Best Friend Donates Kidney to Save Her Life!

Have you ever heard the saying, "Man plans, God laughs"?  How many times have you headed down a life path to only be steered a completely different direction?  Change can be hard for many of us, especially if you are being asked to make a big decision, one that can affect your life forever.  Meet Tammy and Carla.  They are two best friends that are on a life or death journey together.  Tammy has suffered with Chronic Kidney Disease for the past 15 years.  She found out last December that she has been put on the National Kidney Donor list.  She was encouraged to reach out to family and friends and ask if anyone would be a match to be a kidney donor. After many failed attempts with close family, her friends gathered around and put themselves on the list!  Out of Tammy's group of friends and family, there was ONE MATCH - CARLA!  This interview was taped from their hotel hospital room in Houston, Texas. Chatter Box Radio will be following their journey throughout the entire process.  They are in the initial stages now, so come alongside and let's support, pray and get the word out for others to help those that need a kidney transplant.

Want to know how to be a living kidney donor?  
Contact: Jane Deleon - Living Donor Advocate
janefrancis.deleon@commonspirit.com
832-355-7061

Follow their journey on Instagram! @adonorsstory or @yourageisnotyourcage

Website coming soon! www.adonorsstory.com

www.thechatterboxradio.com

www.thechatterboxradio.com
www.carriefarris.com

Transcript

Unknown: 0:31

Oh my gosh, I was so excited. I can't believe that we're actually sitting here talking about this. Right now, Carla, and Tammy, thank you so much for coming and being a part of this show being a part of the podcast. And it was a miracle on how I even just found out about this. And I'd like to hear from both of you just a little bit about what's going on. Why are we even talking? Well, I I found out about 15 years ago that I had chronic kidney disease. And it has progressively gotten worse as I've gotten older. And I got to the point where I was in need of a kidney. And I'm went on to the kidney donation list, the national list, and, and then they asked if I knew anybody who would like to donate and become a living donor. And I put it out there to my friends and family. And Carla appears to be my match. Let me ask you this. How hard was it to send that out? It's very interesting. You asked that because the biggest emotion I've had is guilt. The guilt that I feel of asking somebody that I felt guilty asking my family I felt guilty asking my friends. So I prayed, prayed and prayed for God to give me the strength to ask, because it was just very hard. The guilt I have. I still have for you know, I mean, yesterday, I wrote down and I was just like, I can't believe you would do this or me. Carla, I can't believe that you would go so selfless you would do that. You would do that for me. Yeah, yeah. It was. Okay. I gotta get a little bit of the backstory because I love details. Unlike our husbands, right, who never got details on about you, Carla. But if somebody gives you much, but I get like one word answers. So 15 years ago, where were you at in your life? Kids? Were you still married? What was happening? I had kids. I was a first grade school teacher. And I had gone to the doctor and they said, Let's take your blood. When's the last time you had your blood taken? I was like, I don't know. It probably been years. And so they I remember they called me that afternoon. And I got a phone call that said you need to go to a nephrologist. And an apologist is a kidney specialist. I don't understand what do you say you didn't you had no prior knowledge to anything before. I had no symptoms, no symptoms? No, I thought I was perfectly healthy. And so I I was like, Okay, I don't even know where to begin. So I found a nephrologist. And I went in and my Korea levels were high. And they I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. And at that point, I was stage three. Okay. And so I've had a slow digression, this might be a really dumb question. But how many stages are you? And when you get to stage three? What is that looking like for years, five stages total. There's five stages. And so you know, when we're young, we're all stage one, you know, unless you actually have something wrong with you, everyone is a stage one, everybody's great. You know, you're good. But then as you get older, you're just like all the rest of your organs, your organs get older, you know, just like you do, but mine, my kidneys have just really gotten older quicker than the rest of me. Wow. Right now, my kidneys work at about 18%. Okay, once you get to 15% then you go on disability at work, because at that point, you're probably getting on dialysis and doing a lot of appointments and things like that. So right now, I'm still teaching first grade, and and go into dialysis, right? Well, I'm not on dialysis yet. So I'm a few. A few kids you have to be at 15 to start okay, you're at 18 Yeah. And I'm an eighth. So but once you get below 20. You go to go through all the same testing that Carla just went through to see if I can receive a kidney if I'm healthy enough to receive a kidney and I you go through all the testing and they talk to you about the transplant and then you go before the Medical Review Board. And so that happened in November for me and National Kidney list. And they asked, Do you know anybody who would want to donate? Okay, when did you put that out there? To your friends and family? Um, well, I knew it was coming. So I put it out to my family, but nobody can actually donate until you get on the list. Nobody registered and donate. Oh, no way. You have to wait until your body has gotten to that point. Yes. Yeah. So once it got to that point. Yeah, November, I said, I just prayed and prayed. And, and, and I just thought if I've just put it into the Lord's hands, he'll know, he'll know the right match for me. He'll