(3/4/2022) Day 1 Post-Transplant:
When we arrived at the hospital this morning, we were pleasantly surprised to see Kyle awake, smiling, and doing well! They performed a bronchoscopy to clean out the new lungs and the doctor said that he looks great! He is doing a lot better than anticipated so he doesn't need to be put back under sedation. He feels a little weak, which is expected after such a major surgery, but he's in high spirits and we're sure he'll get stronger very soon. The anesthesia team successfully placed an epidural between his shoulder blades so that he can manage any pain. Because Kyle's been on the ventilator for so long, he hasn't been using his breathing muscles as much and will need to take time to build those back up again. However, it's already such a difference seeing the ventilator settings only be on 30% compared to 100% along with full ECMO support before transplant. His speech therapist stopped by to let him use the speaking valve, and his voice sounded louder than before now that he has more volume in his new lungs! Once they can wean him off of the ventilator to an oxygen mask over his trach tube, they will perform another swallow evaluation in a few days to see if he can safely eat and drink again. Overall, Kyle had a very successful day, praise God!
We still can't believe that the surgery was successful and Kyle is so thankful for this second chance at life and for these healthy lungs, what a miracle! Please continue to pray that Kyle will have a smooth recovery as the early stages are very critical. Please also pray for the donor's family and that they would be comforted during this time. After a long time waiting on the transplant list, Kyle now has a boost of energy and motivation to reach new milestones in his rehabilitation and recovery and we can't wait to see his progress!
Urgent Prayer Request!
*Please scroll down for updates.
Kyle Park (GLDI class of ’17) came to visit us at the campus for a couple of days last week because he had to evacuate New Orleans where he was attending grad school. Before coming to the campus, he visited friends in Austin and Dallas. On Thursday, he found out that one of his friends in Austin tested positive for COVID. On Friday, he started coughing. On Saturday, he was having a hard time breathing so I (Cathy) took him to an urgent care clinic, where he tested positive for COVID and was prescribed some medications. On Monday afternoon I had to rush him to an ER where they gave him immediate care because his oxygen level was at 38%. They saw that he had severe COVID pneumonia and after a few hours of trying to slow down his rapid breathing, they had to put him on a ventilator. After searching all around town for a hospital bed for him, he was able to be admitted to Christus Mother Francis Hospital in Tyler late Monday night.
Kyle is in critical condition right now. He is from Hawaii and his mom is flying to Texas to see him.
Your prayers work. Would you please join me in lifting up Kyle in prayer and ask God for great healing?
9/15/2021
Still on ventilator and sedated but is responsive (lifts finger when asked). Getting pain medication and IV for fluids and nutrition. He is still in a very critical condition. Pray that the antibiotics they are giving him will fight pneumonia that is in his lungs. Kyle’s mom is arriving in Dallas this afternoon. Pray for her health as she has not been taking care of herself these last few days.
9/16/2021
Kyle’s mom spoke with a nurse this morning.
Kyle is doing better than yesterday. Ventilator oxygen reliance level down to 50% from 100%.
His blood oxygen is at 93%. He is definitely making a progress! God is answering our prayers! Please continue to pray that he would be able to breathe well enough on his own to get off the ventilator and that pneumonia in his lungs would be cleared away. Thank you!
9/17/2021
Kyle is not doing well today. There were some secretions that were getting in the way of his ventilator tube and he was struggling to breathe. They had to take out his tube and insert a larger tube. In this whole process, his condition is understandably worse. His ventilator reliance oxygen level is back up to 90%. The hospital staff is telling the mom that though they are trying their best, his best chance of survival might be getting an ECMO treatment (google it), which isn’t available in East Texas. He would need to get transferred to a bigger city that offers that. However, they haven’t been able to find a hospital bed in any of those places. Can you urgently pray with us that God would heal, God would provide whatever is necessary so that Kyle would survive?
We don’t have words right now, but Kyle’s dad just got admitted to an ER in Hawaii with COVID. Please pray for both Kyle and his father, Mr. Clifford.
9/19/2021
Last night, Kyle was safely helicoptered to Shreveport, Louisiana, and admitted into the ICU at --- Medical Center (saw a lot of lightning as I was driving Kyle’s mom there so it’s actually a miracle that they decided to fly him out). This morning, the doctor met and discussed with Kyle’s mom & dad (on the phone) about putting Kyle on ECMO. He explained very soberly that ECMO has high risks and is the last resort. It won’t help with his pneumonia but might help his lungs so that it can hold out longer and give his body precious time to battle. But given that the hospitals have tried everything else they can do for him, the parents decided to put Kyle on ECMO. We believe that God has provided in amazing ways for Kyle during this past week so that we can have faith and trust in Him for the future. Would you please continue your fervent prayers for Kyle?
