Team Matt, a Miracle Has Occurred!
Miracle: a highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences; often considered to be of divine appointment.
How do you know when you’ve witnessed a miracle? I’m not sure I can answer this question, but here’s what I know.
Last week at this time, we were told that there was “great concern” that Matt’s stem cell transplant had failed. Further testing confirmed that not only had Matthew’s immune system not recovered with the growth of white blood cells (WBC) as needed, tests indicated that the majority of cells (DNA) in Matt’s body were his, rather than the donors. Indeed, all signs pointed to rejection.
As the week progressed, the situation looked even more grim. Pain and fevers only exacerbated Matt’s suffering. On Thursday morning, we found the words to share this disappointment with the world and cried out for desperate prayer.
#TeamMatt, YOU answered our plea. You prayed. You shared our request. You prayed some more. God woke you up for you to pray for us. You fell asleep praying for us. You prayed as you walked, ran and meditated.
In fact, because of all of you, more than 110,000 people saw my prayer request on social media.
God has heard our cries and done more than we could have possibly imagined!
Today, at 2 pm, Matt left the hospital. He is now safely at our rental home in Kansas City and reunited with us. We are all overjoyed and everyone else is taking a much needed nap as I write this.
BUT HOW? How did this happen?
On Thursday, after asking for your prayers:
We learned the original donor was onboard to donate again. An answered .
Matt’s pain started to improve and with some tweaking of meds, he was much better by the following morning. An answered .
Our weary souls found much needed encouragement and renewed faith because of the overwhelming response from you all. An answered .
Also, strangely enough Matt’s WBC (white blood count) moved up ever so slightly.
Then on Friday and Saturday, that WBC bumped ever so slightly more. And then on Sunday, it more than tripled and today doubled from there - which is why Matt was able to come home after 31 nights in the hospital!
What does this mean? I can’t answer for sure and wouldn’t even try at this point. However, the team is cautiously optimistic that the transplant has engrafted after all. More DNA testing will occur this week and we will get a more definite path moving forward. But I am encouraged by these remarkable, tremendous and amazing events of the last 48 hours. To say that God exceeded all expectations would be an understatement. God has blown our socks off!
I will share more about the work God has done in our hearts as the days unfold. For now, I just wanted each of you to know that your prayers made a very real difference in the life of our son. God still hears. He still heals. He still moves mountains.
And we rejoice! Thank you for sharing in God’s good work in our lives.
Love to you all!