know the right person for me. And I really had like I said, I had to overcome the guilt of asking someone to give you know, this no kidding how hard generous of you know of themselves. I mean, yeah, themselves. Yeah. So all right. So I gotta hear when Carla found out. And that whole exchange and how that went. Carla, how did that go? You must have seen or heard at a particular time this was going on with your friend. Well, you know, Tammy, and I have a 45 plus year history together. I'm sorry, what? How did you two meet? We met in high school. Okay. And so we've been friends since I was only like, 10 years ago, though, Carla. I mean, come on. Yeah, well, that's when I graduated from high school. That we have high school friends that still stay in touch, we still get together. And we have a group thread that we share things. And it was on that that Tammy shared that, you know, I was I was added to the national donors list. And, you know, she didn't so much say, Would you all please go apply or anything like that? We go pray about it right now. I'm kind of in a hurry. Yeah. Yeah. And so she put it out there. And I know, there's been several that have gone and have applied, and I did the same thing. And applied and then I got the call from the Living Donor Advocate that hold on a lot of question. Did you have to like, like, you saw the tags? Did you have to? Did you know immediately, like you knew in your spirit, this was happening, and I'm gonna go down this road. And if it works out, it works out? Or if you were, if God kind of like pulled you aside, you know, into your closet, and was like, working on your for a little bit? How did it happen when you realize, okay, do that. I mean, I definitely prayed about it. But I filled out the application pretty quickly. It was like, why would I even think about it? You know, this is someone that I've been friends with all my life. And I know she would do the same for me. And as I know, chills, yeah. What do we all do it for each other? And so it wasn't just it wasn't even a question. And, you know, it started to get more real as the Living Donor Advocate called me and starts asking me a lot of questions. But it was still a lot of metaphors still just them trying to navigate their way through if if I was a potential candidate, and it went through that, and then they had me do some lab testing. And then it became okay, all this is is matching up with Tammy. You know, now the next step is to come to Houston and do all this extensive lab testing and meeting with physicians and, and that's what we're doing right now. And that's when me and you figured it out. Within those two days. It was like, you and I have known each other probably about 10 years through training. And we have the same age kids and the same faith in the schools and the workout and we've meshed that way. Over the years, I've seen how both of our lives have kind of been paralleled going in the same direction has been so cool. So I've always known like, I need Carla on here. We're going to talk about nutrition. We're going to talk about exercise, you know, her soon to be by gas and but we hadn't figured out when we meant we bumped into each other at Christmas. I saw you last summer, that kind of thing. And then all of a sudden, for two days, I could not get you on my mind. And I kept feeling the Lord texts or text her and I'm like, It's January. It's the year. We're going to do this I'm going to talk about and I'm planning it out. We did and in those two days is when you got that phone call. Yeah, I couldn't believe that. I was so blown away by the whole story. I'm so honored. They are even talking to me about this. It's yeah. Wow, that was amazing. Because you and I were talking about me coming on your podcast and just talking about all the things that's exactly right. Yeah, and yeah, Like I was like, when we had scheduled the day, that's when I, I message you. I'm like, Okay, this isn't a text or audio that just anybody leaves, but I'm a potential kidney donor. And I have to go. Yeah, so we might have to reschedule. And I'm like, No, yeah, that's what really, if you look back and see how the Lord works, all the timing of it, this is what we're supposed to talk about. Yeah, it really is. Okay, so then we don't talk, you'd have your appointments. How's it going there? What's been going on every day that you've been there? And how are y'all feeling? And how are the tests going? Yeah, it's, it's, it's been good. Yesterday was the big day of a lot of needle poking and testing and EKGs echoes, CT scans. Gosh, what else? Yeah, chest X rays, a lot of different testing. So a lot of poking and prodding, and just, but yet along the way, you know, I mean, Timmy, and I always have fun together. And we have another friend with us. DD who is a photographer, and she's documenting the whole journey, because our main goal is to bring awareness to to living donors, and just just our faith in the faith is what is getting through us through all of it. And just, you know, in the in the all the tests and stuff yesterday, there was still a lot of laughing, and a lot of just light hearted, but then there was also heavy in meeting with a surgeon, that one that would actually take my kidney out. And that was a very emotional time for Tammy. Because for her, it's her worry and concern for me. And so that was real hard for her. I don't know if you want to say anything to that, because now I'm getting all choked up about that. It was just amazing to sit in there. And I was jotting down notes as quickly as I could. It just everything Carla would have to go through all of that, you know, this is what you would have to do before surgery, this is what's happening during your surgery, these are the scars you'll have, you know, this is your recovery time. And I was just overcome with emotion, I can feel it now that somebody would do that for me, you know, that conditional love 100% would do that. For me, it was just, it was just a why I just was overcome by