Topic : 12/20 Christmas Miracle

Actually, I thought it was symbolic- your screen name-but I am certainly not upset-  

And for more proof of miracles, as about Our Lady of Fatima...... 

Greetings Everyone, 

I don't have TV hook up at home, so I read the links Dr. Phil has on the net each day or so. I was amazed to find yesterdays show was in part about CF.  

I am thankful the young couple has a second change at life, they also live very close to me as well. 

I am posting because I think that people need to be aware that there are also other ways of helping with donations per say. 

I have friend that has a young son now 18. When Aaron was 2 years old he too was told he had cystic fibrosis. His mother was told Aaron would only live to be in the 20's. However we made sure that the Aaron was able to do as much as he could for a normal life. There was no way for any of us to know if or when he would die, so we treated Aaron as normal as we could, even though he spend the majority of his time in and out of the hospital. It helped by us showing him a young lady that also had CF but was a race car driver out at Antioch Speedway on dirt oval track. Nothing slowed her down expect the CF, she lived her life to the fullest she could. 

In February of 2001, we received the call that the Aaron, was not doing good at all and they were giving him a big 14th birthday with everyone who knew him to be there. When I saw Aaron at the party, his lips were blue and the finger tips were blue as well.Shortly after that Aaron was put back into the hospital, they said he had 6 at most to live on his current lungs. They also put him on the transplant list of which could take 1- 2 years to get.  

In April of 2004, we were told they moved Aaron to Children's hospital in LA, they were going to see if the doctors could do a new surgery on him rather than wait for the transplant. They needed to people willing to donate one lobe of lung each to be given to the young boy. I was asked how I felt about having an unnecessary surgery if I was a match for giving one lobe of lung. It also helped that I had the same blood type as Aaron. I went to Oakland Kaiser to do the breathing test o see what I could do, I was at 110 percent, my dad was also tested (since he was a blood match as well) he was at 135 percent.  

However the doctors in LA did not really want to test me more for the fact I was a little over weight at the time. They could not use my dad since he was over 55 and they do everything to use younger people for this type of surgery. 

They already had one donor by the time they finally agreed to test me, I flew to LA for 5 days worth of testing. 

I flew home on a saturday and got the call on monday, that I passed all the test and they were going to use me as one of the lung lobe donor.  

Surgery was on a thursday, they started on me and the other donor, got the lobe out and then started on Aaron. Surgery was a little over 2 hours long. I however was in recovery longer than normal. They were a little concerned at that. I did do extremely well with being in the hospital, until they took the last tube out of my chest. You are suppose to hold your breath while they take the tubes out, however it caused me a lot of pain. Within 24 hours of them taking the tube out and x-rays the next morning, it showed my lung had dropped.  Four days after getting back home from LA I was back in the hospital with sever pneumonia, they were going to open  me back up and drain everything out again, but there was one small problem.  

The true miracle, was not only Aaron being saved, but that fact that they used me as a donor. Since I have a very rare and not real clear blood disorder. I don't coagulate right. I when I bleed I just keep going. 

Unfortunely due to getting real sick with pneumonia, I now have asthma and allergies for life. 

If I knew then what I know now, I would still do it all over again. It was worth the risk of death and the life altering health issues for me. 

Aaron as far as I know is doing great. 

Tami Ashford
 

I was watching the show on Tuesday and wanted to share my own story.   Actually it is really my daughter's story.  My daughter had her second child in April of this year.  It was a pre-planned cesearian birth and all went well.  However, Noah had some minor complications soon after birth which required a stay in the NICU.  After about 3 days he was released to go home.  Even though his mother and I thought his breathing was abnormal, the doctors assured us that for him it was normal.  Noah was 3 months old when Kariann, his mother was convinced something was wrong with him.  His breathing was very strained, his feet and hands were ice cold no matter how many socks and jammies he was wearing.  So we took him to the doctor to have him looked at.  The physicians assistant checked him over, listened to his heart, and said she felt mom was just overly concerened due to a kidney problem we were aware of.  However, with the history and symptoms Kariann told the assistant about raised a flag and she referred them to a cardiologist just to be sure.  Well two weeks later on August 5th after seeing the cardiologist Noah was diagnosed with an extremely serious and life threatening heart condition called LVNC (left ventrical non-compaction of the heart).  He was hospitalized in the NICU immediately and tests were run.  His prognosis was poor.  During the next few days it was a true emotional roller coaster!  We were told his condition was so rare and so severe that there really was no hope.  Even if a heart transplant were a possiblity his lung/heart pressure were so high that he was not a candidate for one at this time.  After a couple more days the doctors did a heart catherization and determined the pressures were not as bad as once suspected so they began a medical management regiem.  After 3 weeks Noah was released to go home on medical managment and tests were scheduled weekly to determine if he was improving.  Unfortunately he did not improve, in fact his condition worsened so back to the hospital he went.  Within 3 days Noah was flown to UCLA for another heart catherization where the doctors determined a heart transplant was needed NOW!  Little Noah was only jus 5 months old by now.  The heart cath. was done on Thursday am, tests and labs were taken and he was on the heart transplant list by Friday at 5pm.  Now we just had to wait for another baby to die so Noah could live.  We were told this would be the longest and hardest part of the whole ordeal so we began to wait.  God had other plans though.  We got the call approximately 26 hours later that there was a heart for our baby.  Within hours little Noah was in surgery and a the miracle was happening.  When the doctor saw us immediately after the surgery he told us just how much of a miracle this was.  Noah's heart actually stopped and the surgery team had to do chest compressions for 15 minutes while they got him on the bypass machines.  You see, if everyone had not been in their places at that exact moment they would not have been able to save Noah.  It took each person exactly where they were, at that exact time, etc. to save him and only God has timing like that!  It has become so clear who is in charge and has been since Noah's birth.  So many little signs and "coincidences" are very apparent to us that Noah is a very special baby and will grow up to be a great person, God willing.  Unfortunately this will not be his only heart transplant.  We have been told that he will have to have one about every 9-12 years.  But with medical technology today who knows.  God can do miracles every day! 

