BOL Update 6/16/2013

Greetings from Rick and Timothy,

The picture below was taken earlier this evening at Shula's Steakhouse in Ft. Lauderdale Beach. Thanks to the gift from our kids, Rick Jr. in Kansas City, Christy and Eric in South Korea and Kylie home from college, Debbie, Kylie and I enjoyed an awesome meal together celebrating Father's Day. None of that would have been possible without the blessing received from the gift of Timothy's lungs just over 3 1/2 years ago.

Tests results at the Mayo on Timothy's lungs within my body continue to encourage and amaze the doctors and staff at the Mayo Clinic. We are so blessed. I continue to tell people that if business was as good as our lungs, (Timothy's lungs gifted to me) I would think I died and went to Heaven. That is just meant to illustrate just how amazing his lungs have been within my body. Praise God and thank you again to Rosemary and her family for the gift of life.

I also want to update you on the families whom we have mentioned in the past and as well as some new families being impacted by the same lung disease I had prior to transplant.

Rick and Lisa from Plantation, Fl received the gift of life the first week of April at Duke Medical Center. Lisa suffered from CF since birth and is doing well considering all she has been through. Please pray that her recovery continues to progress and that she is able to return home from North Carolina for their son's birthday on June 29. Lisa has spent the past 6 months away from home. Rick and the boys (ages 3 and 9) are here in South Florida currently. Please pray also for a friend of Lisa's who received a transplant the same day. Her friend Dean passed away on June 3rd from complications from rejection. His wife's name is Candy. As I was given the news of his passing that day, it again hit home the realization that not all the results of lung transplant are the same. Dean is in Heaven now after receiving the Ultimate Transplant.

Paul Sheridan and his wife Rona also received that gift of life that first week of April at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Paul has had some bumps in the road just as Lisa has had, but Paul too is working hard and is so grateful for his new chance in life. Paul is one of those types that you've got to say "Hold on Big Boy". He is so wanting to jump out in front of his rehab schedule as he just feels so good after being on supplemental oxygen for the past 5 years. Paul was at less than 9% lung function at time if transplant. Praise God again!!!

A couple of other families that are being affected by the same dreaded disease that I had is my brother Steve and another friend named Cherie.

Steve's disease has fortunately remained stable as recent test results revealed. His current lung function is at 55%, but that is considered a positive result due to little or no change in the disease progression in the past 2 years. Praise God. Steve and Denise are doing well for all they have been through. Steve's overall health (excluding lungs) is considered excellent. Dr. Barros told him to keep doing whatever you're doing because it's working.
Praise God again!!!

Our new friend Cherie has just been diagnosed recently with again that same dreaded IPF disease and she and her husband Rick are just beginning to wrap their arms around this whole new thing. Debbie and I had the opportunity to have dinner with them recently with the purpose of trying to support and encourage them. However, after meeting her husband Rick, who was in a wheelchair as a result of his long battle with Parkinson's and as well cancer, I was the one who was encouraged by Rick's outlook on life and faith in God. Pray for both Rick and Cherie as they try to manage not only Rick's long term health issues, but as well Cherie's IPF disease and life management. Thank God for their faith.

As should be the case for all of us, as trials come our way, God is testing and equipping us to walk that road, grow from that season, and be prepared to come alongside that next person(s) He puts in our paths to help. That is my desire and hopefully I'm getting a passing grade.

Obviously Debbie and I are not the only ones to face serious health challenges, as so many more have gone through so much more than us. Challenge yourself to ask God to place that person in your life that you can reach out to and be that special someone to help, encourage and support as others are facing difficult times in life.

Thanks for your prayers, friendships and love to our family.

Love in Christ,
Rick and Debbie