emotion. It is it's wild that I can what I can feel from both of you. And knowing your faith is probably you felt that light hearted, but kind of an easy flow, you know how the Holy Spirit works? Yeah. And any works in these ways. And you can't even you know, explain, and most people are would be petrified or scared. And I can I can tell Carlos had such a another concerns but you've had such a, an ease to and then knowing is what you're going to do. Yeah. And I mean, you know, we know our faith. And we know I mean, it's it. I didn't just continually stay in prayer and with the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to guide me there's things that come in, there's, you know, there's all of a sudden, we all know the enemy wants to come in and bring that fear and discouragement and and it's just like, No, you know, you have no place here. And I wouldn't keep moving forward if I didn't feel that peace if I didn't feel the Lord opening the doors and, and, you know, showing me the way and I know that's what has kept me at just a peace and a light heartedness through at all. Yeah, you know, and there's times every now and then when you take that deep breath, and just, but I think it's more of the just being tired from all this stuff we've had to do. Oh, yeah, that and the emotions will just wear you out all day. But yeah, and we've had our friends here surrounding us and spoiling us and had a room full of goodies for us. And they surprised us today with a big, beautiful brunch and just just have showered us with so much love because I think that's one of the most important things and all these people want to surround you and love on you and help you Yeah. And they don't know what to do and how to help. And so they have all just loved us so well and just have been carrying us through. You know all of it. And that's been such a sweet, beautiful thing too. That's amazing. Yeah. So, Tammy, how has your family reacted to all of this? Well, my dad now calls Carla Mike You know, his other daughter, and my family is, is just in, you know, there's they're so grateful. And there's you know, they're just can't believe that she, you know, my whole family applied to be my donor. And I don't know what it was I don't know what God had in store but Carla was the one that rose to the top. And so I think my family is just so thankful that you know that they were willing to give me a kidney they were all willing to do you know, my children, my parents, my sister, my husband, they were all willing to do it. And so that Carla is, you know, is so bright now the person she's my, my person. There's just so much love. You know, like, every time I talk to my sister, she's like, when you talk to Carla, tell her Tell her I love Tell her I love so, you know, there's there's just a lot. It couldn't be more, you know, just more thankful to Yeah, yeah. What about you, Carla? Well, I was going to jokingly say that it's just that competitive spirit in me, you know, I had run, I had that run to the front. Yeah, it'll be funny after this, see what you're craving, you're gonna start like, like, and jeeps and working out. So there you go. It's a perfect match, I drive a Jeep, it was meant to be people. Kidding aside, you know, for my family, it's a journey, too. And it's, it's the same things go there. You know, Sonny knows my faith, and he knows that what I do, I'm walking with the Spirit. And, you know, there's things that come in concerns for him, too. It's just all the natural things that come up. But in all of it, my family just wants me to follow wherever God's leading. Yeah, no. And it's sometimes it's hard to let that person do that. They're worried Do you know and three, and, and it's, you know, it's a worry. So I can only imagine the feelings that her you know, her children and her husband and her parents, you know, that they all have? Because it's it's her, it's elective for her. It's something that she's, you know, she's chosen and she doesn't have to do it. Yeah. So, go ahead. Well, I've just, I actually lost my train of thought what I was going to say on that. So you go ahead. Well, one of the things, there's so many things I want to ask you, but so in chronicling this your journey. So what is what is it that you really want people to know? I mean, you know, they will you see your faith and in the story. But what is it? Is there something that you want to tell people that are needing a kidney? Don't you know, that need a donor? Is there something that you really want to tell Carla about being a donor or anything along those lines? Well, it's so funny, because I don't want the focus to be on me, I don't want the focus to be on me, I want it to be on Carla. Because she is the person that is you know, chosen to do this and be you know, and be my hero. And Carla being as selfless as she is. She doesn't want it to be about her. She wants it to be about you know about God and how he's led her to, to make this decision and to do this. So I feel like, I feel like neither one of us want it to be about us. Well, just being a spectator right now. And being a part of this, I don't see it being about you, or you. It's about the both of you, and just the whole entire encompassing of Christ and his followers coming together and supporting each other and moving through you. And here's your stories through Karla and moving through you and then having to deal with, you know, you got to humble yourself, you know, the guilt. Also the worthiness, like Am I really worthy of all of this and that. That's the guilt, you know, and God's showing that you are worthy girl. Yeah, you know, and that he's working. Yeah. And I think just the whole time we've just even in in doing this and anything that we do when we talk about it. Our main focus is just creating awareness because I've learned so much as I've walked through this, about living donors and just had no idea I Um, how many are just out there waiting for living donors, because if you get a, a transplant from a living