I just finished watching the show on Christmas miracles.  You have got to be kidding me!!  While I feel for David and his family, where are their priorities?  I understand hemophilia and his inability to work due to pain.  But what I do not understand is the part of the video where they say they have not been able to afford Christmas presents for their kids.  But wait, later in the video they show David roasting his own coffee.....excuse me??  They do not have $20 to buy a few toys for their children but they can buy raw coffee to roast at home and the equipment to do this!!   They may not have been able to afford the ATV that Dr. Phil gave to them but that is so over the top.   

I know all too well the financial concerns that many people in this country experience but I do what I have to do to provide for my children.  I just returned from a discount store and bought lots of small toys and trinkets for my girls for Christmas and spent less than $30. 

Dr. Phil was very generous and gave this family alot.  I hope they appreciate it. 

I watched this show with a CF parent and her daughter, who has undergone 2 double lung transplants and I have a son with CF who is 19 yrs old. This was heartwarming to see this special story about two young adults that have faced their battle with CF and found each other and now are engaged to be married. If you have a chance, please check out the article in San Jose Magazine- December issue under Portrait of Courage-Beating the Odds........miracles do happen, they is no doubt in my mind.   

Thanks for sharing a positive and personal story with Gwen and David.........I wish you a wonderful wedding day! 

I pity your cynicism!  It's sad that you don't see that the world is full of miracles!  What's attributed to random acts of pure luck are the universe's way of blessing us with miracles!  If  you knew these two indviduals and the faith that they put out into the universe, you would understand the power of prayer.  These two young people have had many pitfalls along the way, but their faith has never wavered.  I personally don't have the resolve of Gwen and David, I know that I probably would have given up if put in their situation.  A very wise person once told me to walk a mile in someones shoes before judging them or their motives, I suggest you do the same.  And before you dimiss me as a crank, I want you to know that I know Gwen and David.  I hope someday that a miracle touches your life. 

I would like to respond to the person who wrote:  Dr. Phil does his viewers a huge disservice by promoting the kooky and wrong-headed view that people's lives are improved or saved by "miracles."   Tell me, what is YOUR reason for watching, if you disagree with his message?  Nothing else on at that time or do you just like to see how many others will take on your negative persona?  True, some people benefit from pure luck --  personally, I don't believe in "luck" - what happens is what is supposed to happen, for reasons we may or may not understand when random events happen to fall in their favor.  I don't think this man's blood disorder is random.  I do believe that there are not many of us who could go through what he's been through without an attitude like .. oh, YOURS for instance. But for Dr. Phil and his guests to suggest that supernatural powers are at play gives viewers false hopes.  You must have seen an episode that I didn't .. when, during the show  did you feel that Dr. Phil (or guests) moved towards "suggesting supernatural powers were at play" - LOL - MIRACLES happen - it has nothing to do with the supernatural.  The cemeteries are full of people who left the living praying for some sort of a miracle.  Darling, cemetaries are full of bodies - outer shells, nothing more.  If you think what's on the outside is what makes you YOU .. you've got a lot to learn.  It's better to trust in yourself, and to try your best to make the right decisions about your life,  I believe the gentleman with hemophelia is doing just that .. it wasn't his decision to contract this illness, but he's certainly got a wonderful outlook on life.  You can see the love in his eyes, the kindness and generosity in his heart - he's lived this long (against the odds) because he's a good man - who thinks of others more than himself - his reward is to live longer than he expected.  than to waste time and energy hoping for a supernatural event that will never come.  Time and energy others (appear to) waste is not your concern, nor does it affect your life in any way.  Everyone has  lessons to learn, in their own time, in their own way.  Relax!  Have a soothing cup of tea and don't bother yourself worrying about what other people are doing ...surround yourself with those who are positive ... you'll like how it makes you feel. 

That said, I wish you only the best - and THANK YOU so very much for your opinion.  Those we disagree with have the most to teach us.  Let's hope you learn the lesson.  :)  

One more thing - when reading this response to yourself, imagine a low, soft voice.  I assure you, I did not write this in anger or animosity.  Merry Christmas .. Happy New Year!! 

 I just wanted to say how thoughtful Dr. Phil and Robin are for giving this phenomenal family a wonderful and merry Christmas.  Thats what its all about anyhow.  This family is a great family with such positive attitudes and I am sure they are all very grateful for what Dr. Phil has done.  They all participated in their fathers health and his everyday needs.  Those children are learning how to not be so selfish as children usually are that age.  They already know how great their parents are.  They're not sad or angry that they haven't received gifts for Christmas after all its about giving and love, not all about material objects. I was deeply moved and also felt like "there was nothing for me to complain about" after seeing this show.  I just want to send my love and prayers to this phenomenal family for keeping such a positive attitude through your journey.  God bless Dr. Phil and Robin for all they've done for this family to ease their pain. 

    With much love, 

                             Xochitl