Goodbye, Left Kidney

Kellyann has just told me that Tim has gone into the operating room. Its weird to me that they start operating on the donor so much earlier than the recipient,  but I suppose it doesn't make sense for Tim to be waiting under anesthesia while Matthew's kidney is slowly coaxed out. For now, Kellyann and I are calming our nerves with cups of tea.

After what felt like 100 doctors and nurses introducing themselves and asking if we had any questions, or did we want to back out of donating now, Matthew has finally gotten his first dose of anesthesia an beed moved into the surgery room. The surgery is supposed to last about 6 hours, so it may be some time before I post again. I haven't seen Tim or Kellyann yet, but I have to assume they're here somewhere. Meanwhile, check out those stylish pajamas!

About a mile from our house is an ice cream stand. It's good that it's not closer, because undoubtedly we'd go too often. But once in a while we walk down for a treat. And since stress has been high in our house lately, and because soon Matthew won't be allowed to eat (pre-surgery water-only) and he certainly won't be up for a hilly 2 mile hike for a long while, we decided it was time for a treat.

 We have to be at the hospital at 6am. Our dear friends invited us to come and stay with them, and I've got to thank them for their foresight in choosing a home so close to the transplant hospital! So now we are waking up at 4:45 instead of ...2am? Thank you, D&A! Yesterday we dropped off the dog at the boarder, just 3 days after we picked her up from our vacation travels. I felt bad about that, and worried about how she'd react, (she's a very scared puppy) but it turns out she was delighted to go back, and reacted to their staff member in a way I've never seen her do for anyone except...well, me. (I'm secretly a little jealous!) So now I'm in the kitchen waiting for my toast, and trying to be as quiet as I can because there are 4 sleeping children upstairs, and two sleeping adults down the hall, and I want to stay in their good graces for at least the next week. Meanwhile their cat, who has never paid me an ounce of attention before, is suddenly...