Jeff's Journal

Chad is my son, most of you know.

In 1988, he had a very complicated heart surgery.

   During the surgery he was given blood.

   This was before tests were in place for Hepatitis C.

   In that transfusion was the Hepatitis C virus.

Fast forward 10 years.

   We received a letter informing us the blood

      was tainted with Hepatitis C.

 

In the insuing years, he was tested.

   Finally, in 2010, the viral load had begun to increase.

   A painstaking decision was made to treat him

     with ribavirin and interferon. A complicating

      factor was his fragile heart.

 

We are now happy to announce

   that he has finished his course of treatment

   without serious side effects and there is a

   90% chance of a full cure. We will not know

   until his blood is tested in February.

 

We have cherished the cards you have sent,

   the constant expressions of concern and

   the prayers you have offered on his behalf.

 

Today, Chad is 28 years old. He is a young man

   who is confident, yet humble. He cares deeply

   about "his people" (you) and has missed being

   at church. He has also missed his job and friends

   at McDonalds. He has borne the shots, pills,

   fatigue, loss of appetite and relative isolation

   with dignity and courage. Susan and I could not

   be more proud of him.

 

Soon, once his red blood cells and white blood cells

   reach acceptable levels, he will be back. That will

   probably be mid to late October.

 

I also want to thank the church for understanding

   the extra time I have needed to give to him.

 

Chad is funny. He likes to take the checkbook 

   from my back pocket. He fully expects me to 

   chase him down and wrestle it away from him.

   He laughs with delight when this ritual is repeated.

   One day, Susan said I should be careful, I could 

   possibly make bruises on him during his treatment.

   Then, smiling, she said, "The doctor might think

   it was abuse."

 

Now, with a sly and knowing grin on his face,

  when I pick on him (after he has picked on me)

  he will hold one finger in the air, smile and say,

   "Adult abusement." He does this so he can pick

   on me, without "retaliation." 

 

I love Chad Bell with all my heart and could not

   be more proud of who he is and what he has

   accomplished in his life, working with the

   deck stacked against him intellectually and

   physically.

 

Today, life is good and we are deeply grateful 

   to the living God for such a gift as Chad.

 

Moving to the deeper places,

Jeff