Appointment with my transplant surgeon

Sherry, the transplant assistant, called to inform me she'll be sending me a letter next week about what I need to do before surgery. I have an appointment with my surgeon on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at 2 p.m. for about an hour on the 12th floor of Toronto General. I have to sign a consent form too.

Dr. Robinette will be away June 3-13 so hopefully that means the surgeon comes back rested and refreshed to take out my kidney. :)

I have to go back June 8 for the final tests before the actual surgery.

Emotions

I suddenly got very emotional when my cousin Elaine Corey asked me if I would like for her to put me on the prayer list at her church. :) I said yes, of course but to particularly please mention the recipients. They are the ones waiting for new kidneys in order to lead better lives. Me, I'm perfectly healthy!

Four weeks from today the surgery will be complete and 3 recipients will be able to empty their bladders just like I do! :)

I have a transplant date!!

I spoke with Michael Garrels today (ext 5589)....

My left kidney will be removed Tuesday, June 15, 2010!

Hopefully it will proceed to benefit a kidney recipient for many years to come! I am so happy - and nervous!

My Mom

A couple weeks ago when speaking with my mother on the phone (we're long distance from one another), she asked me about my kidney donation and how it was going. I had nothing new to share so she asked confirming I was still going ahead with it. And again, I said that yes I was.

She surprised me when she said, well your father found that letter you wrote and we think you're such a good writer. He gave it to me and I re-read it so I wanted you to know that we support you in whatever you decide to do.

I am near tears writing this now so then it made me *so* happy! I said, "Thanks, Mom!" She didn't even have to say it. I knew she had concerns and still will but I always knew I had her support even unwillingly. But it was certainly nice to hear it directly from her! What a Mom I have!

I'm debating sharing the letter on my blog. Not many people read my blog, and I sent the same letter to my 3 sisters.... but it's a little personal however I will probably post it at some point prior to my surgery.

June 2010 - my kidney donation month

I called the transplant coordinator this morning to learn they are keeping the original 3 donor/recipient pairs and my surgery will be in late June! I won't have a specific date until May though as all the travel and other coordination needs to be worked out. I am excited - happy that I am not "losing" my recipient... and particularly pleased that the other recipient who has had issues being able to move forward with a transplant is still in my group. :)



Medical Minutes in Urology from Dramatic Health
(1-2 minute-long YouTube videos)

Kidney Donor Program: What Do You Know?
Kidney Donation: Medical Advances
Kidney Donation: Living With One Kidney
Kidney Donation: Impact on Lifestyle
Living Kidney Donation vs. Non-Living

3rd delay :(

I was thinking today that I should call for an update... then who should call me but my transplant coordinator, Michael Garrels, at around 4:30 p.m. today.

There is a glitch such that there is an issue with one of the recipient's in my group. My recipient is OK and we can continue as planned with just one other donor/recipient pair potentially within the same time frame. Or, in order to complete the original donor-recipient chain, we could wait until the recipient is 'better' then possibly have the surgeries done in June. That is quite a delay from March...

I don't feel I can make any type of decision regarding this. I don't feel it's up to me to decide who gets a kidney now, or who has to wait for one. I explained this to Michael who said that that made it easier to approach the other donor-recipient pair (apparently I was the first person in the 3-pair group he called, I guess because I'm the anonymous donor).

There are 3 options moving forward:
1. Don't wait - 2 transplants can take place probably in March

2. Wait - 3 transplants can take place probably in June

3. Get a different potential recipient match and possibly my transplant surgery will get done 'sooner' or just as soon


The results of each of these options is:
For #1, I could get a surgery date by the end of the week.

For #2, I won't get a date (in June) for probably another month.

For #3, it's hard to say when this will take place as I will have a new recipient; as long as my recipient is an actual match, it should be able to get scheduled fairly shortly with the other donor-recipient pairs after the new cross-match run.

I shared this news with Erika (my HR friend).

The transplant coordinator felt concern for me that I have to wait so long for this to take place but when I have this surgery is of no consequence to me. I am not going to say, "Sorry, person-needing-a-kidney; I have vacation plans, you must wait! It's the recipients who need our living kidneys sooner than later.

I just told Michael that whatever works out best for the most people is how I look at it so he said he'd get back to me within the week.

YouTube monologue

These video logs were shared on a message board.

Candid monologue by a young woman about testing, her fears, her recovery, her scars, and her tattoo months after her donation.

Part One
Part Two