donor, your life expectancy and everything is so much longer than from a deceased person, really? And why is that? I know that it's just a living donor, you know, her, her organs are still alive, you know, they're still, they're still beating, and they're still they're still alive. And so and, and of course, they come from a very healthy person, because the the testing that she has to go through to make sure that she's healthy enough to donate. So when you get an organ from a deceased person, that testing is really not there. So quickly, you know, it's okay. Somebody, you know, tragically passes away, and is a donor, and they bring in the person who is a match, and it happens so quickly. So. So let me ask you this. So is it true? Like, there's a certain amount of time that that kidney has to get to say it comes from someone who has passed? Yeah, to get to the person that needs it? So it's all that hurry up and go? And yes, so the people that are on the kidney LIS like I am, but they're at the top of the list, because they're already on dialysis, dialysis, like they have a go back. And they you know, and they're waiting for that phone call, when two o'clock in the morning, or, you know, whatever, they're waiting for that phone call, and they grab their bag, and they go, well received that duck that kidney before, you know, while it's still viable. Yeah. But a living donor. You know, I think that just the life expectancy for me is so much more than if I'm if I don't receive deceased. What did they give you? The statistics, like the odds of, you know, maybe it could be a year, maybe it could be a couple of years. So if you didn't have a living, how many? Eight years? Wow, yeah. And a lot of people don't have five to eight years, you know. So that's, you see the people that are in the hospital, and that are on dialysis all the time, and their bodies are just breaking down because they're waiting on on a kidney, they're waiting, sadly on someone else to pass so that they can have Yeah, that organ. Yeah. So, Carla, as far as like, you were surprised by the things that you've learned with the donors and that kind of thing and bringing awareness what, what were some of the things that you just felt were shocking, that maybe didn't know the whole process of it all. And just like the amount of testing, you don't really think of what all you have to go through, to just cross match everything and make sure everything lines up, and just the intensity of the testing they do on the living donor, to make sure they are not going to be compromised in any way, you know, if it's if they have any issues with heart or, or kidneys or abdomen or liver, or, you know, whatever it may be just very intense testing, meeting with the different doctors meeting with living donor advocates meeting with dieticians, meeting with Gosh, therapists, I mean, it allow, it is a journey that they take you through to make sure that you are I mean, truly that perfect match, and that your body is not going to be compromised along the way, you know, before you kind of heard about someone getting a new kidney or whatever. And you just think, wow, you know, they just took that one. And you just don't think as much about the whole process that goes behind it. And the thing is, too, that I've learned is if I'm not a match, then Tammy goes through this all over again, with someone else and if they're non match and someone else and it keeps going on and on, and that concern into a long process, as you can imagine. So so my insurance pays for everything. Okay, I was gonna ask that. Yeah. Kenny it comes out of Carla's part pocket, wow. covers every single every single doctor's visit every single blood, draw her entire hospital stay, and then treatment for two years afterwards, just you know, make sure that our kidneys or the kidneys still functioning at where it should be and and all of that is so it shouldn't cause Carla a single penny throughout the whole throughout the whole thing which I think is good for people to know that are interested in want to apply. You don't like I don't have to go through my insurance. Nothing goes through me. And so it's it's not like anyone has to have insurance. A living donor. It's it's there is nothing on my end that you have to pay for her like to that. Yeah. Wow. And I think that's important for people to know too. Yeah. So When you got that first call, and during those few days when I got to experience, you were like, Oh, my match, what was it that you? What was it that you were a match for that nobody else was like the first initial thing? Was it the blood match? Was it? What was it? You know? I mean, that's a hard. It's a hard question. Yeah, we believe it's the blood match. But then they also did like, antigen tests and things like the error analysis, 24 hour urine collection to check your kidneys. And so things like that, that are important to cross match and see, then putting it with her blood and how it works together. And I think that's, you know, that's where they start connecting. Okay, we're moving you to the next phase of, you know, the thorough testing to see where you land. You know, most people's question to us all the time is when we know for sure when when we have the surgery. And we don't know, for Hillary, Oh, I thought it was like, may I do it there, we have no day. And it goes through a whole medical review board where they all can sit down after I've been here. And that whole review board goes through all my stuff, all my tasks, everything and then determine, again, if I am the right match. And then even when they determine that for sure, then there's still more tests that we go through even before procedures, and they continually test to make sure you're both still on the same page. Okay, they don't want to risk either one of us. Right process. Right? Yeah. Wow. And it's all the same tests just to make sure that your say enzymes and your antigens and all those things are still what they're saying. Literally everything