From Brandon: These posts seem to get harder and harder to write as we continue this heart transplant journey, but we wanted to share an update on Caty. After UT Southwestern determined they weren’t able to safely move forward with a transplant because of the complexity of Caty’s case, they referred her to UC San Diego. After reviewing all of her medical records, the team there believes they may be able to help, and they agreed to evaluate her for a heart transplant. This past Friday, Caty, her parents, my mom, and I met with one of their transplant coordinators to learn what the process would look like. It was incredibly informative—but also a lot to take in. The next step is for Caty to travel to San Diego toward the end of July. She’ll likely be there for 1-2 weeks while completing more than 60 tests, including blood work, imaging, physical evaluations, and other assessments. She’ll also meet with the transplant surgeon before her case is presented to the transplant selection committee, who will ultimately determine whether she’s approved for a transplant. During that process, we’ll also meet with a social worker to evaluate whether we have the support system and resources needed to move forward, a dietitian to ensure she’s as healthy as possible, a pharmacy coordinator to discuss medications, and members of their administrative team. If Caty is approved, we’ll also need to identify a full-time caregiver who can be with her around the clock for the first 12 weeks after transplant. If we decide to move forward and she’s officially listed, the waiting period for a donor heart could be anywhere from a few days to a few years. During that time, she’ll need to remain within one hour of UC San Diego. After transplant, she’ll likely spend at least two weeks in the hospital and then remain in San Diego for a minimum of three months—possibly up to a year—before the transplant team feels comfortable transitioning her care back to her cardiology team in Texas. As you can imagine… that’s a lot to process. If Caty is approved, our lives will change dramatically. We’ll have some incredibly difficult decisions to make about who will be with her in San Diego, where she’ll live, how we’ll care for our kids, and what life will look like for our family. It’s overwhelming to even think about, and there have been plenty of tears as we’ve tried to wrap our minds around what this could mean. More than anything, we’re trusting God to guide each step. We know He has been faithful throughout this journey, and we’re believing He’ll continue to provide exactly what we need when we need it. If you would continue praying with us, we’d be incredibly grateful: • That we would continue to seek God above everything else and have wisdom and discernment in every decision. • That, if transplant is the path forward, God would open every door and provide for every need—logistically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually. • For Caty’s health and strength as she prepares for this next phase. • That we would have peace with whatever decisions lie ahead. • That God would continue opening the right doors for me as I search for my next job. • For Nolan and Londyn. Nolan understands much of what’s happening, though we haven’t yet had every difficult conversation. Londyn is only 8, and if transplant becomes reality, this will be especially hard on her. Thank you again for every prayer, message, phone call, and act of kindness. Even if we aren’t able to respond to every message, please know we read every single one. One of the greatest blessings to come from this difficult season has been realizing just how incredible our support system is. We are deeply loved, and we don’t take that for granted. Please continue praying for us as we take this next step.