Thorburn Family

Tough day today for Rich, and later on, for Ken as well.   Doesn’t look like they’ll be released tomorrow after all, but we’ll see.  Digestive issues are causing problems for Rich and he’s been taken back to no liquids, no foods again (getting fluids through IV though).   Ken is not feeling well either.  This is a bump in the road and it will pass.   Hoping for a great day tomorrow and release from the hospital soon.  Anna

Rich and Ken continue to do well.  They are moving closer and closer to going home.  They both drank liquids today and Rich ate a couple crackers.  Eating will be the key to getting off IV and getting on the pills instead.  Rich’s cathedar and epidural were removed today too!  He’s making lots of revolutions around the nurse’s station w/his IV pole; looking great.  We think that Rich will go home Sunday, and Ken may go home then, or a day later, as well.  We are so thankful for all the prayers and for God’s goodness towards each of us. The kidney continues to work well.   We are considering the idea of a “kidney transplant skit” by the Thorburns and Micks for Family Camp at Susque this year.   Now that everyone is in much less pain, we see a lot of humor in the transplant procedure :-) 

Rich is doing a lot better now.   The wonderful doctors and pain management team have developed a great plan for him, I believe.  Rich is sleeping and feels good .. pain is a 3 on scale of 1-10 (before it was a “12″).   I am thankful for this.  He’s really a trooper and true to his character.  Today he walked slowly around the nurses station 3 times.  Ken is also doing well.  Both guys are still eating only ice chips.  We hope that in a day or two they will be eating something.  We are on our way!  Kidney is functioning well, they say!   Thank you for all the prayers.

Rich and Ken are in their room, trying to sleep.  Rich received an epidural but it did not work for very long.  He is very uncomfortable, in a lot of pain.  They are trying other things and will probably take the epidural out tonight as well.  Please pray that his pain will decrease and that then they will stay on top of it.  We aren’t really sure why he is having that trouble.  Hopefully the nighttime will be uneventful for both of the guys.  THANK YOU for all the prayers.  They mean a great deal to us.  Anna

The surgery went well.  They started Rich 2 hours before they started Ken.   Ken and Rich are both recovering.  The kidney worked fully & immediately.  They said it is a BIG kidney!  Ken is making 1.5 quarts of urine an hour.  Things could not have gone better.
Rich has been moved to the room that he and Ken are sharing.  He’s very sore, and is unable to have the regular pain medication system most donors have, b/c of his sleep apnea.  Right now he’s a hurting puppy ~ getting a kidney out is harder than getting one in ~ they have to dig around your other organs and do a lot more manipulation to extract.  Rich has a very nice nurse who will be helping him as much as she can.  They are doing scans on Ken and he will arrive in the room after that.  Please pray that the guys will recover well, that Rich will have no seizures, and that Ken’s body would continue to have great success w/this kidney!   I will write something better later on tonight or tomorrow and send it to everyone, and update our website, but wanted to give you this update for now.  I can receive mail and also get internet in the hospital, which is why I can update this dite.  But, I don’t seem to be able to send mail, so I have not answered any emails since getting to the hospital (but I am reading them).  I am going to take this next door to the hospital and hopefully send some mail.  But, it won’t be until later tonight.
THANK YOU for the prayers and keep praying, thanks.   God is gracious and mighty!
Love, Anna

2 days till surgery!  We have a storm here, there is no school for Ariel (the little girl staying w/us in foster care).  Our four children have been delivered to Betty Christy in NY.  The bad weather expected today changed our plans, so now instead of the children being here with Betty during surgery week, Rich took them out to NY yesterday.  How good it is to know they are in great hands!  Ariel goes to respite care tomorrow, and will come back to us when this is over.  She will probably be here until we receive our new son.  I am thankful for the quiet house and time to get a lot of things done.  A couple days ago, we met with another surgeon who will be assisting during Rich’s surgery, and he seemed to think it would be at least 6 weeks before Rich could resume his normal work.  We have planned everything based on four weeks because the other surgeon gave us that time frame, but God knew this and we know that He will continue to provide all the needs for both the Mick and Thorburn families as He is and has been doing all along!   Only time will tell how this will go, and I don’t think anyone can truly make good predictions.  I’ll post an update here after surgery.  I might even be able to figure out how to add a picture of the guys (don’t count on it.. my “tech support” is in NY :))  Love, Anna 

We are encouraged by the generous giving to help Ken Mick, Jr., and we are thankful to the Lord! The money that has come in totals $5,146.26! The apostle Paul’s words effectively express our sentiments.***2 Corinthians 8:1-5
(1) Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
(2) that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.
(3) For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,
(4) begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,
(5) and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.***It was mentioned in the first post announcing the opportunity to bless Ken, the target amount is a minimum of $6000 (that figure would increase if Rich Thorburn’s recovery time is longer, etc.) or $5542.13 if Anna could find a place to stay during Rich’s surgery. Thankfully, provision for the hotel has been made and $5542.13 is the target.Perhaps you have considered contributing financially but have waited to see the progress. Now is the time! Keep praying.Posted by Craig Johnson

Latest: $3990 2nd Corinthians 8:1-5 ++++
I don’t know why this template does not let me make paragraphs, so I will put ++++ between each new thing
++++I will send an update again in about a week or so and probably no sooner. Doing this so often has become a little tedious and is probably unnecessary. Thank you so much for everything; we are touched and blessed by the generosity towards this kidney transplant effort.
++++Last night we had a long talk with a guy who just gave his kidney to his son. This precious family has 3 of their 6 children in need of a transplant. Through their personal kidney adventure, they have gained a great deal of knowledge and experience w/all things organ :). This guy’s son, btw, is not doing well at all and Samuel needs our earnest prayers right now as he lays in ICU, nearly 8 weeks after his transplant. Pray for this young man..
++++ During our talk with Tom, we came to realize that the information he’s gotten from his transplant center in VT. is far more detailed than the info we have received during our appointments in MA. There may be many innocent reasons for the lack of info, of course. Tom related to us, among other things, that Rich should expect a minimum of 6 weeks (not 4) before he can do any heavy lifting, which is the mainstay of his work, and explained more in detail what this means. We are grateful for the heads-up, and glad that there are so many people behind this kidney effort, whatever it may bring.
++++Another thing that happened today was that the money was provided for a hotel nearby the hospital. We had sought a place to stay in the area and there were a few precious people (particularly Marianne Plenge) working on our behalf to make that happen in a Christian home in the area. While we were happy about this in order to cut costs, we were also slightly concerned that the lady who is coming to watch the children may end up not being able to travel to our home from NY in bad weather, which would mean I would be taking the children w/me to hotel and hospital for the duration. I have no problem w/that, but would need to be in a hotel and not a family home if that did happen. I also want to be as close to the hospital as possible, etc. So, we were delighted when money came in that is designated specifically for the hotel and just settled the whole question.

++++ Hope you all had a blessed Christmas. We are getting more snow today and the roads aren’t so hot. Nice to be inside!In Christ, Anna

If God is willing, we will reach goal.  We are really touched by the eager generosity being expressed.  Some of you don’t even know the kidney recipient, Ken, and your hearts of love for him, and for us, are just amazing.  God’s Church is amazing, because of God’s unspeakable gift to us, Jesus Christ, who takes us from a “futile way of life” into something glorious and eternal.What a great example you are to us, and we continue to learn a lot from each of you.  We were reading 2nd Corinthians 9:11-15, which says:  ”You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.  For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.  By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.  Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift.”Christ truly does change things.  May He be praised.