Unlike Texas, Louisiana’s state law prohibits visitors to see COVID patients at hospitals. But the doctor today made a big exception and allowed her to pray by his bedside for 10 mins as they were preparing to put Kyle on ECMO. Praise God for this gift for his mom.
Please pray for Kyle’s parents. The mom is by herself in Shreveport, hasn’t been getting enough sleep, and is understandably distraught (even more now that she won’t be able to visit him). Pray that God would provide affordable extended lodging near the hospital for her. Kyle’s dad is in a hospital in Hawaii—praise God that he seems to be doing better in his own COVID battle. Pray for peace, faith, and hope for the whole family. May we continue to witness God’s miraculous work for Kyle and his family!
9/20/2021
Kyle’s condition hasn’t changed much since yesterday. They don’t know how long he will need to be on ECMO. He is in an induced coma. Please pray against any infections from the holes in his neck and arm where the ECMO tubes are inserted and against any possible blood clots forming. The long, tough battle is just beginning. Let’s keep praying for miracles—that he will beat the odds, that the doctors and nurses will be startled at how quickly Kyle’s lungs recover, and that all glory will point to our God.
Today, we were able to connect Kyle’s mom to a small Korean church in Shreveport. She met the pastor and a few members who prayed with her, fed her good Korean food, and promised to provide support and food for the days to come. Praise God for encouraging her through these kind new friends.
The hospital staff has been showing Kyle’s mom much favor and grace (breaking all sorts of rules). They have let her hang out in a small conference room right across from Kyle’s room. She can see him through his window. She has been there for a couple hours now, extending her hands towards Kyle, praying and worshipping God. Ah, God is good.
Kyle’s dad is slowly getting better. He is still coughing. The hospital in Hawaii wants to keep treating him for a few more days until his oxygen level is back to normal. Please pray that he will heal completely and quickly.
We are looking for extended, flexible, and affordable lodging near the hospital for Kyle’s mom, and we trust God will provide that soon.
Thank you, thank you for your partnership in prayer. We are seeing God’s power and grace in answer to your prayers!
9/21/2021
Today, the doctor has to remove the old ECMO cannula (tube) from the left side of Kyle’s neck and put in a new cannula on the right side of the neck. The procedure takes around 45 mins. Though this is something they do often, please pray that no complications would arise. Continue to ask God’s protection against blood clots and infections which are risks common with ECMO. Now that he is on ECMO, pray that his body would battle hard against the pneumonia which has filled his lungs. We want to see significant improvements in his next chest x-ray!
Although Kyle is in an induced coma, we desire for Kyle to experience deep fellowship with his Heavenly Father in his spirit. Would you pray that Kyle would feel the love of God ministering to him and be communing with Him?
Kyle’s dad is still slowly improving in his COVID battle back in Hawaii. Please pray that he would heal completely and be able to leave the hospital quickly.
Praise God for providing lodging for Kyle’s mom! Through Pastor Bill Holdridge’s (chaplain at JAMA) connections, we were able to find a great Christian couple in Shreveport to take her in. Their house is 15 mins from the hospital and Kyle’s mom will be moving in tomorrow! Yay for God’s goodness!
9/22/2021
Today, Kyle opened his eyes and was communicating through nodding his head and lifting his fingers. It’s a delicate balancing act for his care team—though they don’t want to keep him in an induced coma for too long, Kyle feels the pain of his body and the discomfort of his tubes when he is conscious. The nurse played some music in his room and even started a playlist with Kyle’s input. Kyle was able to see his mom through the window and the nurse played for him the recording his mom made saying she loves him and that many people are praying for him. Thank you, Jesus for this gift of being able to see each other!
Kyle’s mom moved in today into her new lodging, a nice home of a wonderful Christian retired couple. It is only 15 mins away from the hospital in a beautiful, wooded area with a lake nearby. May God bless these sweet people for welcoming Kyle’s mom with open arms to their home!
Kyle’s dad is still on an oxygen mask at the hospital in Hawaii. His appetite has gotten better, and he is able to eat more normally. Please pray that he would be able to stop coughing quickly.
God is in full control. He has been answering prayers and showing His love and care for Kyle and his family. Thank you for not ceasing in your prayers!
