June 24th: 10 days post transplant

Evening all, it's SUNDAY night and we are ALL sitting around the apartment. The kids are asleep after an afternoon of movie watching and a few hours of swimming and some cracker barrel take out. Ray was released Friday evening about 5pm from Duke, PRAISES! He was SO HAPPY to get to leave Duke and slept so great Friday night. We had to go get lab work Saturday morning but all was well with that. He goes to his first clinic appointment tomorrow morning since being released. We laid in bed this morning and watched the Covenant service online live...it's like a little piece of home! The kids will be here with us till Thursday and then I will come home with them for the Golden Corral fundraising event on Thursday evening and come back Friday afternoon. PLEASE tell everyone you know to come out between 5-9 and sit in the Ray Brooks section! Post it on your FB!

Thanks to all for the messages and the MANY cards we got in the mail on Saturday, so sweet! Thanks to the friends who have called and those who have come to visit or are planning a visit from home!!

ORDER your Ray Brooks 2nd chance tshirt too!! Pass the word along on that too, we have LOTS to sell! Contact Christy Hubbard, Marley Adams or my Dad Tommy Bunting if you want to buy!

Hope to see many of you Thursday evening to catch up! :)

June 20th &21st: 8 days post transplant

Morning ALL, is it Thursday already this week!!??

Ray is doing GREAT! Wednesday was a good day for him. NO fevers, he had spiked a slight fever Mon and Tues AM but then it went away during the day. Yesterday though he had NONE. His blood cultures came back yesterday and no infection had showed up so that was good. They felt it could have been from some of the central lines he still had in from surgery so all of those are out now. He just has two drains coming from his belly from surgery and one IV line in....WOW what a difference a week makes! The surgeon did say the pathology report came back from Sundays surgery, they went ahead and did a biopsy of the liver while they were in there, NO signs of rejection....PRAISES to that!

Finally about 5:00pm Ray was moved to the step down room, they have been trying to move him for 3 days but there was "no room at the inn". He was able to eat "normal" food yesterday. He doesn't have a lot of an appetitie and it takes a LONG time to eat but he is trying. He knows how important it is to get that protein and nutrients in his body and he so wants to com to the apartment and doesn't want a feeding tube so he is trying.  and had a shower for the first time last night about 9:00. Let me tell you I don't know who was more exhausted from the shower Ray or me, between getting everything ready to shower, helping him shower, scrubbing him after a week of NO shower, helping him wash his hair and then drying him off I was just as tired as he was from doing all that! BUT he tolerated standing that long really well and felt SO MUCH better afterwards. It is funny how such a small simple task becomes so difficult after a week and how good a shower felt to him.

He walked again yesterday, more than the day before and is walking with NO walker.

He had LOTS of visits yesterday: our friend Deborah spent the day and night and KEPT us laughing...well Ray tried not too because it hurt!! But by the end of the evening he couldn't help it anymore. Two Ecolab friends came to visit-Shane and Mike, his boss John came for a visit and his Aunt Gail. It was a good day.

I am going home today after lunch to stay the afternoon andnight AT HOME!! YIPPEE!! Jackson has his "goat show" tonight for his 4H goat camp so I am glad I will get to see that and meet our goat from this year "MIKE" who evidentally is big, a tad lazy and gets "angry" with the other goats Jackson has told me! Oh LORD! Pray that Mike behaves at the goat show tonight!!

THANKS to Deborah for making the drive and spending the day and night with me. We had some GOOD LAUGHs and the stop at TGIFridays on the way home at 10:30 was EVEN better!! I love you my dear, dear friend!

I will update again and hope the next one will be to tell you Ray is coming to the SUMMER HOME!! :)

June 20th: one week post transplant

Hey all

Several have emailed asking for the address at the DUKE/Durham apartment

300 Glengary Court Apt 102

Durham, NC 27707

phone number 919-797-2001

 

I'm on my way to the hospital now soon as I am getting ready listening to the Covenant songs and sermon from last Sunday...technology is amazing! It's so nice to see it and listen to it...a piece of HOME! And listening to Khristy Lee's sweet voice sing....Ray LOVES it when she is up there so he will be excited when he watches later!