you can test, like every blood I've had there, my eyelash. Oh, the only thing they haven't checked is my brain. And they probably should have looked at that. But literally, I mean, they check everything. And one of my things that I think that the Lord has shown me all along the way is we know my my lifestyle, and my my health and fitness and all the things that are so important to me and taking care of yourself. And I've just constantly been like, Lord, is this what you've been preparing me for? You know? And not be healthy and fit. And you know, because I want to live longer for my family and my kids. And But is this what you've been preparing me for? Right now? I know you're not supposed to ask a lady your age. I know how old you are. I don't know if you want to say that. But I think that if you do and tell the truth. You may braggin. Yeah. Yeah. I am. 58 Tami's about to turn 58. We're both 58. And now everyone is shocked if you're watching this on YouTube right now? Because they do not look that the years old. You are very kind. I mean, thank God, you both are taking good care of yourselves, amazingly. And that. Maybe this wouldn't have happened if you didn't. Yeah, yeah. You know? Yeah. Well, I do. I feel like, you know, when Carla said to me, I feel like this. This was this was the reason God had me take such good care of yourself. This. He knew so many years ago when she got into fitness. And, and and, uh, he knew he already knew this. You know, thank God, he knows what's going to happen next because of land. Yeah, it wasn't revealed to us until just man. Yeah. And how, what a blessing and a gift for you to both to experience this kind of love on Earth. Yes, yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's this kind of love is the kind of love that, you know, is in heaven. God, this is what God's bringing down. Right here to show everybody what true love is being there for your friend. Yeah, so after all that, go ahead. I was gonna say and I think it's also just the testimony and just the beauty to have of community and our friends and the people that have surrounded us just how important it is just to have those people in your life that are going to be there for you in these times. Yeah. So you've gone through all this testing now. You're gonna go home tomorrow both of you are in Houston right now. And what in what medicals. What We're a huge Medical Center in Houston. Each Medical Center right now we're at Yeah, we're in the you're at St. Luke's. You're at St. Luke's. Yeah, Baylor, St. Luke's. And we have more. Well, I do, Tammy just comes with me but more meetings tomorrow and another stress test, and then we'll be finished with this face of it. And did they give you any kind of idea of what's next is it will wait until the board reviews it like you said, right? And then bring it back in and keep doing the tasks that you don't know, are they kind of saying, in a month, you might need to come back more. We don't give you timelines when we met with who would be my surgeon, we met with him yesterday. You know, he's the one that told us you know, there's there's still people looking at all the tests and all the things and then if we go to the Review Board, nobody really gives you a timeline, they gave me an indication of you know, that these tests will happen. And then once they're totally okay. I mean, it is really when it moves forward, and there just be additional testing along the way. So we could this happen, like really fast, though? I mean, did they give you a heads up like, Alright, we're gonna have surgery, like, say, in a couple of weeks, just because I'm curious if someone is thinking about doing this. If I was thinking about doing that, I would want to know everything about your journey, like, okay, are they going to call me in the middle of the night and say, We're gonna schedule surgery next week? And it's happening on that day? No, I can speak to that. Because when when I first I had to do a whole class and everything that I went through to really learn that all the details of what this entail, and one of them was that the living donor is like in the driver's seat, and no one else scheduled the surgery day. It is totally up to me. When I decide that it works in my life, too. And psychologically, and emotionally, that's probably the best thing to do. I'm not gonna get a phone call in the middle of the night that it's next Thursday, you know, yeah, don't be me saying, hey, I can do it in this timeframe. Let's see what we can work out there. And so that's what I have been told him learned. All right. Okay, so Can y'all tell me a little bit about the surgery? How is that guy if someone wants to know what the surgery is? How long does it take longer you in surgery? What's the recovery? So mine is a little bit more complex. Of course, I'm in the hospital for about seven to 10 days. I have about an eight week recovery time. And so mine's a little bit more difficult. And then Carla lips, you speak about yours? Yeah. So he told me that with mine, it's about a two hour surgery. They go in laparoscopic with a camera. And that's how they were removed the kidney. It's a very small incision, where Tammy is cut in a C shape, which I said was my tattoo. Forever, I'll say no. To my face, love God. Because they have to then reattach the kidney to, you know, everything in flow and the bladder. And yeah, make sure that it's attached to everything it needs to be. So my surgery is about a 10 hour surgery, and two and a half. So obviously, we have two kidneys. For those that don't know that out there. My grandmother lost a kidney when she was in childbirth with my uncle, and always had to go to the doctor and double check all those things, which is another really ironic thing that my grandmother went through that. And so in the back of my mind, I always wondered, really, I always wondered if I would have something wrong with my kidneys. And this is going to be another not dumb question. But why did it affect both