Today happens to be the day after learning that I am able to give Cory my kidney. The outpouring of love and support has been so great - it helps to cement my decision with so much love and respect backing my decision.
I have read up on quite a few case studies and general information on living donors and I think the most powerful thing I have really been able to relate to is the example of one man giving his kidney to his sister. He said at the beginning of the interview, "Everyone constantly commends my choice to give my sister a kidney but in reality it was never a question as to whether or not I would, it was more like when can we."I felt the same way. He went into the emergency room and once we realized there was no close family member that could give him the gift of life, I began my journey to become a donor.
I thought I would take a moment to explain my journey:
I went in beginning in July to get the first few tests done, the first appointment is with the nephrologist (kidney doctor), she tells you of all of the risks and general information surrounding the procedure. She then gave me an overall physical. When she felt around in my neck she found a cyst on my thyroid. She had asked if I had ever had it looked at, I replied no. My blood pressure was high when I entered so she retook it, still in the 130's which was not normal for me (probably nervous from the physical). I then was referred to medical specialties to get my cyst looked at.
The second test (while waiting for my cyst work up) that you go through consists of you (and Cory in this case he was my hospital buddy) peeing every hour on the hour, if you do not - you have to come back and start over. You have a catheter in all day and they take your blood on the hour as well. This is to research the function of your kidneys. I was also given a radio active shot to better test the functionality. I was deemed radio active for the next 28 days! To end my day I was given an ultrasound of my neck to see if my cyst was cancerous. My grandmother died of lymphatic cancer, the thought of having a similar cancer was devastating, especially so young.
The third test is the worst, I was without Cory, he was on vacation and I had to get up extremely early and be at UW all day long. First test was a 25 tube blood draw. It covered every blood born illness possible, along with my cholesterol and other tests pertinent to kidney function and my overall health. Next was a cardio graph, to see my heart function. Last I fed an IV full of dye to see the size and functionality of my kidneys. This was entirely too painful. I went through a CT scan with the IV in, which was uncomfortable but even worse, when they pushed the dye through my body it warmed certain areas in my body, basically it felt like I peed my pants a dozen times. It was the first time I lost my composure. The entire time I was strong and knew in my heart everything would be ok but this time, I was just too full of emotion and just wanted it all to be over. That was the first time I ever showed any sign of being anything but brave.
I was then sent home with a heart rate monitor due to my off blood pressure during my first appointment. It was the most painful thing - 24 hours with a cuff on. It would take my blood pressure every 2 minutes on the dot. I took it off half way through it was so unbearable.
Finally not even a month ago I had to go into Harborview for a fine needle biopsy of my neck. Now, Harborview is a teaching hospital and I received one of the worst procedures I have ever experienced. The proceedure is supposed to take a very long needle and poke it into your neck up into the cyst to take several biopsies using an ultra sound. The doctor who was learning how to do the proceedure did not give me enough lytocane and I could feel the entire thing. The biopsy was to take only 20 minutes, I was in there for an hour.
I then received the results back from my biopsy saying that there was no sign of cancer and Tuesday our case went before the transplant board. They had no reason to believe I was a bad candidate and granted us the surgery.
It took over three months to finish the process - a process I never thought would end but here we are!
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