 

Ray is doing GOOD! Kidney function is down to 1.6 today, that is a BIG BIG BIG THANK YOU JESUS...all the glory to him. I am reminded each day that Jesus knows just what he is doing, not me, not Ray, Jesus. When I am weak and weary and fearful I need not be, he is handeling it. I think back to this time last Wednesday as I was sitting in a room with Ray praying with him and telling him "see you after surgery"..... My how I didn't even really know how close we came to the NOT being true. It's an emotionally, happy day for me as I just type this out to you all. One of the "lessons" I am learning through all this is that EVERYDAY we should be sp joyful, praise Jesus and thank him for what we have EACH day...crabby children, a stressful day at work, a wife or husband that might have annoyed you that day....praise him for it all because in the blink of an eye it might not be there. I know that God worked through those surgeons to keep Ray alive, alive to tell a miraculous story. Not only to keep him in my life as my husband but as Jackson and Riley's daddy...PRAISE.

Ray walked THREE times yesterday! I am so proud of him, He is proud of himself! He is just doing SO GOOD! I give him "phone priveledges" some talking, emails and texting!

Thanks to my sweet friend Deb who is coming to hang out with the Brooks' today and be my roommate tonight! xoxoxoxo

 

I know that God will continue to strengthen Ray and our family...Gods grace is sufficient for me! HE will strengthen us! Continue to pray for his broken body to heal, for little pain, for comfort and strength from God, for God to whisper right in Rays ear each day "I got you buddy, you can do this, I am by your side!"  He is the GREAT healer.

The doctors are saying MAYBE Friday evening a release!  AMAZING! Then I will be the head nurse in charge, pray for that too! 

June 19th: 5 days post transplant

5 days POST TRANSPLANT

Ray had a good night, he said he slept good. Yesterday he stood, moved from the bed to a chair and sat upright in the chair for about 3 1/2 hours. His goal was one hour they PT told him!

Today they hope to have a step down room available and can move him. The PT also said today she hoped she would have him up and walking.

 

We were afraid the trip back to the OR on Sunday would be a set back to Ray and his body, but it didn't seem to be. Yesterday evening kidney function (creatine) was at a 2.5, so it continues to go down. Liver numbers continued to look good yesterday.

 

He continues to be in good spirits and was PROUD of the work he did yesterday. He has his cell phone so he can get emails, FB messages and texts....talking a lot makes him tired so I am REALLY limiting that....imagine that!

 

I know lots have asked about visiting him. I can't stress enough how important keeping Ray well will be over the next several weeks. ANY infection to his body would be a big set back. If you visit I ask that you have not been sick AT ALL, no colds, sniffles, bugs, stomach virus, etc....Try to limit visits to short amount of times because you all know Ray he likes to socialize.

 

I also have the apartment address if you want to send Ray cards: 300 Glengary Court Apt 102 Durham, NC 27707. The phone number to the apartment is 919-797-2001.

 

I am hoping by the first of next week or even the end of the weekend Ray will be released to come to his "Durham apartment!!"

 

Thanks again to you all. I'll update later today and hopefully it will be from a NEW ROOM in DUMC! Keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming.  

June 17th: Fathers Day and Surgery

Ray was taken back to surgery today about 4:00pm, surgery started at 5:00pm. He had a "leak" in the bile duct. Surgery ended about 6:25. Dr. Ravindra who was in on his original surgery did his "fix" tonight. It seemed to be a straight forward fix. There was a collection of bile/billi in his abdomen, the fixed the duct, restiched it/sutured it and looked around while in there. There appeared to be no blood collection anywhere, no signs of infection or pus and the liver looked good the doctor said. He is back in ICU and I am waiting to see him. Basically it was a minor set back. They were able to do a liver biopsy while back there to check on the liver as well, which they would have done in a few days anyways. He will be in ICU for another couple of day Dr. Ravindra thinks. Then step down unit, so his estimate is another week in the hospital. Today he had worked up to sips of water and some jello, so he will have to start back over with that...ice chips, then water, then back to jello! He will be LEAN and TRIM by the time he is released!

It's been an afternoon, the morning however was FANTASTIC as Ray and the kids got to visit, hug and kiss! What a father's day gift! I will post pictures to facebook coming, they were SO CUTE! I am anxious to see him as he was VERY scared and worried going back into the OR this afternoon, more than he was before transplant. Please know I appreciate ALL of your calls, texts and emails, I do try my best to respond to them. At this point today I AM TIRED and SPENT. If I don't call back immediately or answer please know, sometimes I just don't feel like talking!! :) Pray that he will bounce back from this quickly, that his kidneys that were starting to come around will continue to do so. The affects of the anesthia should take about 12 hours to get out of his system. I can't wait to tell Ray that Covenant talked about him and prayed for him today, he will be SO HUMBLED! I told him as we kissed on his way out the door to the OR "that God had not preformed a miracle in him and gotten him through a 16 hour surgery to leave him now" I told him the "Lord would not leave him or forsake him".

