THANKFUL

Yes, we are thankful - for so many people: family, friends and strangers whose prayers have carried us through this most difficult year!

The sermon in church yesterday was about thankfulness.  We are to be thankful for the good things and the trials.  So, on my list, I thank God for Tom's illness and for our suffering.  It has brought us closer together and allowed us the privilege of being cared for by so many wonderful people.

Tom is really doing well.  He had two doctors appointments last week.  We are waiting for the blood tests results from both which will be sent to the UAB Liver Center to be submitted to the National Registry.  His results are required to be submitted on the 24th.  Based on the results from two weeks ago, if these are anything like those, Tom's MELD score will be lower which means he will move down the list.  This means he is feeling better but the wait for a liver will be longer.  It has been reallly nice to have him feeling so much better for the past 4 weeks.  He is getting stronger each day, and doesn't use the walker nearly as much.  He goes out on his own from time to time and even cleaned the family room carpet over two days last week (not that it was that much work, it was just that filthy)!

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving in Nashville.  We will go out to dinner on Thursday but Tom is still planning to fry a turkey at some point this week.  As long as he is strong enough to handle the set-up and clean-up, that's OK with me!  I think the steroids Tom is on make him really hungry because he is eating like crazy - lots of grapes but also lots of Ben & Jerry's frozen yogurt!

I have moved our suitcases out of the kitchen now so if the Transplant Center calls, it will be an ordeal to get everything back together.  We would very much like to have all of this behind us but each day we wait is an opportunity for Tom to get even stronger so he has been working hard to do just that.

We wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

To God be the Glory!