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