PLEASE continue to pray, follow the blogspot and know how thankful we are for all you all are doing for us and praying for our family.

June 16th: Day 3 after transplant

Here is the Saturday update

Ray "summoned" me in this AM at about 8:45, man was I sleeping good! The kidney specialist had been around and his kidney numbers were a bit worse today, so he was a bit freaked out and wanted me here! So I threw on some clothes, put on a ball cap, grabbed a juice and yogurt and headed to DUMC. His kidney function today is worse, up to a 4. something. HOWEVER he is having MUCH better urine output today which does tell us that his kidneys seem to be slowly picking back up. Still they are talking about the possibility of dialysis but it isn't a definite or ruled out.  His liver numbers continue to look good. Billirubin is a 2.2 today. They were able to take out a major line in his neck today and lunch, plan to take out the other tomorrow and his will get a pick line tomorrow to, meaning no more "sticks" for awhile! He is having some swelling in his abdomen and legs today, not alarming, really due to the fluid overload and that his kidneys need to kick in and do their work now. Again no pain today, less than a 3 he says. They are hoping that this evening he can for the first time have some ice chips and drink...he will be SO EXCITED! If that goes ok, then some liquid nutrition beginning tomorrow. He is continuing to get platelets and other blood products, his platelet count is still low and they can't quite figure out why-something kidney related. His spirits continue to be good today. He talked to the kids again this AM, his buddy Ivan and his buddy Wendy from Ecolab. They were both tickled to hear his voice. He is sad that he will not be able to see the kids tomorrow for a visit, my dad is bringing them for a visit. I can't WAIT to see them!! and I know that he is sad but I need to wrap my arms around them and get some kisses!

He is sleeping now and has been taking a good nap for a bit now, he's had a busy day!

 

I'll update again tomorrow. For all the dads have a HAPPY Father's DAY. Continue to pray for Rays healing, comfort and peace. Continue to pray for his kidneys and that they are slowly but surely coming around. Pray for the kids and my Dad as they travel to Durham tomorrow.

"my grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in your weakness" 2 or 12:9...AMEN to that Lord, you certainly held me up when I was weak!

All our love-Janet

Fathers Day 2012

Ray is currently back in surgery. They took him back about 4:00pm and surgery started at 5:00pm. They feel like he has a "leak" of some type, probably a leak of his bile duct. The surgery should take at a minimum of 2 hours they felt like. They would go in, check things out, fix and then close. He really had been doing better up until this set back. His kidney numbers were better today, down slightly from yesterday. He was experiencing pain today in his lower abdomen, around his belly button area. The kids came to Durham today, delivered by Granddaddy Tom. We were going to "skype" Daddy but when he called this AM he said the ICU doctor said "rules are meant to be broken" and that the kids could come back. The gowned up and gloved up and went in to see Daddy. They were SO HAPPY and Ray was SO HAPPY! There were lots of hugs, lots of kisses, smiles and lots of "I missed you so much". Ray was overcome with joy, tears of joy. The kids brought him father's day cards, Riley brought him a gift " a milk cup" she made at school. We posted them up on the wall in his room. It was a GREAT visit. I had lunch with the kids, showed them the apartment and then they tested out the swimming pool at the apartment. Ray called me about 3:00 in a panic and told me the news. I will update as I know news from the surgery. PLEASE continue to PRAY

Live it, Give it, Donate Life

Deborah Himmelfarb, I am SO THANKFUL for you for keeping the BLOG alive and posting all the emails to it. Thanks too for the friends who are posting about the blog on their facebook so that we can get the word out about Ray, the miracle God has worked in him and the IMPORTANCE of donating your organs. As I held Rays hand today, looked at his smiling face, heard him tell me and the children he "loved us" I was reminded....God did this, God worked in Ray and thank you God for the donor and the donor family for allowing their loved ones organs to be given so that others could live. Thank you to our friends, family and ALL THANKS, PRAISE AND GLORY to God, Rays Daddy who never left him and never forsaked him. He has started something in Ray and is going to finish it.

