Heartfelt Hopes

Hi my name is Joshua Mompean,

I am twenty five years old and have I decided what I want to do next year? Do I want to be in construction or take up snow boarding or climb half dome in Yosemite? How about learning how to surf one of my only fears are sharks. Sharks have kept me out of the ocean for year’s love the beach won’t go in the water more than calf deep.

My wife and I recently moved near Stanford hospital for evaluation and assessment of my double lung transplant hopefully when I’m ready we can afford transplantation. Everyone that lives needs to surf. I would love to learn. At my current lung function I find it difficult to even walk sometimes, and water… I used to spend all day in the pool at the house were I grew up; we would get the kind of wrinkle in our fingers and toes that does not go away until September! Now no more than waist deep or the pressure will be so intense it takes my breath away in a matter of seconds and I’m coughing like crazy. Cystic Fibrosis (C.F.) has taken its toll on my body, once able to work two jobs working seven days a sometimes sixteen hrs a day. Now on a good day I can take out the trash and wash the dishes. On a bad day I find it almost unbearably difficult to get out of bed. Just a few years ago my mind was as sharp as a cheddar cheese and now it’s about as appetizing as a raw potato…with skin.
My saving grace is through Christ Jesus…. many people are shocked when they find out that I love Jesus with all of my trials and my victories with C.F. I share Christ- He is the yoke with me and much of the time he carries me. This is also his fight because he is in me and I come from him. My faith comforts me like a warm blanket in the dead of winter or a kind heart in a sea of indifferent faces. If there is anything I hope to accomplish after surgery it is to praise God and seek him first after that No mountain or ocean or indifferent face can keep me down.
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Josh had me take this off his USB and post it to you. He is currently at Stanford. Please pray for him, donate, help, visit and love him. Thank you.

Thank you Jesus!

Lots of very exciting things have been happening in the last couple of months. I'm going to skip forward a bit and tell every one what is happening in my life now. Breanna and I went to the Cystic Fibrosis clinic at Stanford on Wednesday August twenty sixth.
We have been given some interesting news. In fact the news is very exciting, uplifting, spiritually gratifying, and indeed it is a blessing and I thank Jesus for it. It would not be possible for me to have achieved it on my own only Christ has the power to make me better. He gives me tools and opportunity and I have tried very hard using those tools. Grabbing this opportunity with everything I have and watching God work in my life. Even when my illness is winning the fight, my faith in Jesus Christ is strong. My flesh is not always consistently the good servant. Aware that he is with me and he will never leave. This gives me hope and helps me pray and remember his sacrifice is his proof of his unconditional love for me even when I sabotage myself. Thank you to all who have encouraged me and helped me in his name. I love you all.

When we went to Stanford we found out my weight is up almost twelve pounds from one hundred and nineteen pounds in the beginning of June, to one hundred and thirty one pounds. Oxygen saturation off oxygen was ant 92%. Yes, that's on room air for more than four hours. I De-sat at about 15 seconds so... When we moved onto shell and Tracy's house my O2 was 84% off oxygen sometimes even as low as 74%.
The big question what was your P.F.T? Well it was twenty three percent... God is good.
We can be thankful that God has blessed me. Some people might say what does this mean?
If I catch a cold next week 16% could be right back, and that's how C.f is.
Some of you may not know this but when we walked into Stanford in April I was at 16%the doctors said the possibility of me being able to take myself out of the "Transplant Window" was impossible... Then on the next visit my lungs were at 18%. Then 19%. Now its 23% and the "Transplant Window" is shutting just a little more.("Transplant Window" is when they wont you to have a transplant, if you can. it starts at about 25% they wont consider me out until I hit about 3o% because of were I am maybe even higher.) My life is a constant struggle between sickness and heath and God is with me all the time. Even as my health improves my only wish is that his will be done. As long as he gives me breath I will continue to fight. So please when you go to pray thank God for all the blessing you have read, give him the praise.

Change

So two months ago (although it seems longer). Most people saw my Wife Breanna and our dog Zeus before we left Stockton. We lived in a two bedroom house that we rented from my mothers ex-husband Mark. Who is a really nice guy. Mark helped us more than we can repay. Our modest life became to much for me to bear. Taking care of Breanna's great grandparents Arlee and Lilith Scott. Letting my eating habits decline and drop to nearly none existing. My exercise routine was a thing of the past. On and off my treatments doing them on the days when feeling well enough, slaking on my great days and only getting one set in a day even then . The days I was really busy not even one. I was completely selfish. Only thinking about whether my time was better spent "enjoying life". That consisted of sitting at my house watching t.v, being at a friends, just hanging out going to the local coffee shop to search the web, or go see my family.
Mostly to play with my dog Zeus whom I love. Zeus was my day time companion while my wife was at work. During coughing fits Zeus would get a sad look on his face and run over to me to see if I was OK. He would also come and lay by me when doing my treatments. Which inspired me to do more treatments! That dog went every where with me.

Thanking God is on my list of things to do.In fact its the only thing on that list that is consistently done he he ha ha (seriously). Cystic Fibrosis (C.F ) is my challenge in life. Many of my headaches and obstacles come from this source. It is also a grate source of strength and faith. Through my illness I have learned how just and kind, loving and merciful God can be. If I grasp at the opportunities he gives me, and give him control, he blesses me time and time again. I cant do it on my own. Thank Christ, he is my personal savior without his mercy my life would be much more difficult. He has carried me through my worst days. Jesus gave me the best opportunity of my life ten years ago this October, he introduced me to Breanna. When we met right away she captured my gaze and stole my heart.

The most beautiful girl in the world. Her eyes are soft and sweet, full of color and very unique like her. When she smiles it makes my hole world seem to get brighter. Its as if God himself parted the clouds and let a single ray of sun shine just on us. Her energy balances me. Her words fill me with encouragement and joy. Bree makes me laugh. She loves me and when I'm sick she dedicates herself to helping in any way she can to insuring my recovery. Breanna is brave, caring, honest, true, creative and selfless. Breanna has given up a possible "normal" life to be my wife... the only thing I can do to pay her back is to try and treat her with as much love and respect as she has shown me. Thanking God often for bringing this angel into my life.

Together we decided to move with the need to change lifestyle and doctors. Today we live in the Monterrey bay area and I am attending Standford University to be evaluated for a double lung transplant. We live on a large property but we are seprite from the main house so its a walk to the bath or to get something to eat its not down the hall any more but you cant beat the view! We are surrounded by hills and trees and its amazing. We live with some good friends of mine and they are amazing people true Christians. Being around them inspires me to pray, work, and love much more than I was before. I am truly blessed. shell and Tracy are helping me fulfill my commitment to my wife to try and live, and live well for as long as I can. They have opened their lives to us. Shared their home, love, support, faith, . They are a continuous driving support in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis witch threatens my life. We cherish them and they are in my families prayers.