UCSF Evaluation

I have been reading the story of Isaac in Genesis.  The story where he is in the land of the Philistines and out of jealousy they are trying to drive Isaac and his family out of the land.  They continue to cut off his water source by filling in his well.  Instead of getting angry and causing a war with the philistines, he perseveres and digs a new well.  This happens again and again.  He was patient and obedient trusting that God would give him the land as promised and he didn’t move away.  In the same way that is what my family is doing right now, we are digging wells.

Stanford was where we started.  I still love my medical team there and if I do end up being transplanted somewhere else I hope to be able to return my care to them.  I have been so blessed to have a staff that is invested in my life, not just as a patient, but also as a person.

You are probably familiar with the saying God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.  In the same way that He chooses people whose lives will be a testimony of His manifestation through them, He also allows chaotic situations where His provision will be made the most evident. It took us one new battery, one battery charger, one socket set, two screwdrivers, two power hijacks, three hours of sleep, 3 helpful locals, one off duty cop and we made it to our appointment! Oh and one Powerful providing God!!!

We got back in our car after stopping for dinner at In-N-Out and our headlights started going in and out.  It wasn’t long before the battery light was coming on and we running on 9 volts.  We made it to Walmart right off of the Willows exit where thankfully we were in luck with a 24-hour store.  Out front we were able to find an outlet.  My dad went inside to buy a new battery, tools, and an extension cord.  I remember thinking, thankfully I have dry shampoo, there is a bathroom, and I don’t need power to run my IVs, I could spend the night here and be just fine.  As far as making it to the appointment, I wasn’t quite as convinced of that. 

After a long night and a lot of repetitious prayer and battery recharges we made it into San Francisco.  We had just taken our exit when we found ourselves in another near battery failure.  Looking for parking is not an easy task.  We headed down a hill and saw the other side of the street was empty so my dad went to make a u-turn.  As soon as our car was perfectly perpendicular the battery died and we rolled forward with a lurch knocking into some garbage cans.  Cars  were trying to get around us as my dad and brother jumped out of the Tahoe.  Quick, Chinese fire drill!  My mom hopped into the driver seat and tried with all of her strength to turn the wheel.  The advancement of power steering we take for granted became very evident.  Suddenly a few people came out of their houses and a man walking by dropped his bag and together they all pushed.  The car was now parallel to the curb and with a few handshakes and breathy thank you’s our local heroes were about their daily business.  A car pulled up and a man jumped out, “Can someone who is not out of breathe please answer me, do you need a tow truck?”  Oh, sir we were in need of a lot more than a tow truck.  My mom told him we were on our way to a transplant evaluation and without hesitation he said “get your daughter in my car right now.”  My mom and I got in to find out he was an undercover cop on his day off and he was now our personal escort to the hospital.  He radioed his friends to tell them he would be late to breakfast, he had decided to do the “good Christian thing” and help us out.  Little did he understand the truth in that statement. 

We made it to the appointment with minutes to spare.  It was all so unbelievable that I almost wanted to cry.  My heart was pounding with the adrenaline of it all.  The appointment itself went smoothly.  I met with one doctor who will now take my case and present it to a board who will make the final decision.  All that I know is that God clearly wanted me to make it to that appointment and He made His presence undeniably clear.  Whatever the outcome is, I know that it is His will and plan.  There is no doubt in my mind for human error to occur or that I should have done things differently or that I wasted efforts in seeking their facility. 

I have said it before and I will say it again.  The decision of the transplant facilities will not break me because my hope is not in them, their doctors, or their surgeons, my hope is in Christ.  As confusing as that might seem to me at times, I know that He is the one who sustains me and will never forsake me.  So, as hard as the future might be to face, I know that it is a far more perfect plan than I can understand.