Kidney Donation

Wall of Life (U.K. Campaign)

2009-07-02T09:40:00.001-07:00

I received an email this morning asking for a link to a New Organ Donation Initiative from my home country, the United Kingdom.

Here it is ... http://www.walloflife.org.uk .. if you can, please make a donation and see if you can see me in the mosaic.

Btw, 3 1/2 year - Pam has been on cruises and is just ticking along nicely. I am watching my boys grow up, as healthy as I could be.

1 year (and a month)

2007-01-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

We have just returned from a Walt Disney vacation with Pam.

She is so healthy now, that one year later she can walk around Disney World, go on all the rides and everything is great!

For myself, apart from the occasional soreness on the scars probably due to some rubbing from clothes I am perfectly healthy.

Was it worth it?? 100%!!

Nearly 4 months ....

2006-03-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

It has been 4 months near enough, and I am back to 100%, in fact I have learnt how to ski in the past 2 months. The scars bother a little when I wear a belt, but that's it!

My mother-in-law is doing great - she's not 100%, but hospital visits are every 2 weeks. A very tough women; lost her husband (my father in law) of some 45 years and then 6 weeks later a kidney transplant - we were quite worried for a time because of her depression/grieving .. but she has pulled through.

The hardest thing to affect us was the financial obligations. Remember I was able to work writing programs, two weeks after the operation and even though it was only at a 25% rate, that was still 25% of revenue I was able to generate - the total cost to us, must of been CDN$ 10,000 (US$ 7,500) - we had to family or friend contributions, so thank God for credit limits - I honestly believe it will take us over a year to catch up ... of course our fridge died in January!

Was it worth it though - 1,000%!

One month later

2006-01-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

It has been one month since the operation.

For myself, I fell fine - I think that I am back to 98%. I did too much over Christmas and went swimming ... I probably did 2 laps too many. I have "twinged" something, I am not sure what it is, but I will take it easy until I see the surgeon for my final check up in 2 weeks.

Pam, the recipient, is medically great - she only has to go to the hospital every 10 days now. She though is very depressed. I am not sure if this is due to the operation, losing her husband and now mourning or something else ... she does have great family support.

Day +10

2005-12-11T13:52:00.000-08:00

Probably one of my last posts on this blog.

I am home, got checked out by Nephrology and everything was fine. I still need to meet with the surgeon in 5 weeks.

Even though it's been nearly 2 weeks, I was reminded that Kidney Donation by keyhole (laparoscopic), extenally may heal faster but internally it is still Major surgeory.

After a sneeze today, I can definitely attest to this. I think that I will stay home one more week from work, and can probably get started on the 16th.

Post Op Update

2005-12-08T05:48:00.000-08:00

The past couple of days have been a little strange.

I felt great, albeit a little stiff & sore the first couple of days home, but these past 2 days, I have felt good and then very tired, achy and sore - like I have a "small" flu.

My taste has also gone haywire - I don't care for coffee or tea; my favourite pasta sauce does nothing for me ...

On a very positive note; Pam has come home from her kidney transplant - we purchased her drugs last night. If she were not on the over 65 drug plan, the anti-rejection medcine would cost over $1,000 every 30 days. How does anyone ever plan for that?

She is also needs to travel to hospital for a check up every 2 or 3 days.

Technical details

2005-12-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

I thought that I would just add some technical details.

This operation Kideny donation was done by the keyhole.

I have 3 little wounds on my left side; one directly below my belly button, one about 2 inches above belly button and one about 3 inches on left side from belly button.

Apart from some soreness when getting in or out of bed, the wounds don't bother me very much.

My neck and shoulders: Aparently this is common in men with the keyhole operation, I guess due to the air pumped into my stomach, and/or my positioning during the operation, my shoulder really HURT the first day, and the pain moved in towards my neck. Far more painful than the incisions.

Peeing: Had a folly catheter for 48 hours (deep breath when that comes out). Couldn't pee for a bit, then couldn't stop (due to IV), had some air in there too which was the oddest thing ever.

Gas: You may chuckle, but this has been my biggest concern and problem since the operation (and purge) .... very gassy, at times not very comfortable either. There was a point night +3 where I could actually feel the gas in my tummy arrive - this is a good thing because things are starting to work - but the mucles to expel to gas aren't working, so I did get some cramping - but nothing compared with the purge.

Financially: It will hurt us - maybe Christmas won't be as grand, but who cares!

Overall; no big deal really - the really painful moments, the purge and having the IV removed.

Discharged

2005-12-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

Last night I was discharged from Ottawa General Hospital.

I am feeling really pretty good this morning. Gassy and achy in the neck area, but really rather well.

One mistake we did make, Penny and Holly ordered pizza last night; considering that I have been on a 2 day diet of broth, cream of wheat - 2 large pieces of "Hawaiian" pizza was a very bad choice. I had chronic indegestion, gas ... I have learnt from that and made for a very uncomfortable couple of hours last night.

Once that had gone away, I slept really well.

I am using regular Tylelonol twos as we didn't get a chance to go to pharmacy, but is there a big difference between 3 and 2?

Pam, is down this morning because of the bag. Penny & Holly have just left to go see her and I will make an update later.

One funny little side story; I got permission to leave hospital yesterday morning but I had a choice; last night or this morning. Considering my nightly adventures with George, I decided to leave as soon as convenient, which was after watching the football. Buffalo Bills ended up losing the game in the last second. When I was leaving the nurse took my blood pressure, and I would never of believed it if I hadn't seen it for my own eyes, but it had climbed to it's highest level in the 6 days in Ottawa - the nurse was actually concerned for a moment!

Day + 3

2005-12-04T00:30:00.000-08:00

Not a great night; George's IV unit was beeping for at least 2 hours - poor George.

