Why Blog?

I've decided to create this blog to allow family and friends an easy way to get information and stay updated on all that is going on with us and mainly Jeff's health. I will try to blog regularly and update you all as much as possible as we learn more.

To catch everyone up: A little over a year ago, Jeff went to his doctor for a physical. He wasn't feeling quite right, felt like his blood pressure was high and knew something was different. After many appointments, a lot of different tests, and various medications, doctors were able to determin that Jeff's kidneys were failing. In the fall of '08 Jeff had 38% kidney function. More tests were done to see if there was an underlying cause for the kidney failure such as cancer. However, after a bone marrow test & kidney biopsy, cancer was ruled out.

As of May: Jeff's kidney function was down to 17%. We have since met with a doctor at the University of Washington Hospital who feels Jeff is a good canidate for a kidney transplant and we have started going through the process of getting Jeff put on the transplant list. We meet with the U of W transplant team on July 20th and are hoping we know more after this meeting. Our hope & prayer is that they will accept Jeff as a canidate for kidney transplant and we can begin the necessary steps in that direction.

We have been asked by many of you what it would take to be a donor. First of all, we want to say how amazing it is that anyone would even consider this. We don't know all there is to know yet and won't really know until our meeting on the 20th. I'm hoping this meeting will answer some of those questions and I can then post information that we learn.

We are so appreciative of all the prayers and support you have given us through this. Please continue to pray for Jeff. We certainly feel very blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. Our faith and hope are in the many miracles God has done and will continue to do. He will carry us through this and it is in Him we find our strength and comfort, even when times aren't very comfortable!