05-25 update on transplant rehab 2022

Walker was discharged on Monday 05/09 to the Gabriel House, located on the Mayo campus, to stay with his mom. With 30 beautifully appointed large suites, a huge spacious kitchen area, TV rooms, a library, and a screened in patio, this place makes a wonderful group healing space for fellow transplant patients and cancer patients. Walker & his mom spend most days at appointments at Mayo visiting his many doctors and rehab staff then chill for an early night. So far, so very good. The main challenge currently is getting his stomach to stay in a consistent good place, managing blood pressure’s, and his many medications. The docs say his lungs and kidney are doing great and that an appetite will return in time and when it does he will have to tame it from overeating so not to worry about the stomach. 

We met with his lead surgeon today that conducted the double lung procedure, Dr Sareyyupoglu, one of the USA’s top cardio vascular surgeons. Another one of Walkers doctors, Dr. Alvarez, who calls himself James Bond with a license to heal 😊, said that he was very happy to be part of such a successful transplant surgery as Walkers has been. Again, we can’t say enough about how positively wonderful our experience has been from the very beginning here at The Mayo Clinic of Jacksonville. At Mike Phillips 50th bday party Saturday last I was talking with a friend there who shared that his grandfather had been the head administrator for Mayo in Rochester, Mn back in the 30’s and 40’s. He explained that the central vision of the Mayo Brothers was to create a hospital in which the different specialist would openly and freely cross communicate with one another when working on a patient or working on R & D projects. This is what makes the Mayo Clinic unique and highly effective when treating difficult cases.

But enough about medical stuff, I want to take a moment and champion our daughter Laura Marley, 18, who graduates from the Geneva School this Friday. Candy & I could not be more proud of her, proud that in the midst of trauma that turned all our lives upside down, she has held it together through a humble Grace that has touched her parents and the rest of her family deeply. Has it been hard on her to come home daily to find her mom and dad busy and focused on the tough job at hand of managing an extreme illness that was slowly killing her brother, of course it has: yet she has maintained a balance by reaching out to her Geneva friends and her friends parents, all exemplary Christian families of loving faith, seeking their guidance and companionship when she needed it most. By being vulnerable and honest and real, Laura connected in fellowship, stayed rooted in her faith, and focused on her studies to finish strong a high school career often usurped by medical drama outside her control. 

FSU is her next stop where she starts in mid June for a short summer session. While Laura has never been a summer camp kid by choice, we sense that our beautiful girl is ready to fly the coop to start the next chapter of her life. While it will be tough on her parents to not have her joyful, calming presence home each day, we are confident and excited for her to follow her dream of a medical career. Her recent award for Science spoke to her deep passion for understanding the human condition and her award for the JS Bach scholarship, attributed to her 5 years of uplifting choir, reflects her joy in sharing joy with those around her. May the beautiful faith filled friendships she has successfully built at Geneva be with her for life. You go Laura Marley, we love you dearly!!

I want to close this post in saying it has been a challenging, humbling experience to have to ask so many times for financial assistance when I sure would prefer to earn enough or win the lottery and not worry but we haven’t hit the powerball numbers yet. All I know is that by being honest about the difficulties that we have crossed in managing this drama, the Lord has provided. We are hanging in there really, being blessed in many many ways that have reduced the burden of this medical journey. And we are close to the finish line, I pray that 6 months from now Walker will be whole, Candy will be happy, Laura will be busy, and Dad will be working at something fulfilling. So, we are still in need, at least for now, to help carry this situation financially after using most all our savings down to that last amount we are meant to hold back for an emergency. Thank you Lord Jesus for all you do and will do and have done to help us in all ways to survive and to thrive again. 

If you or a company you own could use a tax deduction from a donation to a worthy cause then look no further than Walkers transplant fund @ www.givetaxfree.org/walker

And if you would like to watch Laura’s senior thesis presentation “Instagram or Instagrief”: The impact of social media on the psychological and social wellness of Adolescent girls - click here https://youtu.be/x2RRYqpBChQ

Thank you 

Love the McKnights