The 3 month celebration @ 6,500 feet

From an elevation gain of 2 feet on the bed in post-operative recovery, to 1,000 feet at Fragrance Lake, the wild flowers at 3,500 feet on Skyline – and now celebrating her 3 month anniversary at 6,500 feet on top of Yellow Aster Butte. The number and scale of change is hard to keep track of:

• From medical check ups every 20 minutes the first night post-op, to weekly visits for the next 3 months, now one visit every three months.


• From being tired from walking up three stairs and sleeping every afternoon, to entering more or less fully into the Polhamus lifestyle; full, fun, friendly and frenetic.


• From hoping simply to live, to planning on living well and fully

It is wonderful to behold. The rest of the family is slowing beginning to believe, and emotionally appropriate, the fact that our beloved Anne will remain well – well for hours, days, even weeks and years! Our God has been gracious to us, and we are so enjoying what we have now while not presuming upon the future. Come say hi some time, the fire pit is usually “on” and drop-ins are welocome.

A 998 foot gain

Not long ago, in the May 17 post for this blog, we were thrilled because Anne managed to raise herself 2 feet. A couple of mornings ago Anne and I hiked up to Fragrance Lake, an elevation gain of 1,000 feet. The scope, depth and quality of Anne’s recovery is difficult to explain; it is clearly experienced when you are with her. What a dramatic change from the May 16 post of “Some things have to be believed to be seen”.

We are learning as individuals, and as a family, to appropriate and live into this new life. We deeply appreciate your prayers for us – if you would share how you were led in prayer using the “Comments” below that would be a great encouragement to us.

Tenuous hope in dim sterile rooms,
Seeking to celebrate the least,
A finger squeezed, a milliliter gained,
Gradually life returns, so like sunrise,
First, the dim hope of light by faith,
Then the full warmth experienced
Now learning to walk in the full light,
He remains the faithful source of all strength and life,
Thank you Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

Looking forward to higher elevations……

New life, and energy

Anne is feeling much, much better. Not long ago, being up and doing low energy things around the house in the morning would require taking a long nap in the afternoon. By contrast, this past Sunday Anne:

• Spent most of the day helping Bethany paint our newly designated “Music Room”


• Then we all went over to Lake Whatcom for a swim.


• Hiked down to Clayton beach and waded out to a small rock for a picnic dinner.


• Returned home to hang around the fire pit, finally sneaking into bed shortly before Monday.

What an awesome change, thank you Lord!

The summer ahead: Anne would like to do some hiking and possibly car camping. She plans to start working out soon, and we are starting to have people over, dinner parties etc. It is going to be a good summer.

It's the blood

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,”
Hebrews 10:19

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
1 John 1:7

“The life is in the blood [of Jesus]”

It’s about the blood. As a kidney recovers, and begins functioning as designed, it progresses through three stages: removing water from the body, removing toxins from the body, and the final stage is the creation of red blood cells. Anne’s kidney progressed through the first two phases in an exemplary fashion – and we waited for the third phase to begin. We were warned that not all transplanted kidneys achieve this higher stage. We learned yesterday that Anne can stop taking the drugs which produce red blood cells, because her kidney is!

Much of the work accomplished for us by Christ revolves around The Blood, and the Old and New Testaments are replete with references to all that the blood accomplishes. The blood of Christ accomplishes relationally, what blood in our bodies accomplishes physiologically. Blood cleanses, heals, restores, adds vitality, supports life, allows movement etc. How awesome that in Gods’ design, the highest function is that which restores and maintains life. Thank you for your blood Lord Jesus, for your gift dear Father and leading us into both, Holy Spirit.

We are home!

We were released early from our confinement due to good behavior (not Mark’s, the kidneys). It was wonderful to have our first full night of sleep since 12 May, to see Ben and Bethany, to return to friends and family.

His way – as we reflect on this whole process, we are most struck with the fact that God did this His way, leaving no doubt of His care and control for us. One example: The kidney Anne was offered last November was from a healthy 24 year old and a perfect genetic match – a match this good is literally almost impossible for Anne’s particular antibiotic system. And it didn’t make it here in time for the transplant. The kidney Anne actually received was far from a perfect match, was damaged prior to arriving in Seattle and was from an older person with compromised health. And this kidney is functioning far better than expected in every respect and continues to surprise the doctors with its progress. Thank you Lord for allowing us to see a piece of your glory.

Visiting with Anne, flowers etc.
To keep Anne’s body from destroying the new kidney (metabolically, it looks like any other foreign material which the white blood cells will naturally destroy), she is kept in a highly suppressed immune state. This makes her susceptible to illness. The net result is:

Good things:
Visiting with people here at the house 1-on-1 and in small groups.
Visiting with adults in their homes.
Cut flowers.
Traveling by car, private yachts, small planes and helicopters.

Not so good things:
Being in large groups of people
Hugging people
Potted plants in soil
Traveling by bus, large planes or cruise ship
Kick boxing
Rugby

Thank you for your care and please keep praying.

Heading Home

Unless some unexpected problem shows up in Anne’s final blood tests tomorrow, we expect to be home mid-day, which will be Friday up in Bellingham.

Our final day has been very pleasant, Anne continues to feel better, eat more and is required to do less measuring, monitoring, and mitering each day. After two weeks of shopping at the Pike Place Market, cooking in our apartment and living very simply, heart-to-heart, it is with some nostalgia that we get ready to leave this place.

The picture is of Anne during our final walk in the Madison neighborhood. As we meandered back to our hotel, we walked through the court yard of a stunning Cathedral which we have included in many of our walks. We noticed a small side door open, so we stepped inside for a peak. As we did, a woman walked up and asked us if we would like to join the choir in an open practice. We did and it was wonderful – the acoustics, the voices, the setting were all very moving. A couple of gifts from God for Anne in this impromptu event; She loves choral music, and during her time in post-op one of her closest friends prayed Psa 23 over her – the final song we sang tonight was Psa 23.

Thank you Father for meeting jus in so many ways, through those who came, those who called those who prayed and through your one-on-one times with us. You are, we worship you.

Speed of light - by two's

Twas a very low key day, Ben and Bethany soaking up lovin’s, Mark and Ben cooking for the ladies of leisure; walks, talks and games. RE breaking the speed of sound (see earlier entry), not quite there, but very close. At the speeds we are traveling, the relativistic mass increase (mass approaches infinity as velocity approaches speed of light) poses significant challenge to further relative gains.

Ben returned to Bellingham today, Bethany returns tomorrow – if you need to contact Bethany in Bellingham, please call her cell or talk to Mike Gowan. For Ben, he also has a cell or you can contact Jim Jefferies. Cell numbers on blog.

We realize that praying and “staying tuned” for three weeks requires significant effort – for those of you who have, thank you; Anne and I are very grateful.