9/23/2021
The doctor told Kyle’s mom today that Kyle seems to be adjusting well to being on ECMO. His care team is experimenting with varying levels of medication to find a good balance of time in induced coma and being awake. The nurse also said that his lungs look better than yesterday! Though he still has a long way to go for his lungs to be healed, Kyle is doing well under the circumstances. When awake, he made eye contact with his mom multiple times through the window and waved at her.
Kyle’s mom rested very well last night at the home of Burly and Sherri, her lovely hosts. She says it feels like she is at a beautiful retreat center in the woods!
God is good. God has answered our cries and provided in so many ways. Would you please pray that with the long battle ahead, Kyle’s family and all of us would not get too tired to continue to ask, to give thanks, and to hope in God’s faithfulness? Thank you for persevering in prayer!
9/25/2021
Did I mention how good our God is? Because it seemed like Kyle was breathing better on his own and relying less on the ventilator, his care team just pulled his ventilator tube! So far, except for the occasional coughing, in the words of his nurse, “Kyle is doing REMARKABLY well!”
I just came to visit Kyle and his mom at the hospital and I got to see him through the window and took this picture! He waved and gave me both thumbs up and pointed upward—I think he was trying to tell me that God is good Kyle’s mom and I did a little dance of joy in agreement!
Kyle’s dad is improving in his condition. The hospital in Hawaii thinks he can probably be discharged in the next day or two!
Words are not adequate to describe how GOOD our God is. And we know that God’s timing is perfect. Though Kyle’s doctor is saying that he would probably need to be on ECMO for at least 5-6 weeks, let’s pray that God would continue to amaze everyone and bring glory to Himself by sending him out of the hospital in record time!
Thank you SOOOOO much for battling in prayer for Kyle and his family!
9/27/2021
One giant step forward…and then 2 steps back. That’s how we feel right now. Kyle went 12 hours without any breathing assistance but then started to struggle. When his breathing didn’t return to normal after using an oxygen machine for some time, they had to put Kyle back on the ventilator yesterday. However, the doctor says that his chest x-rays are showing some improvement in his lungs! We knew this would be a long and tough battle, and there will be many moments of discouragement. But we know that Kyle’s life is totally in God’s loving hands. We trust in God’s goodness and timing.
Kyle’s dad was discharged from the hospital yesterday! They sent him home with an oxygen tank to assist in his breathing recovery but now he is able to recuperate at home. Please pray that he would get completely healed quickly.
Let’s ask God to help us not grow weary in our fervent prayers for Kyle and his family!
9/29/2021
Starting last night, the hospital allowed Kyle’s mom to come into Kyle’s room since it has been 20 days from his positive COVID test, He is struggling. The doctor had to stick a needle through his side to remove 2 liters of fluids from his right lung. Tomorrow, they will go in to get the fluids from his left lung. They are also planning on doing a tracheotomy since he has been on a ventilator for a while.
Please pray that his body would respond positively to all the treatments he is receiving. Pray for encouragement and steadfast hope for his mom as she is by his side. God has brought him this far—we believe that God will do amazing things for Kyle!
10/3/2021
Through a CT scan, they saw much fluid in Kyle’s left chest cavity, which put pressure on his lungs. His care team put a tube in his left chest so that it would drain continually and almost 3 liters of fluids/blood came out today. This seemed to have relieved some pressure on his lungs and stomach. They are giving him blood transfusions for any lost blood. He may need to get a tube in his right chest capacity soon. He also had a blood clot in his left arm yesterday and it caused a big swelling in his arm. Would you pray against blood clots, fluid build-ups, poor circulation, and infections? Pray that every organ will work properly and support his lungs so that they can heal. Pray for divine wisdom for the doctors and nurses so that they will be able to creatively solve every obstacle Kyle may face. Please pray for supernatural strength for Kyle’s mom and family as they pray, care for, wait and hope for Kyle.
10/4/2021
Urgent prayer, please! Kyle’s dad, Clifford, had to be rushed to the ER a few hours ago in Hawaii. Thank God that Kyle’s youngest sister was back home for a few days, and she called 911 when she saw that he was barely breathing. They just put him on a ventilator. Please pray for his breathing to return to normal. Please pray for the family, that God would sustain them through this treacherous valley.
10/7/2021
Thank you for your continued prayers for Kyle, Clifford (dad) and Eileen (mom). Kyle’s tracheostomy surgery went well on Tuesday. They have been trying to have him recover and rest from that procedure with sedative and paralytic medications. But he is retaining a lot of fluids (he is currently 50 lbs heavier than normal) and having frequent nose bleeds. Please pray that God would give his care team extraordinary wisdom to figure out the best methods and medications to help Kyle recover.
