Follow the Perrin's journey here:
MAY 1, 2018
MAY 1, 2018
#1 on Mayo’s heart transplant list is Bryan Perrin! After much prayer and 6 major surgeries, Bryan, has come from Kentucky to Minnesota to await a heart transplant, at a Mayo Clinic hospital. Because of Bryan’s rare blood type, it may be months before he receives a “match”.
The family has had to make some major life changes: renting a “transplant approved house” in Rochester, while Angela (Bryan's wife) focuses on Bryan’s needs that require 24/7 care and homeschooling their 2 children. Their only income is Bryan's minimal social security disability check; this medical journey has left them with no extra money. So, currently they must continue to make one rental payment and one house payment for their home in Kentucky. Many bills, including medical co-pays, are overwhelming!
The Rochester church of Christ is asking you and your church family and friends to pray for the Perrins and help them financially. If you need your check to be tax deductible, please write it to the Rochester church of Christ with a note indicating that your gift is for the Perrins. Otherwise, write your check to the “Perrin Family Benefit Fund”.
Mail gifts to:
Rochester church of Christ
Rochester church of Christ
Perrin Family Benefit
632 2nd Street, SW
Rochester, MN. 55902
632 2nd Street, SW
Rochester, MN. 55902
You may address questions to this email: rochesterchurchofchristmn@gmail.com
Come back here for weekly / bi-weekly UPdates on Brian's progress, as he waits on the heart, trusting in the LORD for HIS will and HIS way:
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Tuesday, May 8, 2018: Bryan still waits on the LORD... #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Tuesday, May 15, 2018: Bryan still waits on the LORD! Thank you to those who have sent money to help. What a welcome relief! You will be receiving something in the mail soon. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Tuesday, May 22, 2018: Bryan still waits on the LORD! Thank you to those who have sent money. What a blessing! You will be receiving something in the mail soon. Bryan's dad is headed up from Kentucky to be with him. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Tuesday, May 29, 2018: Although Bryan’s doctors thought Memorial Day weekend might be a time he
would get his new heart, Bryan continues to wait on the LORD’s timing.
Bryan has begun to have greater water retention, labored breathing, sleep challenges, and less energy. The family is staying in a house close to Mayo Clinic and he is seeing his doctors often.
Yes, this journey comes with great financial needs. The Perrin family would not be able to do it without GOD’s family helping. Thank you for blessing them on this difficult road. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, June 9, 2018: "When it rains, it pours!" Bryan is still waiting, but a family emergency happened when their daughter was hospitalized in Kentucky with what they first thought was her appendix. The kids were staying with their grandmother and were at 4-H camp when this happened. Angela made an all night trip from Minnesota back to Kentucky. After a little over a week and a lot of doctor appointments with Specialists they got positive news and were able to make it back to Rochester today. Bryan is holding his own and thanks each of you immensely for your prayers and generous gifts for him and his family. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Bryan has begun to have greater water retention, labored breathing, sleep challenges, and less energy. The family is staying in a house close to Mayo Clinic and he is seeing his doctors often.
