Wednesday, July 14, 2010

It's Not About Me...

I wanted to update you all on the case of Sarah and Zeke.  Sarah is my fellow Marshfield Clinic employee who is donating her kidney to her friend Amy's dad Zeke.  As you may have read in a previous post, Amy's husband Tim and I also went to optometry school together in Chicago.  We thought that was an incredible connection, but I think we had a connection much deeper than we even realized.  As I said before, July 13th seemed like such an important date to Lonnie and I.  It was the date our surgery was scheduled...and it was the date that my calendar page talked about kidney transplants.  At the time I thought that was my reassurance that our kidney transplant was definitely going to take place.  When we got cancelled I just could not figure out why July 13th would have seemed so significant.  Then when we connected with UW I thought perhaps July 13th would be the day UW would want to evaluate one of us.  As the date got closer and I knew things were moving slowly with UW I knew that could not be it either.  As it turned out my thinking was entirely too self-centered.  I never imagined that the date could be in reference to someone else's case.  Then along came Sarah and Zeke.  Since Zeke had some recent medical problems, he needed to again be cleared for their transplant.  His date to see the transplant surgeon was indeed July 13th.  And yesterday, July 13th, Zeke was cleared for his transplant. 

How often do we look at the things God is doing around us and assume that they must be related to our lives in some way?  How often do we ask God to do something for us without regard for what someone else may be experiencing?  How often do we look at our own struggles and fail to look at the world around us?  If we choose to look around us, how often would God use the events in our lives to enrich others?  I am sure finding that out.  And I think it is pretty darn cool.


  1. Very cool Jill. Your words are very inspiring, we are praying that all goes well. You are definitely and angel sent from heaven Jill! You truly are! May God bless you!


  2. Jill,
    Thanks for being so supportive of Sarah and my dad. I'm sure it must be difficult to watch this happening when you and Lonnie are waiting for the same thing. I'm so confident that it WILL work out for you and Lonnie. It is just a matter of where and when. You are an amazing person, just like our Sarah. "Two twins, separated at birth". Thank you for your prayers and know we are all praying for you too!!

    Amy Hurley