Latest Update

It looks like my dad is getting out of the hospital today.

Hooray! He has been there now for pretty much all of the past 11 days . . . I think he must be ready for a change of scenery. Katelee and I made him and grandma a Welcome poster to celebrate our excitement at having them with us all the time now! ;)

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the emails, comments, and phone messages you have all sent me and my family during these past weeks. I appreciate it more than I can express. I am sorry if I am not replying to all of you very quickly, but know that I love you and appreciate your support! Many of you have asked for a new update. This is the email my grandma sent to the family on Wednesday; I think it sums it up pretty well:

We found out today that Brent has a disease called FSGS. (We knew this before but thought he had the secondary version of it.) This disease is classified as either primary or secondary. He has the primary which means it is in his body and no known outside source has invaded. He must have had it before and they mis-diagnosed it in Las Vegas. (Probably the reason his numbers went down so fast.)

This disease is aggressively attacking the new kidney, thus the shutdown, the blood, etc. while reading about it on line we read that it can attack the new kidney within hours or days. There is not much they can do for it but what they can do they are doing. They will continue with the massive doses of steroids even after completing the scary three-day treatment. Also, today they are starting to remove the plasma from his body and replacing it with new plasma from donors hoping to reduce the aggressiveness of the disease.

They have the best doctors in the world and the doctor they are working with now is hopeful that they can save the kidney even though it would not last as long as they would like. We are praying for any time that would relieve Brent from his suffering. We know that Tyler's kidney will serve him well.

Of course we recognize the power of the Priesthood on earth and know that the greatest physician of all is our Savior. We have been touched by his continued love and the love of Heavenly Father who is in charge. Miracles happen and we are praying for one and in doing so always submit to "Thy will be done."