WITH GOD, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

“She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs at the time to come” (Proverbs 31:25)

My dear wife Vicky is a fighter, and a survivor. For a decade or so after our marriage, she fought and survived our physical separation due to my overseas work that allowed us only 15-30 days of togetherness during my annual vacation leave. After our daughter Kay was born, she alone raised Kay for the first 6 years, till we were able to live together as a complete family in my overseas assignments.

Somehow, those years also took a toll on her health. But with God’s infinite grace, she survived breast cancer, myocardial infarction, and gallbladder removal. Long an issue with her was diabetes, yet it too came under control.

The latest challenge she, and our family, faced was the degeneration of her kidneys. Her chronic kidney disease (CKD) reached Stage 5, her creatinine reached a dangerously elevated level necessitating immediate dialysis treatment. Both her nephrologist and cardiologist strongly recommended kidney transplant. Kay volunteered to donate one of her kidneys and we focused all our attention and efforts towards that goal. But even before we could get a clear schedule, Vicky had to endure- besides 4 hours of thrice-a-week dialysis sessions, trips to the emergency room, and confinement at the nearby VRP hospital to remove excess water in her lung -several procedural tests to ensure eligibility and clearance to undergo the transplant operation. She and Kay passed the compatibility tests and the transplant finally happened on September 29th this year.

Last October 29th marked the first month of the God-ordained kidney transplant from Kay to Vicky. Kay wrote a moving account in a Facebook post, of our struggles that God, who never ever left us, rewarded with a resounding victory!

Here is Kay’s story:

Today marks the first month after our successful kidney transplant, and before I lose the many details in anesthesia-induced fog, bear with me as I tell a very long story. This is for every one of you who have stood with us for Nanay's health. Thank you for praying, for giving, for rallying with us. God bless you all a million-fold.

A year ago, my most fervent prayer was for God to reverse Nanay's Chronic Kidney Disease and restore her kidney function. From everything I've read about CKD, I knew that it was an impossible request. But I also knew, deep in my soul, that God already said yes to that prayer. How He would do it, I had no idea, I just felt in my bones that He would surely come through. During the parents' year-long stay in Dubai, Nanay had a rollercoaster ride with her creatinine and electrolyte levels- we would have weeks when it seemed like her kidneys were really getting better, and we would have weeks when it seemed otherwise. When we finally came home to Manila last March, we were told she would soon need dialysis, the treatment she never wanted to have. Her CKD had already reached the end-stage.

I've known for a while that the ultimate treatment would be a kidney transplant and I had already started mentally and emotionally preparing myself to donate. My blood type is O+, the universal donor type, so that bit was an easy pass. And I figured, I'm her daughter, I'm bound to be a good match (perhaps it might also help that I look a lot like her, though don't take that statement medically).

The night before we were scheduled to see her nephrologist, I asked Tats, "If the nephro recommends transplant, would it be ok with you that I be the one to donate?" He didn't want to discuss it then. Now that I think about it, how gut-wrenching it must have been for a father and a husband whose precious only child was asking him if it's ok to remove one of her vital organs to give to his most beloved wife. I'll say it now and I'll say it again, this whole journey is testament to the strength of my father's spirit and will. We wouldn’t have made it through all the long days without his cheerful encouragement and unrelenting faith in the God who breathed all that power into him. Power it was, and is, indeed. He tirelessly attended to Nanay during all her hospitalizations and dialysis sessions week in and week out, he visited several government offices to arrange all the requirements to avail of assistance for the transplant, he made sure I stayed sane and well while working from home and undergoing all my required tests. While doing all that, he still found the energy to disciple the security force here in our community, to co-write and edit a book, and to help with our community concerns. My Tats is a superhero. Believed it when I was a little girl, believe it even more now.

