Lorene Goes Home!

img_2008Before I get into today’s post I would like to let my Aunt Natalie (Santa) and her family know that our family is praying for her. We found out today that aunt Santa suffered a heart attack while on vacation in Mexico. We all hope she goes well soon and returns home for recovery as soon as possible. We all love you Aunt!

Well today was the big day for Lorene- time to go home! Everything is going good and the doctors have released her to go home. When I arrived this morning her and David were as ready as ever. I can’t go further without letting you all know how AWESOME David has been with my Mom, Janice and Sonny over the past few days…. Thanks Dave you’ve been great!

Janice was not really having a good day while I was there. I didn’t get a chance to even talk to her today cause she was really sick. We were all very sad that Janice was not able to come home today, but we all understand that it is very important that she be 100% before returning home. Sonny went to be by her side a little later in the day, and when he returned home he had informed us that Janice is feeling much much better and that things are looking very good for her to come home tomorrow! We’ll all be praying for her to come home soon.

For everyone that is wondering how to get in touch with Lorene, she is at Rosalie’s house in Union City. If you want to drop by and say hello, send flowers or give her a call the information is as follows:

2449 Andover Drive
Union City, CA 94587
510.471.0902

She is also checking Her Email now

Categories: Uncategorized

Day 4: Everyone Felt Great!



I forgot to publish my post from Sunday…. sorry for the late news

The ladies were doing great today! When we got to the hospital Mom was watching the tail end of the Raider game with David, and Janice was enjoying a book and some quite time. The big news of the day is that Janice was able to FINALLY enjoy some PIZZA earlier in the day (it had been months since she last had some). I think I mentioned it in a previous post, but Janice is really looking better and better each day. It’s so nice to see her glowing again the way she was in the past.

As for my mom, well I heard she started the day on a bad note. But when I got there she looked ten times better than she did the day before, and from the way things are looking she will be going home TOMORROW!

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Day 3: Janice

Janice is doing very good today. Her health is getting more and more normal everyday. She still has not ate anything and is dying to have some pizza when she gets home. Tomorrow she will be able to have a little something to eat, but not pizza yet! She up walking around, and at this point she just really wants to get home and be with the kids. Were still unsure of when she will get to go home.

Categories: Uncategorized

Day 3: Lorene

Today blog is coming from my Treo 650 so excuse it being so brief.
As of today Mom has been walking a little here and there. At the moment its looking like she won’t be coming home tomorrow, maybe Monday. She still doesn’t have much of an appetite and her arm is hurting cause she has an IV giving her potassium. Over all she’s feeling good though. She missed Sasha a lot and really wants to get home.

Categories: Family

So Far So Good

September 30, 2005 Richie Benavidez Leave a comment



I just returned from visiting my Mother and Janice and they are doing well. Mom’s hurting a little and her room is like a Suana. Janice is doing REALLY well, she was quite alert when I was there and looked better than I’ve seen her in a while. They both are expected to be eating solid food and walking a little by tonight or tomorrow.

Some of you have been wondering where to send flowers since its kinda hard to get all the way to UCSF to visit. Once again if you want to send flowers Email me and I will be glad to give you the information on where to send them.

Categories: Uncategorized

SUCCESS!!

September 30, 2005 Richie Benavidez Leave a comment

Well everyone I am pleased to announce that today’s operation was a huge success! Not only does Janice have a new kidney, she has been given a second chance for life! And we are all very grateful for that.

It has been a very long day for all of us, but it was well worth it. We were all up and ready at 6am, an arrived at UCSF Medical at 8:30am for check in. Janice and Mom were moved into there rooms at 10:00 am. After a prayer they were quickly moved into the Pre-Op area. Through out the time before the operation they were both very excited and ready to go. In all honesty, I think the rest of us were the nervous ones.

Shortly after 1:30pm the doctors got
everything started. Finally at about 7pm we were informed by the surgeon that the removal on Lorene’s kidney was a success, they were in the process of setting her up for the recovery room. News on Janice was good too! The new kidney was a perfect match and her body was responding to it wonderfully. After a very long wait we were able to talk to them sometime after 8pm, and they were both doing great.

Lorene, Janice and all of us would like to thank you all for you’re prayers and blessings over the last few days. If they recover well, they are both looking at coming home on Sunday October 2nd, so we’ll see how it goes. If you would like information on visiting or to maybe send them flowers and get well cards feel free to email me. I would be honored to give you the information.

Categories: Family

A Message to you all from Lorene

September 29, 2005 Richie Benavidez Leave a comment

So I have something that Mom would like you all to read. Here is goes:

Friends and Family
I just want to tell you all that I feel very good doing this for Janice. I am not too afraid because we have a lot
of people praying for us. We wanted to document this entire process so others will not be afraid to do the same
for someone they love. I don’t think I am anymore “special” than someone else who loves their family.
I know a lot of times people question the decisions I make, but I usually make my decisions out of love and understanding.
So here I go, ready to go to the hospital tomorrow. I am a little hungry because I wasn’t allowed any sold food after 12:00
pm today (Wednesday) and I am also not real happy with the laxitive I had to drink, but I am okay.
I love you all and I am sure me and Janice have made the right decision.
Talk to you soon,
Love Lorene

thanks Rich

Categories: Family

My Mother

September 28, 2005 Richie Benavidez 2 comments

I have basically got my blog up and going again for the purpose of blogging my mother and my sister in-laws operations. Over the next few weeks I will have daily updates on both of their progress after the surgery. As you all know my sister in-law Janice Benavidez has been struggling with Kidney Disease for about four years now. In May of this year her health began to get worse. Her failing kidneys were now giving off a hormone that was poisoning her body, causing her to be in and out of the hospital for just about a month. After a while the doctors over at UCSF had determined that it be best that the failed kidneys be removed from her completely and they were – Janice has been doing good since. Even though she Janice has been feeling much better, she now has NO kidneys at all and the need for a donor was even bigger than it had been before. The only problem was that Janice was one of thousands of Americans that need a kidney donor, and the wait was very long- years to be exact. Long story short, my mother was a match and she is now proceeding to do the most courageous thing anyone I know has done for someone and decided to donate her kidney to Janice. On Thursday September 29, 2005 Lorene Rodriguez Hernandez is not only donating her kidney to Janice Benavidez, but she is making it possible for Janice and Sonny along with their children Serena and Isaac to have a quality of life that they have not been able to enjoy. She is doing her part in making sure that those children have their mother there for them for years to come. Those of you that know my mother, know that she is a woman with a HUGE heart and our whole family, both immediate and extended all are very proud her and touched by her bravery.

The surgery takes place on 9/29/2005, 12pm at UCSF Medical Center. Please check back for information on visiting, sending flowers or cards, or just to see how they are doing. I have added an RSS feed for the super geeks that like real time updates, so by all means subscribe to the RSS feed!

Remember to keep our family in your prayers the next few days. Thank you.

-Richie

Categories: Family