21-year-old Annabelle Whitaker is a Houston County woman battling a developmental disorder and kidney disease.
13WMAZ spoke with the family Thursday to hear what's happened since we heard from them last.
Six months is a long time for anyone, but when you're battling kidney failure, fighting through 3 dialysis treatments a day, it can seem like an eternity.
But sometimes the Whitakers say that's all the time God needs to work a miracle.
When we first introduced you to the Whitaker family, they asked for your prayers.
"Take a little time out of your day and just say a little prayer for Annabelle that she receives the treatment that she needs and she can come out with a normal healthy life," said Neil Whitaker.
Nearly six months later, Neil Whitaker's 21-year-old daughter needed them more than ever.
"Last week, we thought we were gonna lose her," said Heather Whitaker.
Neil and Heather Whitaker say their daughter Annabelle, who has a developmental disorder and is now in stage 5 renal failure, started bleeding uncontrollably. Between Friday and Monday, she got 5 units of blood transfusions.
But incredibly, that wasn't the hardest part of their week.
On Wednesday, after months of treatment and testing, examinations and evaluations, a team from Emory Hospital in Atlanta was scheduled to decide whether Annabelle would be placed on the transplant list to receive a lifesaving kidney donation or not.
While Annabelle's family held their breath, the transplant board met from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., then they called the Whitakers.
The answer was "yes," and now Annabelle's on the transplant list.
What's next? The Whitakers say is just another step on their road to recovery.
Heather said, "That's what we said from the beginning, 'Just give us a plan, just give us a plan, just give us this step, and this step, and this step and..."
Heather says that "this is a big step."
Neil and Heather Whitaker say they're now looking for a donor match for Annabelle.
They're hoping they can be the donors but say anyone can go to Emory's website to register for a donor screening. Enter the name Annabelle Whitaker, her date of birth (May 28, 1997), list that she’s currently on dialysis, and that she’s a patient at Emory.
Like any parents, Neil and Heather hope someone who registers would be a match for Annabelle, but they say even if you're not a match for their daughter, you still might have a chance to save another life.