What happened?

It was like any other day. I got up and got the kids dressed. Julianna and I were headed to Tree Top Adventures in Birmingham and Cameron had a regular day at school. Mrs. Murrell was going to sit with Jim and Julianna and I would be by the hospital later. I called Sheri Harris around 7:15 am and asked if she didn't mind picking up Cameron. When I was talking with her, Jim beeped in. He said "Good Morning, Happy Anniversary!" May 15th marked 19 years since we have met and started dating. I asked him to let me let Sheri go and he said "No, I need to tell you something. I am NPO and they are prepping me for a heart." I said "Oh, Dear God, thank you." I started shaking and crying. I told him we were on our way. I flashed over and told Sheri. Then Julianna and I started throwing things into bags. We were running and sliding all over the place.

We got in the car and I turned on my hazard (which is a No No) and sped my way over to UAB. I asked the children to pray that no dogs would be in the road and no cops would see me going that fast. I am confessing that I sinned...we should obey the speed limits. I am so sorry for not controlling myself.

All the way there we got updates. Jim would text us. They came in and he got shaved from his chin to the tops of his toes. That's right....EVERYTHING. They drew lots of blood work. Then they turned of his pacemaker and defibrillator. We got there around 8:05am. We got the news from the nurse that the doctors would not know anything for sure until 11:30. Around noon we got the news that he was a perfect match for blood type, tissue type...it would just be down to body size.  The doctors came in and said that everything was looking good. Then they told us that the transplant team transplanted a heart on Tuesday and lungs Tuesday night and they needed to rest. The donor was donating a heart and lungs to our knowledge. The doctors said that they would have to look at the heart around 4pm after they got some rest then things would move pretty fast. Around 5pm a nurse popped in the door and said it was a NO GO. Wow, that quick it was over with.

We thought another man was getting it and Jim even tweeted about it. Come to find out he was getting the lungs. Once they went to harvest the heart, the doctors saw that it was not viable. So no one got the heart.

Julianna and I have a good cry. It hurt me. I ached inside. I don't want Jim to have to go through all the surgery and pain and endless tests and blood work. I thought that after being listed as a Status 1A for one day...he was closer to coming home. That is why I cried. I missed my husband terribly. He has slept and slept over the past few months. But I could go to the living room and cuddle or hold his hand. I miss seeing his face every morning. It is harder than I thought it would be.

Julianna and I stayed for a little bit then we left the hospital to go to church. We got something to eat and thought we had plenty of time. We put the church address into our GPS and it said we would not be there until 7:30pm. I said forget that...we will stop at Logan Martin church of Christ. I thank God for that church. We had a great ladies class. Then one of the men did an outstanding lesson on being solely focused on Christ. All the hugs and encouragement did my soul a world of good. The brethren there gave us several financial gifts to help with gas and other expenses. For that I am truly grateful.

Please continue to remember us in your prayers. We are so thankful for an opportunity at a heart. We are so thankful that the donor and his/her family made the choice to help others in their time of loss. Please remember them in your prayers. Our gain is someone's loss. That is so hard to think about. We know that God's Will will be done. He knows better than us. He has big plans for our family. We are believing and trusting. Your prayers help us to be strong in the midst of this storm. We love you and thank you for your support.

Thank you to Amy Gallahar for taking care of Bella. I am sorry you went around the world. You are a true friend.

Special thanks to all those who came to the hospital to help with the children and to support us:
Jimmy and Sharon Simmons Family
David Courington
Amanda Woodard
Dale and Sheri Harris and Family
Billy and Brandi Hayes Family
Cliff Goodwin
Magan Grimes
Bo Foster
Hal and Kelly Davidson Family
All the countless others who helped us, called, texted...thank you.

Thank you God for one more day. Help us to be thankful and content.

Check out Jim's latest work. http://www.iftruthbetold.org/daliydose.html

I NEED THEE

I need Thee every hour,
  Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
  Can peace afford.

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
  Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
    I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour,
  Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their power
  When Thou art nigh.
I need Thee every hour,
  In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
  Or life is vain.
I need Thee every hour,
  Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
  In me fulfill.
I need Thee every hour,
  Most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed,
  Thou blessed Son.