Though Clifford is still on a ventilator in the Hawaii hospital, thankfully, his reliance on it is getting less each day. Please pray that he will be continue quickly in his healing.
Would you pray for hope and faith for Eileen? Pray that God gives her supernatural strength and victory over fear and discouragement.
10/10/2021
I am in Shreveport with Kyle’s mom and sister right now. Kyle is doing slightly better—fluid retention has gone down a little bit. They are keeping him heavily sedated for now. His chest x-rays are showing slow but sure improvement.
But Kyle’s mom just got a call from the hospital in Hawaii that Kyle’s dad, Clifford’s kidneys failed and they want to try dialysis. We thought he was doing better this morning so this is a complete shock. The doctor in Hawaii said Clifford might not make it. Would you urgently pray for Clifford, that God would save him?
10/11/2021
I don’t have words right now but Clifford passed away last night in Hawaii. I don’t have many details yet but would you please lift up Kyle’s mom, Eileen, and her 2 daughters, that God would comfort them?
10/13/2021
A couple good news: Kyle’s swelling has gone down significantly! And they were able to get Kyle on a lung transplant waiting list at a hospital in Florida! HOWEVER, in order for Kyle to be a viable lung transplant candidate, he needs to meet a number of requirements, which include his kidneys being in decent shape and that he is mentally and physically responsive when not sedated. So, his care team turned off the CRRT machine (a type of dialysis machine that they were using to assist his kidneys and his swelling issue) and decreased the number of sedative medications they were giving him so they can test how his body responds.
Please pray that he would be able to meet all the requirements to be a lung recipient and that they would be able to find the right lung donor for him. May God would move mountains to bring healing and wholeness to Kyle!
10/20/2021
Kyle has been doing well the past couple days. Unfortunately, there is still no open bed at the hospital in Florida. Please pray that one will open up asap. In our waiting, we are thankful that God is continuing to sustain Kyle and we can see improvements in his alertness each day as his care team have been giving him less sedatives. After a month of Kyle being heavily sedated, it is so encouraging to see him awake and recognize his mom and sister by his side.
Yesterday, they had to change Kyle’s ECMO circuit and oxygenator to prevent more blood blots in his current one. The doctor explained that it’s something they would need to do eventually but is better to do now while Kyle has some reserve and is not in an emergency. It’s a routine procedure but there is a high risk since there is a 10-15 second window where he would be off the machine while they switch it to the new one. Thankfully, God answered our prayers and the procedure was successful! Please pray that Kyle will be able to adjust well to the new ECMO machine and that God will continue to strengthen his body and the rest of his organs before they need to transfer him to Florida. Please pray for a miracle that if it is God’s will, Kyle's own lungs would be regenerated because we know that nothing is impossible with our God! Thank you again for your continued prayers for Kyle and his family.
10/24/2021
Update from Kyle’s sister:
Thank you for your fervent prayers for Kyle’s recovery and family. Although there is still no open bed in Florida, Kyle is continuing to do well here in Louisiana. He was able to start physical therapy again the past couple of days to regain some strength. He is continuing to become more responsive and was even able to give us a thumbs up on his left hand! Thankfully, Kyle’s care team is saying that he doesn’t seem to have any anxiety issues after coming off sedation, which can be a common problem. Kyle’s mom is constantly praying by his side, reading scripture verses to him, and playing worship songs in his room. Please pray that Kyle would continue to feel God’s peace during his recovery.
On Friday afternoon, they stopped the CRRT machine to see how Kyle’s kidneys will do on their own. His kidneys seem to be doing okay so far! Please pray that they will continue to function well enough so that he won’t need to go back on CRRT. Pray that Kyle’s body will continue to heal and be protected against any infection, bleeding, or blood clots. Pray that Kyle will improve to the point where he can lower his reliance on any medication or machines, making him a possible candidate for more transplant hospitals. Kyle’s mom asked the doctor to call other hospitals closer to relatives in San Diego to see if that could be a possible and more convenient option. We will continue to trust in God’s faithfulness and miraculous healing power!
10/25/2021
Kyle’s heart stopped this morning as they were switching him to a travel ECMO to take him down for a CT scan. The good news is that CPR worked, and his heart was revived—Praise God! Now the difficult news: His new CT scan revealed his lungs have dissolved further and there are hardly any lung tissues left. Time is of the essence. We are still waiting for a bed at the Gainesville, FL hospital, but we also asked his care team to contact lung transplant hospitals in San Diego (where Kyles’ maternal grandmother and uncles live) for possible availability. Please pray with us that God would miraculously pave the way for Kyle to get a double-lung transplant quickly.
