill to the doctor’s office, taking care of our yard, running errands, visiting Bill, offering encouragement, many acts of kindness and always, we are on their prayer list! What a blessing!

It has been a rough year, but we have determined that we won’t be weighted down with the circumstances but we will celebrate the blessings that we have so abundantly! We are thankful for each day, for our family (our grandsons are the light of our lives), for our friends who have stood by us, and for a God who loves and cares for us!

May you be richly blessed this wonderful Christmas season!

Email: Heart Change Counseling

Phone: 469-261-5123