June 15th: Day 2 after Transplant

Today was a big day for Ray. When I arrived this AM he had the ventolator out and was smiling and able to talk.  His voice is weak but none the less I was able to hear his voice and give him a kiss on the lips. He has had a good day. His liver numbers continue to look good. Billirubin was 1.9 today, WOW! They were able to talk him off the blood pressure, pressors and he is holding his own pressure. He has very few things going in by IV now. Medications, fluid and from time to time blood products or plasma. His face and eyes are even less swollen today tha yesterday. He says he feels good and has little to no pain today,a 1-2 he says. His mouth is DRY which is about to drive him crazy,he want some water soooooooooooo bad! but not yet! His abdomen continues to look good and the scar. The surgeons came by to see him today and are still pleased. I am so happy! He talked to Jackson this AM and was able to talk with Riley tonight....Aunt Patti said she wished we could have seen both of their faces when they heard their daddies voice on the other end of the phone. It was great to hear him say I love you to them and here them be able to say it back, THANK YOU LORD...that was probem the sweetest thing I heard today besides him telling me!

He is still in ICU which means NO visitors but immediate family. Limited now to myself, Rays mom and my mom. His white blood count is down so they are widening his spetrum of antibiotics to cover from more "bugs" to prevent infection. When he is moved to step down unit, maybe at the first of next week he may be able to have a few more visitors but I will be very CAUTIOUS about who sees him right away. These next several weeks will be vital to keep him germ free and well.....he's like a newborn infant right now!! and I am a MAMA BEAR!!

Kidney function is still elevated today, up from yesterdays 2 to a 3 today. He will stay in ICU right now so that they can carefully keep an eye on his kidneys and function. If they do not "perk" bck up in another day or so then they may consider dialysis for a few days. Ray is very concerned about his kidneys and function but the surgeon told him today they were put through A LOT. She said just give them some time. Earlier they had thought they may take him back to the OR to check for bleeding and do a "wash out" but this afternoon she said the CT scan showed NO bleeding so at this point she didn't see the need. She continues to be pleased with him. Today Dr. Sudan and Dr. Ravindra both came by to see him. They told him it actually took them 3 hours into the surgery before they could even SEE his old liver, 3 hours.....that is how intense the scar tissue was. Dr. Sudan-his lead surgeon told him she didn't think she would EVER forget the name Ray Brooks!  I bet she won't!

I will upate again tomorrow. Continue to pray for Rays peace, healing and comfort. ESPECIALLY continue to pray for the kidneys that God will allow them to realize they now have a brand new liver to help them and they can calm down and begin getting back to doing their own work. Continue to pray for the children as we miss them and "I think" they miss us! Have a great Friday eveing everyone!

OH moved in the apartment today! :) Can't wait to take Ray home to it!  

Janet

June 14th--One day after transplant

What a day, what a week!!

 Ray made it through the transplant at 3:15am. They did not COMPLETELY get the old liver out until 11:00pm last night, a full 12 hours. It was truly a race against the clock as the new liver is generally only good for 14-15 hours on ice. Ray was in surgery a FULL 16 hours.

I cannot tell you all HOW MANY PEOPLE were PRAYING for him and were prayer warriors. People from everywhere were praying, praying, praying...praying all day and praying all throughout the night. Let me testify to you know IT WORKED and if you didn't believe that God provides miracles before today then Ray is living proof. God DOES work in his own way, at his own time and did work last night and worked through and with the AWESOME team of surgeons that worked tirelessly on sticking with figuring out a very complicated situation. It was a touch and go situation yesterday. Even through the first transplant (which was 12 hours) I never felt like Ray wouldn't make it or that I would be left alone with Jackson. When I got the update yesterday at 5:00pm-6 hours into surgery that they didn't even have the old liver out I was very concerned, I became very frightened, very scared and couldn't just help but think "Lord what am I going to tell these children if something happens to Ray"...that was the first time my mind ever went there. I know that God doesn't give me the spirit of fear but my brain and my heart couldn't remember that yesterday for quite sometime. When the nurse came out at 11:00 to tell us the old liver was out me, my mom, Rays mom and all the "greenville girls" who were sitting with us just cheered! There were smiles all around!  The LORD has spoken to me in SO MANY small and large ways over the past 48 hours and Lord I am listening.

 

Dr. Sudan came by this morning and this evening and said she was pleased with Ray today and how his first day out of transplant went. His BP is still low but that is to be expected. His liver numbers look GOOD and already his billirubin is down in the 2's. His creatine (kidney function) was 1.9 earlier today and this evening was up to 2.4...we want that number to go down. The kidneys certainly bore the brunt of a HUGE tiring surgery and they need some TLC. I ask that you pray for God to continue to heal Rays body and especially to hold Rays kidneys in his hands and work out all the kinks and help them to know that they don't have to work as hard anymore, there's a "new liver in town" to help them.