Yes, this journey comes with great financial needs. The Perrin family would not be able to do it without GOD’s family helping. Thank you for blessing them on this difficult road. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, June 9, 2018: "When it rains, it pours!" Bryan is still waiting, but a family emergency happened when their daughter was hospitalized in Kentucky with what they first thought was her appendix. The kids were staying with their grandmother and were at 4-H camp when this happened. Angela made an all night trip from Minnesota back to Kentucky. After a little over a week and a lot of doctor appointments with Specialists they got positive news and were able to make it back to Rochester today. Bryan is holding his own and thanks each of you immensely for your prayers and generous gifts for him and his family. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Tuesday, June 19, 2018: "When it rains, it pours blessings and troubles!" The church here and your generous gifts and notes of encouragement are ministering to the Perrin family as Bryan continues to be #1 on Mayo's heart transplant list - with still no match. Angela has almost recovered from a severe infection that settled in her eyes and sent her to the emergency room. While their daughter was in the hospital in Kentucky, her belongings (that were still at camp) went missing. A group of mothers/daughters (from the church here) took her out this past week to buy new clothes, so she could go to church camp this week, with one of our families here. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Tuesday, June 26, 2018: The Perrins continued to wait on the LORD, as they sent their daughter for a wonderful week, at church camp in South Dakota, with some members from the Rochester church of Christ. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Tuesday, July 3, 2018: Heath and wellness is a blessing that is not taken for granted by the Perrin family. It seems that it has just been one thing after another! We're praying for Bryan to stay healthy enough to be ready when the heart match comes, yet Angela's eye infection is still not completely gone. Please pray for health and wellness for this family. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Wednesday, July 11, 2018: What can we say? As the almost daily medical check-ups continue for Bryan, he is weak, but holding his own. As the Perrins continue to pray and wait, they got word that Bryan's grandfather has passed away in Kentucky. Over and over again they are experiencing that "Life is so hard, but #GIGATTAATTGIG".
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Tuesday, July 31, 2018: Thank you for continuing to pray! Yesterday morning, Bryan collapsed and was admitted to a Mayo hospital. Doctors say that all his vitals are where they need to be this morning and they can’t find a specific reason why his heart did what it did, although this kind of episode may become more and more frequent. Bryan will probably be released today and will move into one of the transplant houses (across the street from our church building and a few blocks from Mayo). Angela and the kids will be moving out of their rental, here in Rochester, and be staying with christians while they make decisions on next steps. Bryan's dad will be arriving today and staying in the transplant house room with him. Continuing to wait on the LORD. Scripture says that, "Life is in the blood." Bryan has a rare blood type and must wait on a heart donor who is a "blood match".
The pictures here are of the Perrin children at a fellow christian's art studio yesterday, after Bryan was rushed to the hospital. We kept them busy making the Perrin magnets (3rd picture) and painting a "Christian Warrior Heart" for their dad, to hang in his room at the transplant house (first 2 pics). #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Tuesday, June 26, 2018: The Perrins continued to wait on the LORD, as they sent their daughter for a wonderful week, at church camp in South Dakota, with some members from the Rochester church of Christ. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Tuesday, July 3, 2018: Heath and wellness is a blessing that is not taken for granted by the Perrin family. It seems that it has just been one thing after another! We're praying for Bryan to stay healthy enough to be ready when the heart match comes, yet Angela's eye infection is still not completely gone. Please pray for health and wellness for this family. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Wednesday, July 11, 2018: What can we say? As the almost daily medical check-ups continue for Bryan, he is weak, but holding his own. As the Perrins continue to pray and wait, they got word that Bryan's grandfather has passed away in Kentucky. Over and over again they are experiencing that "Life is so hard, but #GIGATTAATTGIG".
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Tuesday, July 31, 2018: Thank you for continuing to pray! Yesterday morning, Bryan collapsed and was admitted to a Mayo hospital. Doctors say that all his vitals are where they need to be this morning and they can’t find a specific reason why his heart did what it did, although this kind of episode may become more and more frequent. Bryan will probably be released today and will move into one of the transplant houses (across the street from our church building and a few blocks from Mayo). Angela and the kids will be moving out of their rental, here in Rochester, and be staying with christians while they make decisions on next steps. Bryan's dad will be arriving today and staying in the transplant house room with him. Continuing to wait on the LORD. Scripture says that, "Life is in the blood." Bryan has a rare blood type and must wait on a heart donor who is a "blood match".
The pictures here are of the Perrin children at a fellow christian's art studio yesterday, after Bryan was rushed to the hospital. We kept them busy making the Perrin magnets (3rd picture) and painting a "Christian Warrior Heart" for their dad, to hang in his room at the transplant house (first 2 pics). #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, September 15, 2018: We apologize for the lack of updates! We're a small church with a big/busy ministry! We very much want to keep you in the know. Bryan is slowly getting weaker. His doctors are amazed that he is not in the condition to need ICU. We attribute that to our AMAZING GOD listening to our prayers.
