Best happening

[Stick]

Doesn't much matter accept to my family but here but I have brothers and sisters here to.
I am not the biological father of my daughter, Mandie. Mandie was born while Jo and I were divorced. Her biological father is also a VN vet. He served in a transportation company outside of Danang in '67 -'68 and I assume that he carried drums that had orange bands on their tops. I'm sure that some of that orange stuff got on John in the process of doing his job.
Mandie was born 2 years after John came back and when she was less than a year old she was diagnosed with Burkett?s non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma, a rare but normally fatal disease. It only became known in America after the return of Vietnam Vets who had been exposed to that orange stuff. Mandie would certainly not ever to be able to have children if she survived into puberty.
I'll try to make this short and move forward a few years. Joanne and I got married again when Mandie was 13 and one year later I went to court and adopted Mandie. She has always been a blessing to me but she has also been a 'medical nightmare.' She got through school, under strict doctors care, but she moved on and went through cosmetology school and is a licensed beautician today.
She had to quit that job a couple of years ago (after getting married and giving birth to a 2 pound 8 ounce boy) because she couldn't breath very well and the chemicals that she was working with only made it worse. The doctor told her that her lungs were shot and if she was going to survive they needed to be replaced.
Since she is married she is no longer my dependant. Her husbands? health insurance will cover a transplant AFTER a $200,000 deductible (no mistake, that's six digits) and it could only be done in Cleveland Ohio or somewhere in Alabama. About two years ago Mandie was put on oxygen 24/7 and told that she also needed a heart transplant along with her lungs. If that wasn't done she might die at any time. Insurance? What insurance? Can you read 'pre-existing condition?'
Since Mandie isn't able to work Social Security picked her up and I told her to go on Medicare and see if they might pay for the transplants. SSI didn't want to talk to her and for 2 years there has been one pissed off dad, me, screaming and hollerin' to any beaurocrat that I could find a phone number to. Mandie only got worse and I remembered that there is a Man that I have read about and that I do believe in. It's been told that He has a Son that knows how to handle this stuff and I decided to ask that Son for help. My brothers, sister-in-laws, family friends and my mom have also been talking to that Son for Mandie.
Yesterday I got a call from Mandie. Medicare has approved her and will pay for everything as long as the Doctor is qualified in heart-lung transplants and the hospital has the facilities needed.
After I got off of the phone with Mandie I broke down crying and had to go to the back room of the store. Out there I thanked that Man and His Son. I hope that I wasn't too loud.

[grasshopper]

Stick:
I wish you & your family and Mandie & hers all the best.
Please keep us updated and let us know if there is anything at all that can be done to help. I am sure that lots of extra blood is needed for the surgery. Maybe those close by that are able to donate can? I wish there was something us Canucks could do to help.
Although Mandie's situation is different, a childhood friend of mine needed a heart/lung transplant about 12 years ago. So much exciting, new technology has been developed since then.
The Man and His Son will hold you all in His Strong Hands through all of this.
Susan

[Arrow]

Wow! That's what I'm talkin' about. Livin' with hope! I thank you for sharing this beautiful answer with us. Praise the Lord! And all they that believed said Amen! (make it strong)

[SuperScout]

Read somewhere that Prayer Changes Things! Thanks for pointing out this fact, again. Prayers continuing.

[DMZ-LT]

Thanks for sharing this wonderful story John. It's nice to know that prayers are answered. Your a great DAD. Continued good luck to your family.

[BLUEHAWK]

Good things come to good people.

All blessings to you and yours.

[Keith_Hixson]

WE know Mandie will come through this okay. Just because God through Jesus Christ does care.

Keith

[Jerry D]

Stick good to hear the news and you did just great ,was perfect and I'm glad the man upstairs heard your prayers and answerd them in a method most plain. god bless you all and hope the hospital get a matching doaner for Mandie soon

[Mom]

What happened? Is she ok?