Posts Tagged ‘organ transplant’

Now He Waits…

Monday, April 19th, 2010

I have not posted an update in awhile; things have been absolutely crazy since we have been back home.

We are gone three days a week for dialysis. I did not anticipate how much time it takes to get back and forth to the city. They have increased Aarons dialysis runs to 4 hours each treatment, and it takes about a half hour or so to set him up on machine. Therefore, we are in treatment and he is doing fantastic being home. I have not seen him happier.

Just a little background info for those who are just finding Aarons story….

We are still waiting for the phone call, he is still listed 1A. I can’t tell you how many people – even nurses will ask me if we have the organs or when the transplant will take place. I have answered that question so many times.

So no, we don’t know when it will be. It will be a 5-hour warning or so because he needs a heart. In order to receive a heart, it has to come from someone — a child close to Aaron’s size, with the same blood type and match that would be on life support. He also has to receive the kidney from same donor, so he does not reject it after the transplant.

We are just waiting and waiting. Because of his age, it could be a long wait or it could happen at any moment. We have waited 6-months so far. Children in his age group tend to wait the longest. That is why we are trying to raise donor awareness, children like Aaron die each day around the world waiting on a list.

He is on an IV medication that he has to have running continuously. The medication gives his heart a little extra squeeze because he has a very very faint light squeeze in his heart, while the rest of us have these vigorous hardworking pumping hearts beating in our chests that is what has happened that is why he is in kidney failure his heart could not pump or work to keep his kidneys functioning.

Now since kidney failure Aaron does not urinate at all (we get that question a lot too) that is why he goes to dialysis to filter his blood of all the toxins. Our little tiny guy is in a battle inside that little body of his night and day every breath is hard and each pumping of his heart is very faint. He is a miracle to us and we will do whatever we can to get to his transplant we have to ask for your prayers.

Remember the movie Horton Hears a Who? I think of it often God will here all of our voices praying and Aaron’s miracle will come (WE ARE HERE, WE ARE HERE) I scream it in my head constantly because our faith will keep him strong. I can’t give up, but I am asking all of you to not give up. I am so extremely thankful to each and everyone of you for your constant prayers. In Gods time.

I am home, Aaron is home now, and we could not be happier! My boys needed to be together it was so difficult and hard on them so keep them in your prayers too. Everyone says children are resilient and so on and they bounce right back but put your children in our situation. They are all just children. They should be having fun and laughing and playing and learning, but its like they are growing up in the middle of a war.

Thank you all for not giving up, we try the best we can each day and like you, I want the best and brightest for my child. I wake up each day and thank our God for every Moment.

Organ-ize The Planet

Monday, August 31st, 2009

The following is a letter of support that she received today that she would like to share with everyone…

Hi Elizabeth,

I understand you may be in LA right now at UCLA Medical Center and we want to let you know that Aaron and the family are in our prayers.

My name is Mike Corbitt and I just read the article about Aaron in the local Contra Costa Valley Times newspaper. I also saw an article you wrote in the 110 magazine and was touched by both.

Twelve years to the day, my daughter Delaney was almost 3-years-old and sitting in Packard Hospital at Stanford recovering from her kidney transplant. We know what Aaron is going through is very traumatic not only on him but the whole family and we want to let you know that our prayers are with him and the entire family.

We have started a non-profit called Organ-ize The Planet and are working to get the word out on organ donation. I will try to get something up on my website but wanted to get your permission whenever it is convenient for you.

You sound like an incredible mom with a lot of spirit literally and figuratively and we will say a special prayer for you as well. We know that trying to keep a 4 year old preoccupied while in a hospital environment is nearly impossible, and the small children can get very testy.

Delaney used to flat out tell the doctors (only certain nurses)  they stunk and go away and other really nice things, which used to make us chuckle months later.  :)

We organize a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge and last year we dedicated it to Allie Von Zup who had a heart transplant in LA, (I think UCLA) and her brief story is on my web site. Her older sister Missie also needed a heart transplant and both transplants were very successful.

Early next year in April or May we will have another walk across the Golden Gate Bridge and I would like to dedicate it to Aaron. So, we expect Aaron the entire family to join us for our walk that we do in conjunction with the California Transplant Donor Network.

Hang in there …keep the faith and keep doing exactly what you are doing.

Love Mike & Family

Michael Corbitt,
Retail Portfolio Manager,
Northern California Region
Harsch Investment Properties