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The site was updated on October 17, 2008

ANA and AILEY ARE HOME !!!!

On September 16th, Ailey and Ana were joined by their faith and a kidney donated by Ailey to Ana.  On September 19th Ailey was able to leave the hospital and return to her loving family on September 25th.   Ana came home October 4th. 

Ailey's gift of life to Ana, one of Ailey's kidneys, is working perfectly.  Ailey and Ana are in the picture above three days after their surgeries.  Ailey is on the right.   Please read the Good News on the right side of the web site!!

  
 
 
When your kidneys fail your body is unable to clean your blood and you die.  People use dialysis to clean their blood.  But not for a regular lifetime.  Kidney transplants allow people live to far longer than they would on dialysis.  Many people die waiting for a kidney donor from a deceased  person.
 
 
 
 
 
Our family first checked to see if we could donate a kidney to Ana but no one in our family was a “cross match” to Ana.  A cross match is when blood type, tissue and antibodies from two people are nearly the same.  If there is a cross match, a kidney donation and transplant is possible.
 
What we found out was that Ana is so "sensitized" - that Ana's immune system is so strong that finding that "cross match" was nearly impossible.  Ana was at Washington Hospital who told us they could not do a transplant for Ana.  So we moved Ana to John Hopkins who told us that they could do the transplant but that we would have to find that one in thousands person who was Ana's match.
 
So we asked everyone we knew.  We asked many people we did not know.  And amazingly, eleven brave and generous people volunteered to be  tested.  Another eighteen people volunteered and were on the waiting list waiting their turn to be tested.  The eleventh person tested was a wonderful lady named Ailey Ellis.
 
We did not find Ailey.  Ailey found Ana.  The way that Ailey found Ana can only be described as a miracle.  When we have a little time Ailey, Ana and I will share the story.  We want to do that soon.  
 
We asked that if you believe in miracles to pray for Ana and to think about being a donor.  Hundreds of people have been praying for Ana.  In churches and in prayer groups and in homes.  We have been praying.  And all of our prayers have been answered.  The miracle has happened.  A miracle because the odds against finding a donor for someone with Ana's rare blood type was thousands to one.  And in the end we did not find Ailey.  Ailey found Ana in a way that can only be described as a miracle.  

A miracle made real by the prayers and faith of so many and by the faith and love of one very special person.  Ailey.  We thank you for your faith and prayers.  We thank all of you who were tested for Ana and who were waiting to be tested and we thank all of our friends who came to Ana's support.

Ailey thank you for the blessing and gift that you are.  Father Taylor, thank you for your act of compassion. And thank you everyone at St Patrick Church and School.  God bless.

Glenn.

James 5:13-16
 
 

 

 

  

There is a newspaper article about Ana at  http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/032008/03302008/362394
 
 

 
 
 
 

 

 


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October 17, 2008 -  Everything is going super

Ailey and Ana are both home and doing fine.  Ana's kidney is working hard and doing a super job.  For the first time in a long time Ana is feeling great, eating well and moving around.

Ana went back to Hopkins yesterday for a Hopkins for follow up testing and to get her staples and stitches and a stent removed.   Ana's doctor tells us everything is going really well.  It is now 32 days since Ailey and Ana had their surgeries and Ana has been home 11 days.  Ailey is doing well also.  Ailey knows she had a surgery and can still feel it at times but is getting better everyday.    She will be rejoining the choir at her church in Kansas this weekend,   which is the last of things that she had been unable to resume since the surgery.

Ana asked yesterday if she could drive.  The doctors said yes.  So today Ana picked up the kids at St Patrick School. The doctors also said Ana can go out in public but must wear her face mask.  Ana still must be very careful and try to avoid crowds.  Ana is trying to think which stores have the least people.  

Ana can have visitors.  If you are one of Ana's many friends you can visit with Ana.  Ana loves you all and it would make Ana smile.  Please no plants or flowers.  Doctor's orders.  No plants in the house.

Three wonderful people really helped with the children during these difficult times.  Ruth W. who stayed with the kids overnight Monday through Thursday, Vilma L. who stayed over the weekend and Bonnie H. who is in charge of getting the kids to and from school.   It would have been impossible for Ana and I to spend time together every day since the transplant without your help.

We also want to thank all of the people who were tested and got on the waiting list to be tested for Ana but a lot of you were anonymous.  We do know from the Hospital that many came from St. Patrick.  We want to tell people who you are and if you want others to know please send us your name.  But if you don't then know that we are grateful for what you tried to do for Ana.

 

 




Please take the time to sign our Guestbook.  It really makes both Ana and me smile and gives us hope to know people visited and cared.

For information on the John Hopkins Transplant Center, Kidney Donation and Transplants please click on the following links.

John Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center

National Kidney Foundation

UNOS Transplant Living for Donors