The nephrologist did recommend transplant right away. Nanay's heart is strong, and he believed she can handle the surgery. I immediately asked if I could donate. He was very encouraging and ordered all the initial evaluation tests to be done before I was scheduled to go back to Dubai in April. I only had three things to clarify: could I still drink coffee, could I still drink wine and could I still have babies. He said yes to all three. I told Tats he can still have grandchildren, so let's go for it. I think the parents realized not long after that there was no convincing me otherwise, and so we went ahead. Before I went back to Dubai, the initial tests showed that I was healthy enough to donate, and so we started planning my return in June to prepare for the surgery potentially in July.

July was a very optimistic schedule, we soon realized. With Nanay’s medical history and age, multiple doctors had to sign off on the surgery. After a huge battery of evaluation tests and procedures, and all the bureaucratic requirements of a living organ donation, we finally had the transplant on the 29th of September 2022 at the National Kidney & Transplant Institute. Nanay and I were brought to our operating rooms before 6am that day, and at a little past 1pm, Tats fell on his knees praising God after hearing from our nephrologist that the transplant was successful, and we were both doing well. I was discharged without complications 3 days after, and Nanay 4 days later- another answered prayer.

Today is a month from that blessed day, and Nanay is doing great. Her labs show that God really did say yes when I asked Him to reverse her disease and restore her full kidney function. The kidney that He allowed me to give her has been doing an excellent job and her body has welcomed it very well. She did help form and nurture it 35 years ago, so I guess it's like a homecoming of sorts. The one left with me is also doing its job very well, already doubling in capacity as it should. I'm going back to Dubai tomorrow healthy and strong.

It’s been an intense journey of faith and perseverance. We couldn’t have done it without all of you who took the journey with us. A planeload of gratitude is in order.

To our family and friends from Australia & New Zealand, to the Middle East and all the way to the United States & Canada, from Alabat, to Cebu and all the way to Dipolog, friends from grade school to university years, both mine and the folks’- thank you so much for all your support, prayers and encouragement, even to this day. To my manager and our HR at Grundfos, for supporting my request to work remotely here in Manila for the last 4 months as we prepared and went through the transplant; and to my colleagues for all the help and encouragement- mange tusind tak, shukran. To our Victory Dubai and FOCIM families, thank you for all your help and steadfastly standing in the gap for us. You covered our every step in prayers, and we saw those answered one by one, every day. Thank you for always checking in and building up our faith. To everyone who sent us yummy food to help us gain strength and recover, thank you. To our doctors, nurses and all the HOPE, 3F ward and OR staff who made our staycay at NKTI as comfy and as safe as possible, we couldn't have asked for a better team.

To Ate Lea and Ate Elaine, for standing in the queues and walking throughout NKTI to do the discharge procedures for both me and Nanay, and for my yummy recovery food, thank you. To Jannah for providing our transpo to the hospital and helping us with sudden errands, thank you. To Ate Mimi, for cheerfully and meticulously taking care of Nanay and even me and Tats, daghang salamat te. To Diana and Papa, for taking care of my house, my plants and my Yeong while I'm away, neomu kamsahamnida. To Pastor Diwa and Tita Apple, for leading us in prayer and worship before the surgery, thank you for being God's channels of peace and strength. To Jill, for keeping me company through my day-long tests and consults pre-transplant, for taking great care of me every single day in the hospital and even after, for making sure I never go hungry, thank you. To Tats, our superhero, thank you for being strong and healthy for us, for everything that you do and for loving me and especially Nanay ever so fiercely. I love you.

Nanay, you have been strong and courageous all throughout, and I couldn't be prouder and more honored to call you Nanay. Here's to many more years and decades of celebrating God's victories in your life. You truly are Victoria, beautiful and victorious. I love you.

And of course, to our Ultimate, our Healer, Provider, Savior, our ever-present help. The One who holds everything, always in control. Our sweet Jesus, our amazing God. Thank You, Lord. You said yes and not a single one of Your good promises was left unfulfilled. All glory and honor and praise belongs to You.