 

Tomorrow they hope will go as good as today. That he will continue to get strong, heal and that the kidney numbers will trend down, the liver numbers continue to stabilize and that tomorrow he will be able to get the breathing tube out. If tomorrow he continues to be stable and the breathing tube can come out then he can go to step down unit. There he could have to stay 3-7 days.

 

I was able to get an apartment today for Ray and I and it had a real "homey" feel to it. It is a two bedroom has a washer/dryer, sleeper sofa, a play area in the complex and two pools (which Jackson was excited about!!) So I will move some things in tomorrow and begin sleeping there tomorrow night. I hope that in a week Ray will join me there at our "vacation home" for the summer....doesn't everyone vacation in Durham...it's the new hamptons!

 

Thank you to everyone for the calls, text and emails. I love and appreciate them all and you all more than you know. It is hard to talk to everyone in a day and respond to all emails and texts but know I READ THEM ALL and they fill my heart with such hope and joy, especially all the scripture you all text to me! It gets me through the day. I will make it my job to try to send an email out each day to give you an update, maybe each evening.

THANK you to my Mom who is my rock. I love and admire and appreciate her more than she will ever know. Thanks to my daddy who I know is loving me from a far and keeping watch over the animals, praying for Ray and I and is taking his sweet granddaughter to a father/daughter breakfast tomorrow, thanks to the BEST girlfriends Christy, Jennifer, Kim, Deborah (and in spirit Kamara) who when I called and was over the edge and needed my girls they piled in the car and CAME. WE had a big ole Duke slumber party last night. I LOVE you girls! Thanks to ALDRIDGE CAMP who are taking such good care of Riley and Jackson, while they may miss us a "little" they are having a ball! Thanks to Rays co-workers Thad and Ivan for coming to sit with us and helping Rays mom with a hotel room close to the hospital. Thanks to our sweet church family for the continued prayers and for the visit on Wed and Thursday. Thanks to my sweet, sweet principal and friend who came and sat with us for a bit on Wed during surgery. and for Rays mom for rallying around her son all day.

 Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone for the prayers. Keep them up and keep em coming strong! 

June 13, 2012 9:50 am

Ray just went back for surgery a few minutes ago.  He was in good spirits.  Please continue to pray!!  Pray for Ray's strength, the surgeons' skills, and Janet's peace.  They were unable to begin the surgery over night b/c they were waiting for a team from NY to come harvest one of the organs.  The surgeon told Ray & Janet this morning that he/she looked @ the liver and it looks good so everything is going very well!!!

June 12, 2012 10:30 pm

GOOD NEWS!!!!  A lot of you already know but Ray asked me to send this to the group anyway...  Ray & Janet are @ Duke...Ray got the call in the middle of a fire department meeting around 7:30 tonight that he was a 99.9% good match for a liver and he needed to be @ Duke b/w 10-11...  so the whirlwind began... laundry was finished in a hurry, bags packed, vehicles loaded, big hugs & kisses b/w Ray, Janet & their kids, a super sweet prayer w/ the family and off the children went w/ Mrs. Patti...  Ray & Janet were in good spirits when they

June 12, 2012

The Brooks are headed to Durham for a liver!!  I will update with more information as soon as I hear from Janet.  Keep the prayers going strong!!

June 4, 2012

Here is the latest...We got a call last night at 2:00 am. There was ANOTHER liver and Ray was the primary candidate....no "standby"....the liver WOULD go to him. They would call us back it was very early in the process no OR time for the donor even scheduled yet-probably 6, 7, 8am.

At about 4:30 we got a call back from Duke. The preliminary testing did not look good, there were some red flags, so much so that they wanted to pass on the liver so they did.

It has been a three day ride that Ray and I are READY to get off!

It's been a tough day, we are very tired and mentally worn out. I went to work and had to leave work. Ray didn't go in today.

Basically Ray is #1 at Duke and Carolina, so anything East of Charlotte that is a match and is ok, would be his. Charlotte and beyond could go to Charlotte first and then Duke. And then there ARE other B candidates on the 5 state region list, now that they have been able to see that.

Just continue to pray. We need strength because we are REALLY feeling down, drained and tired. We know the right one is coming along, it has just been tougher then we EVER anticipated.

Thanks all! 

June 3, 2012

We got a call about 8:30pm last night and the liver did not go to Duke/Ray but to the primary hospital in the area. We're ok!