Bryan did move into the transplant house, but it was decided that Angela take the kids to their maternal grandparents. So, August has found the children back in Kentucky, where they are until the beginning of next week. Angela spent half of August with the children and half of August here at the transplant house with Bryan. Angela and the children plan to return to Rochester this coming Tuesday and move in with the Sikes'. The children will continue their schooling with Kentucky's online education; they will all have much social/emotional support from the church family here.
There will be another article in the Christian Chronicle's October "Milestones". In the meantime, we commit to meeting you back here each week for more regular updates. Thank you for the way you have given an outpouring of support for this family! To GOD be the glory! #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, September 22, 2018: GOD's timing is not our timing! As Bryan remains here in Rochester, the other 3 members of his immediate family have been hit by a strong virus, while still in Kentucky. They remain "under the weather" while the Rochester church's "Hands of Compassion" ministry helps Bryan throughout each day with basic needs and Mayo Clinic doctor's visits. He was able to stay in our "Hands of Compassion" house for a few days, before heading back to the transplant house. His health situation remains critical. Thank you for praying! #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, September 29, 2018: When life's challenges just hit over and over again, you might find yourself quoting Job 13:15, "Though HE slay me, yet will I trust HIM..."
As Bryan struggled through making it just one day at a time, Angela and children slowly recovered from a very strong virus and prepared to return to Rochester (this past week). Before heading north, they were hit with another blow - Bryan's grandmother had passed away, in Kentucky. Angela and children chose to return quickly to Rochester to grieve with, encourage, and support Bryan. They are together now. Bryan continues the long journey of waiting... waiting... waiting... on the right heart match... He chooses to TRUST IN THE LORD. #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Last Saturday, Bryan had enough energy to be at the church picnic with his family for a little while . It was at a member's family farm, but because it was chilly, Bryan and his family stayed inside.
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Saturday, October 13, 2018: Bryan remains #1 on Mayo's heart transplant list, but because of the recent changes made in Medicare, many changes/transitions have taken place for the Perrin's the past two weeks. Bryan's Mayo doctors were able to agree with his doctors in Louisville, Kentucky and a medical flight company on a protocol to get Bryan to Minnesota in hours, once a heart arrives. Because of your generous donations, a check was written to the flight company for this to happen. Moving back to Kentucky will save the Perrin family tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses just over the rest of 2018. Bryan's Louisville doctors will keep in regular contact with Mayo doctors. Your continued gifts and the willingness of the medical community to work with this family are full of blessings that we give GOD the glory for! #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, October 20, 2018: Bryan and family have been able to move back into their home in Kentucky as he continues to wait for a heart. Mayo is the only place that can / will do a heart transplant on Brian, because of his disorder and rare blood type. The arrangements to get him to Mayo when a heart is received were explained in last week's post. To read more about Brian's heart challenge, you may go to this link. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/transposition-of-the-great-arteries/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350595
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Saturday, October 27, 2018 You may be one who has called or emailed about the current financial needs of the Perrins. The needs continue to be great, because a monthly Social Security Disability check and food stamps do not come close to meeting the needs for a family of 4 along with the many medical co-pays of a condition like Bryan's. The family is so grateful for your outpouring of "gifts of love" during this very difficult journey. We don't know if a heart will be a match in days or weeks or months or years. We just pray that the good LORD will allow for Bryan's health to not get any worse until the heart arrives. #waitingontheLORD #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, November 3, 2018 As Bryan holds his own, there is no new news to report. The plan is for Bryan to return to Mayo Clinic the week of November 11th for intensive testing. Unless, we have something new to report, we will wait to report again as Bryan continues to trust in GOD's timing. #waitingontheLORD #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, November 17, 2018 Bryan had his heart check-up this week, at Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. Here is an update, in Bryan's own words:
"This is Bryan and I want to give an update to my recent trip to the Mayo Clinic. First and foremost, it was enjoyable to see the family there and wish I had more time and felt better to spend more time with the ones that I did see... and the ones that I wasn't able to see.
