Transplanted

"Lord, give me peace. Keep me calm, so I can sleep." It was a simple prayer, said mid-week last week. Anxiety was starting to take its toll on me. I wanted a good night of rest before we had to go to the hospital.

"This liver is going to be perfect, even the doctors will be amazed." Although it belonged to no physical voice in the room, I heard it clear and in my soul. God was giving me the peace I had asked for just moments before. He was revealing His great plan for Caleb to me.

I woke the next day, feeling rested but still anxious. I remembered what I heard and felt. I was afraid to believe it, so I didn't share it with anyone.

Finally, it was Sunday. We loaded the car and made our way to the hospital, so Caleb could be admitted. It was a long, hard day. Caleb was stuck so many times we lost count. He was hurting and scared. He didn't want to sleep, so we didn't sleep.

Our parents arrived Sunday afternoon, to be with Caleb and give us support.

Although Sunday was a long day, and even longer night, we finally made it to Monday, exhausted and scared.

"They're coming to get him at 5:30 for prep," the nurse said.

"That's in 20 minutes."

She nodded. Although it had been a very long night trying to comfort Caleb, I wasn't ready for them to take him away from me. Fear gripped me, and I wondered if I only had a couple more hours with my son.

Monday was long. The six of us sat in various places in the hospital, waiting. All we could do was wait. We got a few updates but not many. The hours crawled by. They had taken Caleb into the OR at 7am; it was 5pm before we finally saw the surgeon.

"It's really amazing," he said, "the liver from the donor was more perfect than we had thought. It's size and shape were exactly what Caleb's body needed."

Tears immediately filled my eyes. All I could think about was God's voice from a few nights before. He had told me that this would happen, and I had not fully believed it, maybe I was too scared to or just not sure it was really God speaking to me.

The surgeon told us that Caleb was doing very well, as was the donor.

"You know," he said, tears brimmed in his eyes, "when I get to meet people like this donor, I believe, that it is the closest to meeting Jesus that I will come to on this earth'"

We won't have the privilege to meet Caleb's donor, but he has still shown us God's unfailing love and compassion.

As I write this, I am sitting in Caleb's room watching him fight to get his body back to normal. He is so strong and beautiful. God is in this room with us, with him.

Words can't express our gratitude to the people, those we know and those we don't, who were in constant prayer for our family.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Psalm 136:1

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.