Unbelieveable that we have gotten a standby call in 2 days tells us something is going to happen it just has to be the right one at the right time. AND I think we just need a good ole "Northe Carolina" liver and we would be a definte thing I think!

Good new-Jacksons team "Mudcats" won last night in the tournement and they get to play again at 1:30. The team we play todayy we have won to once and lost to once so we are HOPING for a win!

 

Continue to pray for Rays current liver and stabilization in his numbers. Also he is experiencing trouble with fluid in his abdomen-due to a decrease in lasics due to the elevated kidney function. Things just need to even out for him.

And continue to pray for that perfect liver and SOON. 

June 2, 2012

Ray was released yesterday about 2:30 from DUKE, whoo hoo! He will repeat lab work next week and follow up with Duke the 12th. The liver doctor will see him AND they would like him to see a kidney specialist JUST to make sure that the kidneys are ok since his number were elevated. His "BUN" (body hydration) were better, potassium down and kidney numbers were slowly falling back down.

His MELD is at a 31. WAY up from his orginal listing of 23. They are able to keep that MELD listed with UNOS/Caolina Donor until next Thursday afternoon, then they must update it (it probably will fall some but it will be unusual for it to fall back down to 23). This does mean his liver is sicker.

They stopped some medications and he now has to MONITOR his potassium in foods as well as continue to watch his sodium intake. WHAT in the world will I feed this man! We were thankful to get to go to Jackson's last game last night, THEY WON and his first tournment game this AM.

We got home about 5:30 yesterday and no sooner then we were coming off the bypass from my parents the phone rang and it was Duke. We were on "stand by" for a B liver in the region (5 states) but not in NC. They would call back about 11pm to say yes or no if the liver was coming to Duke. It probably was not coming to Duke but they had to alert Ray just in case it did-hense the "standby". The liver did not.

About 2:30 today we got ANOTHER call from Duke. We are on standby again. The donor will go into surgery about 5pm and we should know a yes or no around 7pm. IF the state that the donor is in has a B liver needed close to the hospital then that state/area will get it. If they do not have a need for a B liver or if the surgeons there don't like the liver but Duke does then Duke will get it, meaning Ray. Ray is #1 on the B liver list at Duke and after 2 standby phone calls in 2 days he and I are "assuming" that he must be the #1 B liver in the 5 state region. The whole "region" stuff is NEW to us...we didn't deal with that last go round.

I am praying and hoping that if this liver is not the one, then at least by next Thursday when the MELD has to change that he will just have a new liver.

Just continue to do what you are doing, PRAY, PRAY, PRAY...God is definely letting me know the past two days "see haven't forgotten about you...just looking for the PERFECT one..." I think he is preparing us and saying get ready.

So I will update again as we know something. Jackson has a game at 7:00pm-tournment weekend. I will email again when we get home either way-yes or no.

Last night when it was no, please know Ray and I were FINE. Are we ready, "Yes" but we know when it is right it will be right.  

Introduction

In May 2006 Ray Brooks had to receive a liver transplant at Duke University Hospital. When Ray was born in 1972 he was 3 months premature and received blood transfusions. Prior to 1990 there was no specific blood test to check for Hepatitis C.  The United States instituted universal screenings in 1992. When Ray was in his twenties he donated blood to the Red Cross and it was discovered that he had Hepatitis C. Prior to 2006 Ray was treated twice with medication to try and suppress the hepatitis C, both times with no success. On May 15, 2006 Ray and his family were blessed with a donor and he received a liver transplant at Duke University Hospital.  Six years have passed. Six years has brought him time to watch his son Jackson (then two) grow into a smart, funny, athletic 2^nd grader. Six years brought him a daughter born in October of 2007, Riley, a bundle of sassy, prissy, spitfire energy that keeps Ray on his toes!  Six years brought him the opportunity to celebrate 11 years of marriage with his wife Janet. Six years has brought him a successful career with EcoLab, more time with his family, friends, the department, and memories made.

 Now he faces another life changing event, another liver transplant…”Rays 2^nd chance”. Since the medications Ray has tried in the past to fight the hepatitis C virus, have not been successful for him, even with a “new liver” he still has hepatitis C in his blood. Overall 50-80% of people treated for Hepatitis C are cured; Ray has a “tricky genotype of the virus”. Since he also takes immune suppressing drugs for his transplant his body isn’t able to somewhat naturally fight the virus itself, as it did prior to transplant. Therefore the team of doctors at Duke determined it was time to re-list Ray.  In April of 2012 Ray was re-listed for a liver transplant and is currently awaiting a call that a donor has been found.