of your kidneys and my grandmother only affect one, right? So I have chronic kidney disease. So it is it's just a disease that affects the kidneys. So my kidneys are slowly shriveling up. Okay when they do the surgery, you know your kidneys are in your back that kind of area. So when I did the surgery, they they won't actually remove my two kidneys. They only remove them. If if they have you know, a view of a cancer or a kidney or something that could spread throughout your body. By my disease. It only affects the kidneys So they won't remove either one of my kidneys. God in another one of his miracles gave people two kidneys. And you only need one kidney to live. I know I thought I was just having that conversation. I was telling my eight year old about y'all and kind of be quiet when I'm recording. But telling him and explaining that like, Thank God we have to and she can give her one. Yes. And then got actually gives you this is called the handy dandy kidney pocket. So when they put Carla's kidney, if she is my match, and they put her kidney into me, it actually goes in the front and into my stomach. And there's a a little pocket between muscles, and it slides right into that pocket. And God God knew and he just put right into created that inside of that, you know, humans. So it's just, it's amazing. Makes me want to cry. Yeah, it really does. Like just amazing. It is. But Carla's Carla's surgeries, about two, two and a half hours. Okay, recovery. She's in the hospital for one to two days. No time at all. Yeah. Trying to like, no. Maybe they want to keep you one or two extra days. I know. Right? I need to live with that. Well, I can't. It's not a nice go. Yeah, yeah. And then I mean, even immediately, of course, they want you up, they want you moving. I mean, my limitations are really just no heavy lifting. But otherwise, it's, you know, normal daily life. And the main thing is, you'll feel tired and fatigued easier. I mean, because once your kidneys out, that one then takes over and it grows, and it's making up for the other ones. So you'll have some fatigue and stuff. But really, there should not be, you know, anything else. Beyond that, of course, you'll have some pain from the incision and stuff at first. You know, I'm just counting on that, that my recovery would be quick and easy. And, you know, again, God's already gone before us and that and he's taking care of it. And then you may we'll, we'll have a much longer, longer, longer, longer recovery. But yeah, but I have a friend who had a kidney transplant, and she said, she didn't feel she didn't know how bad she felt. Until the day she woke up after her kidney surgery, really, and her whole body felt different. Because it just felt that's gonna be amazing to watch. And you Yes, yes. I mean, just there, she said she was a nurse because I had the pain of the incision. But everything about my body felt better. Because my work, you know, everything was working again. So I can't, I can't imagine. Yeah, I can't. So looking forward to that. To that miracle, I have a couple of more questions for you guys. So you have a face. And I'd like to hear from each one of you what your faith is, and what made you have such a strong faith to, to notice any of this, let me just say, we've been through our things in our lives, right? I've been in hospital rooms where I have witnessed families that have a lot of support. I have I've witnessed families that didn't have any support at those very crucial moments. And it's a big difference in the healing for that person, their walk their outlook on the whole thing, being aware and noticing that God is alive and then this moment, because a lot of people will just focus on the sucks. I don't have kidney I need a kidney. I'm gonna get down. I'm gonna, I mean, easy for me to say, I'm just saying we've had our own stuff gone. I know how hard it is. That Christ is that one, your faith is what really pulls you through. And we say that a lot. But I feel like when people see it or hear it when conversations don't know what that means. Right? Right. I know that. You know, I'm a Christian. I believe that he has been I believe he has walked with me my whole life. I believe that. You know, there were times where, you know, he carried me and I've kind of feel like that's where I am right now that he's, you know, he's walking beside me with you know, giving me a little boost as we go you know, to walk alongside me and you know, I I live on the lake and I go out to the water and I talked to God every day and you And just, you know, I thank him for all the things I have. And I just asked him, mostly I pray for my donor. So, you know, I don't necessarily pray for me, I pray, I pray to Him, for me to try to accept what's happening. But I, we, my husband and I pray every every day, every morning, every night for my Wow. air rising. Yeah, I mean, Tammy, that's the thing I can say about her is just, you know, she's not wanting to walk around. And just most people don't know, there's anything wrong with Amy. And it's because she doesn't, she doesn't express it to people, she doesn't focus on the the illness part, the sickness part, the disease part, but on on the the healing part. And, you know, that's where I land. I too, am a Christian. I mean, I am a Jesus follower lover just. And, you know, there were many years that I wasn't walking with him. And boy, he just, you know, he reeled me in, you know, through stuff that I was walking through. And it's just a constant leaning on him and, and listening to him. And just, I don't know, it just brings, it's a piece that you can't really explain to people, but I think people feel it from you. They, they feel it resonating from you, they feel that lightness in you, and and that is it's all because of him. And even in all of this and all that we've been going through. It's just that light, peaceful feeling of knowing that he has he's right there with us. I mean, we we've prayed before appointments, we, you know, it's just he's ever present. It's yeah, I couldn't imagine doing this with our without him. couldn't imagine it. