This will be the much abbreviated version of the first 14 years of John's life for those who don't know how we got to where we are today. John John was born as a premature baby and while in the hospital a nurse infused his food into his IV line. Basically this means his food was sent into his blood stream. Over the years this built up in his blood, causing renal kidney failure. In 2007 BJ gave his kidney to his younger brother John. Since then everything has been great health wise! In March of 2011 we began our current fight for life. This is the shortest version of the story, and does not due any justice to the strength, perseverance, wisdom, courage, or love that exist within this 14 year old young man. It does not due justice to the trials and struggles he and his family have gone through, but is simply the quickest way for you to know where we come from so you can know how to pray!
For the sake of getting his story updated, I am going to give a very undetailed description of events. Please bear with me as my goal is to get you up to speed as quickly as possible. In March of 2011 John woke up one morning with a rash, it looked like lesions and they were all over his face, mouth, and body. Mom took him to the hospital knowing that any infection inside his mouth can spread to organs, and compromise the kidney. After running a few tests the disease seemed to disappear and Dr.'s sent them home from the hospital assuming all was well and it had passed. A few days later, the rash returned, with a fever... it went away.... they sent him home, it came back with vomitting and now was starting to cause kidney failure... they gave him steroids, and he got better, and was sent home just in time for his brother's wedding. Immediately after the wedding he got sick again. This time he was in the hospital for a good two weeks. They ran all sorts of tests, and ruled out everything major and minor, cancer, lupus, lime disease, virus, bacteria, etc... They got to a point where they found a treatment that seemed to be working, but still couldn't diagnose anything. At this point the Dr's at the hospital admitted that they had done all they could for John and didn't know what to do at this point. John was released home, with a strict treatment regiment where he was receiving outpatient chemo like treatments a few days a week. They seemed to really boost him, and he could ride out on that for the week. By the time he was due for another treatment he usually was feeling pretty bad, but still the treatment boosted him right back to health. During this time, Mom was trying to find a Dr. that could treat, diagnose, and cure him.
On Wednesday June 8th, John was at the clinic for one of these treatments. When his kidney Dr. saw him she noticed his breathing was severely off. She did a quick diagnosis and quickly rushed him to the hospital. They were told at this point that he had signs of congestive heart failure, fluid in his lungs, and kidney failure. At this point the goal of the hospital was to stablalize his breathing, and make a decision as to where to send him, because again, they've done all they could do. Whatever is happening keeps changing and they had no answers.
The next day we began dyalisis to help stabalize John. He was transported to Childrens Hospital in Pittsburgh Monday June 13th. And it is here that we are praying for God to work a miracle and fully heal his child. We are asking you to join alongside us and support us in prayer.
I will post previous prayer emails that I sent out, and from this point on will be posting updates here!
Thank you all for your support, love, and prayers!
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