10/31/2021
In the last few days, the doctor inserted tubes into both sides of his chest to drain air and fluids to relieve pressure from his chest cavities. His chest x-rays looked better after the procedures and they said they can see more of his lung tissue! And he hasn’t been on a ventilator since Wednesday night…I don’t understand how this works but the ECMO is doing enough for him right now.
He’s still getting physical therapy every day and is gradually getting stronger. Although he can’t respond yet, Kyle’s mom and sister helped him unlock his phone to read a few encouraging messages from his friends.
I got to visit him today and he looks pretty good. He is also eating more solid foods—he just had some pizza! They pulled the feeding tube from his nose yesterday.
The nurses say that considering how little lung tissue he has left, he is doing incredibly well!
Because he has been doing so well, a couple other lung transplant hospitals have shown interest in possibly taking him.
Thank you for all your prayers for Kyle and his family. Please pray that God would continue to strengthen him and if it’s His will, that his lungs would grow back on their own! Or that one of these lung-center hospitals would call with an empty bed for Kyle. However God wants to do it, we trust in God’s goodness and pray with great hope!
11/12/2021
Since being moved to UCSD lung transplant center on Sunday, Kyle’s new care team has been aggressively trying to get his deconditioned body stronger through physical and occupational therapy, in order that he can officially become a transplant candidate and have a better outcome/recovery afterwards. It will be a rigorous and long process towards becoming a candidate, getting on the waitlist, finding the right set of lungs, and recovering from the double-lung transplant.
Kyle is back on nose tube feeding because they felt that for now, this is the fastest way for him to get enough nutrition to gain weight due to his shrunken stomach. He made a lot of good progress today—he did 8 reps of standing/sitting, stayed standing for 5.5 mins and was on a pedal machine for 10 minutes! We’ve been worried about his voice (or lack thereof), but the speech therapist came and tried his speaking valve again today and his voice sounded significantly louder than ever!
It was a bit overwhelming for the family to hear from the doctors about how tough and long the battle ahead is going to be. But God brought Kyle thus far and we have full confidence that God will continue to show His power and goodness in answer to YOUR prayers! Thank you so much for praying! See Kyle’s video thanking you!
Please pray for
-wisdom & favor for Kyle’s new medical team
-Kyle to make significant progress quickly
-much favor in this whole lung-transplant process
-Kyle to grow deeper in his love, dependence and obedience to God
12/3/2021
12/9/2021
Update from Kyle’s sister:
To prevent more fungus or yeast from growing in his blood, Kyle's team of doctors and nurses changed his ECMO circuit this week, switching out the oxygenator and most of the tubes but leaving the cannula from the right side of his neck. Thankfully, the procedure went well, but they will continue to draw labs and blood cultures to make sure the yeast is eradicated from his blood. This may take another week or so to make sure no more fungus is in his system. Once that's cleared, that'll be one less roadblock to getting Kyle officially listed for his double lung transplant. Please pray that this procedure along with the antifungal medications will get rid of the yeast in his blood and that they won't need to do a more serious surgery.
Due to difficulty breathing at times, Kyle often can’t sleep well through the night, but he still has to get through tough physical therapy sessions every day. Please pray that Kyle would get good rest at night, have more energy throughout the day, and continue to keep his spirits high. Pray that his shortness of breath and bloody mucous will be minimized and for God to bring him healing and peace. Thank you for your steadfast partnership in prayer!
12/11/2021
There have been lots of ups and downs in Kyle’s condition but things improved enough for his transplant team to present his case in a conference to be placed on the transplant waitlist yesterday. And by God’s grace, Kyle was able to get OFFICIALLY LISTED last night—PRAISE GOD!
THEN WHAT?? Kyle got an offer for lungs today!! However, they are very picky about the condition of the donated lungs before they will do the transplant, so the surgeon has to check to see if these lungs are in “good” condition. If they are, Kyle will be going into surgery tomorrow at 4pm PST!!
Things are moving fast! We need your urgent prayers! Pray that Kyle would get the right lungs (we hope these particular ones would be perfect for him!), that the 12-hour surgery goes smoothly and that his body would quickly accept the new lungs!
God is good. God is faithful. God hears and answers our prayers!!
12/12/2021
Just got word that the surgeon deemed the donor lungs not good enough to be used. It is disappointing but will have to wait for another set of lungs. Please pray that the perfect pair of lungs would come soon.
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