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don't want to rely on myself, because that never works out. Well. Yeah. You know, what would you say to somebody that was watching this right now that was feeling that feeling like, like they're alone walking through it, they've got the kidney thing going on? And they're not feeling so great about it? You just I mean, would you recommend? Do you want to pray right now, for those people? I'd love to pray for him. I think that's, that's great. I would love for Carlo to pray. Me too, initially is gonna say that. Okay. Oh, Father, we just come to you right now. Or we just so we thank you for being present here with us and our conversation, we know that you are speaking through us and you are giving us the exact words you want us to say. And I just pray that, that the people that are listening, watching that they would just feel your love through us they would, they would feel just you drawing them in that you are pulling them close, you are saying child, I love you so much. You're not alone come to me, let me carry you. I just envision him picking these people up as they're down on the ground and they're weary, and he is picking them up. And he is holding them close and drawing them near and showing them that they don't have to do this alone. And I just pray, I just pray, Lord, that people would feel that they would know it. And that they would want it they would want to know the peace and the love that you that you have filled us up with that they would be able to have that same thing and all. All it takes is saying Jesus, please come near Jesus, I love you. Whatever you just say the name of Jesus. If you can't say anything else, say the name of Jesus, and He will know he will be there. And just pray for those out there that are weary and feel alone. You're not alone. He is with you. And we just we just ask that you would draw near to Him. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. And yeah, if you're out there, if somebody's out there, and you're watching this and you're struggling, and you're angry or upset about the whole situation, I just want to encourage you to do exactly what Carlos said. If you can't say anything, just say Jesus, come, just do it. Because what else do you have to lose? Yeah, you will open yourself up to miracles that you have never experienced before. And if someone I know there's going to be people tracking your journey all over the place. Do you have a website that You're going to create, or I know you're probably going to be posting it on your social media. But I don't know if y'all ever saw this show, it was on Netflix, and I can't even remember the name of it, but they named it.org or.com. And you can actually follow these people. And they traveled around for the, you know, the world. It was like a kindness thing, right? And if you wanted to follow Him, you can just get on the website, is there a way that they can just go directly to somewhere where they could see these pictures, all your videos, your comments, anything like that? Well, that's definitely something that's in the works, we have secured the donating the domain name. And you know, these are areas where people ask us, How can we help? How can we help, that's an area that someone could help by, we are not technology people. We are not, but you know, areas where people that want to come in, and they desire to serve and help help us create a website. But we do have an Instagram page. It's at a donors story is what it's called. And we have a private Facebook page, by the same name, where we go and put updates and pictures and stories. And, you know, we're trying to get better at that too. So we can get on more and share our journey. And that's why also our friend Didi, who is the photographer came to document as much as she was allowed to do, because it's hard when you're in the hospital setting with all that you do, but to document this journey, again, just to create awareness. So it's stuff that we can share with people along the way, and help others because if we can, if we can save one life by doing this, and when we did an Instagram Live, you know, we had friends saying, Hey, I've got three people that want to know how to apply, where do I send? Okay. So things like that, where we can create that, and I know there's we can send them, you know, we have a phone number and the information for the living donor advocate that people can contact. Uh huh. Okay, well, what I can do to help is put all that information in my show notes. I give it all that information on the chatterbox website. I get all that information from you, and then even put it out there on my platforms. And who I know about getting you need a website developers what you need. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because we both you know, you've heard Tammy, she has a full time job. In addition to everything, you know, she's not just a little one, your first graders, and had five of those suckers before there are we both have other things that we're doing and this, you know, stuff like this. It's time consuming. Yeah. And so but it's our desire to get things out there and whatever way we can. Okay, can you spell a donor story for me? Because I just don't know if you're using two s's or one? A, D, o, n o r s. s. T. O ry. Okay. And that's on Instagram. Yes. And then the private Facebook group is by the same day. Okay. I gotta make sure I'm on. And I know I saw something come by. And I think I make sure I'm on all this. Because I want yeah, I want to be able to put in, I can post on there to anything like, yes, you can do you can get in there. It goes through approval by us. Yeah. And so yeah, you can put stuff on there, we would approve you. Thanks. I appreciate that. All right. Anything else that we can think of right now? You have anything? I know. I don't know. I mean, we covered the surgeries, what