From Bro.Newberry, Ms.Pats husband: Good Morning, this has been an amazing week, on Monday, a journey that began nearly seven years ago ended for Pat. She had her final dialysis treatment, and on Wednesday, received her new kidney. We arrived at the Tampa General Hospital, early on Wednesday morning, along with our donor, Pastor Kevin Cox who so graciously provided Pat with a kidney, and a new lease on life. We stopped by admissions, to report in and to get our orders, and soon were being led to a waiting room, by the most wonderful escort. Mrs B, a black lady about fifty years old, who was bubbly and positive. When she greeted us, she did so with a smile, and then broke into singing a gospel praise tune on the elevator. When we exited the elevator, she lined us up against the wall and gave us a faith pep talk, making references to her faith in God and his power to answer prayer. She even danced in a circle on one leg, after telling us how the Lord touched her mother a few days before when her mother was struck by a brain aneurism. Then, she took each of those who were scheduled for surgery that day, by the hand, and prayed a simple, but passionate prayer for them. She then did the same for each of the spouses who were there. We all loved Mrs B, we knew this was going to be a special and amazing day, God had given us an angel that morning to reassure us. Once we were into waiting, it didnt take long before the surgery nurse came to get Pastor Kevin. They wanted to start his surgery first, by coordinating the process this way, Pat would be prepped, and ready to recieve the kidney, once it was available. The same nurse soon came back to get Pat and begin the work necessary to have her prepared to receive the kidney. It was an anxious time, as both families waited, along with many friends. Anytime a nurse from surgery came in with information, both families huddled to hear what they had to say. Each time, hour after hour, the reports kept coming back, everything is going good. We would breath a sigh of relief, and encourage our hearts, that all was well, and God was in control. Tweets and text and phone calls and emails were going and coming all day. Facebook was a buzz with post and comments, we even had one lady whose vehicle was broken, who rode a bus, just so she could be with us. She came in with wiping tears, she said I just couldnt sit home and read about this on Facebook, I had to be here, its a miracle.....she said. Truly.....it was a miracle! The report came, Pastor Kevin is in recovery and everything went perfectly, he is fine. That was such good news and we all were relieved that his part was finished and there had not been any surprises. Pat was still under anesthesia and her health had been compromised for so long, we were still concerned for her. Then we got word, the surgery was finished and everything went as expected, she was now in recovery. Wow......what a relief, now we had both Kevin and Pat in recovery and both surgeries had been completed without any glitches. Our emotions were all over the place, and even now as I write this, I sense the same emotions. Im sure that everyone in the waiting room with us was feeling on Wednesday. It was an experience I will never forget, and one that I will forever be indebted to Pastor Kevin for. Words seem so small, when it come to showing our gratitude, when someone puts themselves in the place Pastor Kevin so willingly placed himself in. As we know there are many risk we take when we agree to have surgery, and especially when we agree to donate an organ. Pastor Kevin did this without any reservation, what an amazing act of kindness and love. Pat and I have known our donor, Pastor Kevin, since he was nine years old. Along with his parents, Larry & Iris Cox, and his brother Joe and sister Amy, he moved to to the bay area in 1979. Soon after they began to attend Harvest Time, where I served as the Sr. Pastor. We watched Kevin grow up, then attend Harvest Time Christian School, where he graduated. While attending the school, he met his wife, Mary Ann who also graduated from H.T.C.S. Kevin being a musician, went on to join a national gospel music group, based in Texas, traveling with them for several years. Later he moved to Nashville in pursuit of his dream of having a career in music. While living in Nashville, Kevin began to reevaluate his life, sensing a call to pursue the ministry, Pastor Kevin is a fourth generation pastor. During the early 2000s, Pastor Kevin joined the staff of Harvest Time serving as our Minister of Youth and Music, and did a great job. During his tenure as our Minister of Youth and Music, we discussed the possibility of him following me as the Sr. Pastor of Harvest Time Family Worship Center. It didnt materialize at the time, and he received an invitation to join the staff of a fast growing church. We blessed him, as he went to serve with this new ministry, where he earned valuable experience. God was at work, preparing the next pastor who would lead Harvest Time into the twenty-first century. On September 23, 2012, Pastor Kevin became the Sr. Pastor of the church I had led for forty years. We are so proud to have this passionate soul winner, and experienced church builder leading the congregation. Pat is still doing fine, there have been a couple of minor glitches, but nothing unexpected, just normal situations that are commonly encountered. The medical team treating her at Tampa General have been phenomenal. It is a massive hospital with a staff of thousands, but it seems everyone in the hospital knows about the transplant. When I went in yesterday morning, the two ladies at the information desk, said, youre the one whose wife received the kidney from her pastor, of course I replied proudly, Yes I am!. She responded; We know whose in change, right? They were both praising the Lord for the successful transplant. I have had doctors say, after hearing our story, of how our pastor donated a kidney to Pat, That give me chills. This has been a common reaction throughout the hospital this week. The transplant department staff, have been glowing with pride, as they spread the word of this particular transplant. We have been truly blessed, and we are humbled and thankful for all God has done. I also want to express my thanks to the transplant surgery team, they are exceptional. We love the doctors and nurses, who spent years of their lives in training, in order to alleviate the suffering of patients, such as my wife, Pat. I will continue to provide updates in the days ahead, Pat is still hospitalized as the regulate the meds she will be required to take. Pastor Kevin when home last evening, so both are moving toward resuming their normal schedules. Pastor Kevin will be out of action for a couple of weeks, and then taking it easy for a few weeks before resuming his full schedule. Pat should bounce back in about the same time frame, although we will be going to the clinic for blood work quiet frequently, in the beginning. She will be taking a lot of meds initially, but the meds will decrease over time. We still havent fully comprehended what it will mean not to need dialysis every other day. During the past seven years, our lives have evolved around Pats dialysis schedule. Treatment took about four hours, start to finish, so it pretty much consumed the day. As of Wednesday, November 6, 2013 that was forever changed, thanks to Pastor Kevin. God bless, Pastor & Sis Newberry
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 20:36:15 +0000
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