Now to what everyone is wanting to know, 'what did the Dr.'s say?'
I know everyone is asking when will I be getting a heart. The only answer I can give is, it is in God's time not mine. We never know if God has a plan for the other person to finish first and who am I to tell God that I need it more than what God's ultimate plan is. I can't. So we await patiently and have faith that God has everything in order. We just do our part by being ready and following and doing HIS WORD. Everything else is just not worth worrying about.
With all our love the Perrins"
#waitingontheLORD #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, December 1, 2018
It's now been a few weeks since Bryan had his heart check-up, at Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. The letter above gives an update of that trip/visit from Kentucky. Bryan is back home with his family, but his "daily struggles seem to be more and more. He has not bounced back from his trip and the testing that was done. He will be starting cardio-physical therapy in about a week..."
Please join us in petitioning GOD for a heart match for Bryan before the end of 2018, if it's HIS will and HIS way!
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Saturday, November 3, 2018 As Bryan holds his own, there is no new news to report. The plan is for Bryan to return to Mayo Clinic the week of November 11th for intensive testing. Unless, we have something new to report, we will wait to report again as Bryan continues to trust in GOD's timing. #waitingontheLORD #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, November 17, 2018 Bryan had his heart check-up this week, at Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. Here is an update, in Bryan's own words:
"This is Bryan and I want to give an update to my recent trip to the Mayo Clinic. First and foremost, it was enjoyable to see the family there and wish I had more time and felt better to spend more time with the ones that I did see... and the ones that I wasn't able to see.
Now to what everyone is wanting to know, 'what did the Dr.'s say?'
- They did say that there is not much change from my last checkup back in September. Which is good. This means that I am still stable enough to stay in Kentucky and wait for the call for the new heart.
- All the blood work came back and was positive, so no change in my medications.
- They also had me do a stress test this time (which was on a bicycle instead of a treadmill). It was very difficult. I was only able to do it for about 10 minutes. When I finished I was on the verge of passing out. The Dr.'s said it was very good information that they received, along with my EKG they were able to say that my heart is only pumping 15% of the blood that I should be receiving. And that the pressure inside my heart is very high. The example they gave was when I am sitting down still the pressure in my heart is the same as someone running a marathon.
- They do not understand how I am able to keep going the way I am because multiple of the Dr.'s have said that I should be in ICU awaiting the heart transplant.
I know everyone is asking when will I be getting a heart. The only answer I can give is, it is in God's time not mine. We never know if God has a plan for the other person to finish first and who am I to tell God that I need it more than what God's ultimate plan is. I can't. So we await patiently and have faith that God has everything in order. We just do our part by being ready and following and doing HIS WORD. Everything else is just not worth worrying about.
With all our love the Perrins"
#waitingontheLORD #GIGATTAATTGIG
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Saturday, December 1, 2018
It's now been a few weeks since Bryan had his heart check-up, at Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. The letter above gives an update of that trip/visit from Kentucky. Bryan is back home with his family, but his "daily struggles seem to be more and more. He has not bounced back from his trip and the testing that was done. He will be starting cardio-physical therapy in about a week..."
Please join us in petitioning GOD for a heart match for Bryan before the end of 2018, if it's HIS will and HIS way!
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Teach me LORD to wait down on my knees
Till in YOUR own good time YOU answer my pleas
Teach me not to rely on what others do
But to wait in prayer for an answer from YOU.
They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings as eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me LORD, teach me LORD to wait
Teach me LORD to wait while hearts are aflame
Let me humble my pride and call on YOUR NAME
Keep my faith renewed, my eyes on THEE
Let me be on this earth what YOU want me to be
There's a time and a season for all things
YOU promised in YOUR word to answer my pleas
I'm crying to YOU, LORD to grant sweet relief
Oh, LORD remove all my unbelief
They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings as eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me LORD, teach me LORD to wait
Teach me LORD, teach me LORD to wait.
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