you've been doing your faith, how you got there, how we got the match? And how long? I'm really glad that you brought that up about how long each one of you would be in surgery. I really want to know about that. And the recovery. That's good. And then we're just going to wait and see when we can tape again and know what our next step is. But, but how I can help y'all is I can work on finding a website developer for you. And you have a you didn't tell me the website name. They are saying a donor story.com Okay. Yeah, I've already secured that. Perfect. So I think it'll, you know, you know, like you said, What's websites up and running and we can, you know, here, this is our next step. Here's the next step in our approach. This is where you're at now and and you know, because I think there'll be a little some more testing. And then God willing, if this is, this is what God has been playing, you know, for both of us then eventually will be the surgery day. And that would be a huge update that we could share with everyone and, and time and how Brown is doing and yeah, I think even just recognition of if, if I am not the perfect match for any reason, I mean, as of now, it definitely looks like I am. But if I am not, it's that I I want just people to pour into and surrounds me because it'll be a disappointment. It'll be, you know, to go this far. And going back again. Although we know and we've been praying if it is not me, I we've said we know God is preparing that person right now. I believe that 100% So I'm so in awe by both of your your faith, your love that you have, I can just feel it through the computer. I've been getting chills the whole time. Yeah, you two are amazing. People, I'm so glad to know you and be a part of all of this just to be able to talk to you about it. Provide one small outlet to get it out there for people to hear and feel support or direction. So, where do you go? If I wanted to be a donor? What would the first step man I didn't know. And I didn't know one person that needed a kidney. But I went you know what, I'm gonna do that. Yeah, there's where do you start? Well, I what do we know? We know that the Living Donor trying to think what's it called? Living Donor Advocate and Donor Advocate? Yes. And her name is Jane. We're allowed to give out information. And okay. I can probably send that to you. I can get to it right away. But but she is, you know, and she's a living donor coordinator. So it's okay for me. She's for for anyone, for anyone. So anybody in the United States that heard this could get a hold of her and say, I want to be a donor. You know, if you live in Boston, she could drink keep directions perfect. In Boston. Yeah. Yeah, I've heard her. Okay, let's do it. Do you want me to say it right now say right now and then I'll rewrite all of it. But okay, get it out. There is Jane Daly own D E. l e o n. She is a living donor, kidney transplant coordinator. And her phone number is 83235573061. Did she say 355-355-7061? Okay. And then her email is Jane francis.de. Leon. Okay, at common c o m m o n spirit.org. Oh, that sounds interesting. And you go down yet? No, I haven't. We should. Okay. Yeah. Well, honestly, I haven't paid much attention to that. So Right. Yeah. Kind of like going on girl. Kidneys to think about? Yeah. Well, thank you so much for coming and visiting with me. And this our time went by so fast. I know. Well, and I want to say thank you, because I mean, that you're you're our first podcast first out there, and I wouldn't want anyone else doing it for us. So are you serious? Thank you, Carla. Alan. That means a lot coming from you too. It really does. I was like, Carla, I really like to talk about that. We were like this to nutrition. Let's talk about that. Better Instagram agents know your cage. This is what we need to talk about. Yeah. And get it out there. I know it. Tammy, I don't know you that well. But I love you so much. Why do and I want to hug you and I want to be bringing friend over here. You can see it. I'm gonna turn it so you can see it. That is my area right there. See that? Yes. My 23 year old went in the garage when he was for and got wood and painted Christ and put nails in his hands. And so I've got all my stuff right there. And I kneel and I pray every morning every night. And I got a list right there. So I'm not playing. Yeah, and I'm not kidding. And I'm not a Christian, one of those Christians that say, I pray for you. And then I turn around and go to talk about you bad. That's not happening. You're right on my list. And I'm so honored that you are, and I don't feel worthy. Being a part of it, but we all gotta get over that. Right. Like, we're God's children and we, he loves us and wants us to be doing this. And showing his Christ's love with all of his believers to absolutely so I'll pray us out. And and then you guys can go have dinner. I'm sure you're starving. It's been a long day. What are we having for dinner? By the way? Tell me gonna go to some good Mexican. They're going to a steak house. Yeah, my husband is taking us out to dinner. So I've known her husband since the sixth grade. Yes. Yeah. So cool. So family a little while do we call it day? Six. Okay, wait, I need to have another podcast because I want to hear that story. I want to hear all y'all that got together. So good. You got days, girl. We got days. All right, I'll pray. Okay. Father, God, thank you so much for this time together. I ask that you just bless these two. Once we close our computers and they're off and running that I know that this thing is going to happen. It's going to happen under your watch and your covering and only bring you glory. And I pray for all the people that listen to this podcast, or watch the YouTube that they can get this information, feel encouraged, feel inspired, feel God work in their life, no matter what is happening. I thank you. And all these things in Jesus Christ holy name, amen. Amen. Love Pres. Thank you so, so much, y'all. Okay, thank you. Bye