My neighbour the Frenchman got very irritated this morning.

Nurse wasn't very helpful either, I am not sure what her problem was but the blood thinner hurt, I must of asked for my pain killers 3 times before getting them ( I kept falling asleep and aking up in pain).

I should get out today.

I am much more mobile and I am sick of the IV. The IV saline drip makes me pee all the time, must remember to say hydrated once I am out.

I have seen Pam 2 or 3 times. She looks much better but is still very down with her dressing - my kidney is working far too well and the bag is leaking.

I am also down to one pain killer now.

Day +2

2005-12-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

Day 2 since operation - Saturday

I slept relatively well, once they moved my ward neighbour George out of the room. He was shouting, poor bugger about being in pain and the nurse said there was nothing they could do, so they moved him.

The blood thinner is still not enjoyable. A tummy injection, isn't that painful - I think it's the thought that's more objectionable.

I actually got out of bed and move around. I have the IV attached which makes things difficult, but at least I can pee in the bathroom and not in a bottle.

Overall, I slept a lot. Was sore in the stomach region; the shoulders aren't hurting, but my neck does now! Very odd that!

I am on pretty strong pain killers - don't the name, and two of those knocks me out.

That's my day! Mobile but slowly, layed down, read, napped - that was it. I did walk to Pam's for the first time who only got of recovery this morning. Her "bag" is leaking which makes her very unhappy.

Day +1

2005-12-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

I woke up that day, thirsty and feeling a little queasy.

What can I tell you;
My kidney had been donated.
Quite sore - more sore than I thought I would be but not as sore as I could of been (make sense?)
I was able to sit up by late afternoon - and stand to pee on my bottle
Didn't eat, did drink some water
My morphine drip was taken away quite early (before lunch)
Slept

Post Donation

2005-12-02T09:34:00.000-08:00

OK, this is written 24 hours later on.

This is my post since going under the "knife" - hopefully I recall everything.

Vaguely remember recovery room. I had a morphine drip to control my pain - I didn't really use it that much, maybe a push every 4 to 6 hours.

I remember waking up in my room and drinking some water.

I was told everything went well for me. There was a problem wtih Pam, whose bladder is no good. A decision had to be made by Penny & Holly as to whether or not discard my kideny (who my!) or for Pam to have a bag for her urine. Everyone went with the latter and the surgeon had to create something with her intestine.

I don't really recall that much more ... I did sleep VERY well.

Day of Operation

2005-12-01T08:30:00.000-08:00

Went in a 6:35am - no food or drink since midnight

Everything went very quickly, very efficient.

Sat down, got called into "pre-op" room, got undressed, into gown answered some questions and at 7:30am said good bye, wheeled to operation room, went in ... nighty night!

Again written later on

Purge

2005-11-30T22:00:00.000-08:00

Well wasn't this fun! NOT

So we had to purge or clean our bowels as they like to call it technically.

Drank a bottle of something at 3pm
- by 4pm .. was concerned it wasn't going to work
- by 5pm .. was feeling quite gassy
- by 6pm .. was feeling VERY gassy
- by 7pm ... Oh My God ....
- by 8pm ... I thought it could be ending
- by 8:30pm ... now I think it is over
- by 9:00pm ... that was just a pause ....
- by 10:00pm .. I will never eat a heavy meal again
- by 10:30pm .. I can breath again
- by 11:00pm .. I am so tired and my bottom was so sore .. I must sleep
- interesting note, Penny decided to sleep on the couch!

(This was written much later on)

Two days out ...

2005-11-29T16:07:00.000-08:00

The operation is two days out, and Penny & I have been running around like madmen.

We need to visit it with the anesthetist today, and all the pre-op personel. We are also part of a study. 29 vials of blood were taken which apparenltly was extreme and abnormal (?)

Pam, Penny and I are going out for our "last"meal ...

Overall I feel quite calm; the boys are being taken care of in Schomberg, it's just the 3 of us and tomorrow Holly will join us.

Terrible News

2005-11-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

My father in law, George passed away from cancer. Even though it was inevitable the speed that it happened was incredible.

May you rest in peace George, you were a great man, great husband and great father.

You will be missed!

There will now be questions as to whether or not the kidney donation will go ahead, but let us get through this first.

They found the blood!

2005-04-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

I was informed last week that my blood was found by the Ottawa Hospital - but the lab that does the testing was closed (why?) but my contact hoped that there was enough cells in each vial to use for testing.

A week later I have not heard back, so I am presuming all is ok.

Apparently, hospitals are closing their blood testing units, and outsourcing it to these labaratories who don't always know or follow the procedure when it comes to taking blood for potential transplant patients.

I will contact Ottawa one more time today, and hopefully the tests went well and I should heard within 10 days! Fingers crossed .

Blood for tissue testing

2005-04-01T19:25:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday afternoon, I got a phone call for obtain a "final" blood test for Pam but it had to be done Wednesday - a little bit short notice.

On Wedneday I went to the clinic, and had a fair bit of blood taken. This blood is kept at room temperature and tested against Pam's to see how compliant we are ...

On Thursday Ottawa Hospital called ... where was the blood? No one has called back to say a.) if they found or b.) if a match was done!

On Friday, had a vasectomy so other things were on my mind

Where are we now?

2005-03-24T19:23:00.000-08:00

My mother in law Pam has lost both kidney's due to cancer. She is currently on dialysis every couple of days

Holly, my sister-law, Pam's daughter was going through the process, but got pregnant - a great joy but also a disappointment too.

Penny (my wife), after a blood test is not compatible

Gail (Pam's eldest daughter) lives in the US.

I thought I would see if I am compatible ...
blood test - past
urine (and a lot of it) - past
more blood test - past

we are now trying to schedule a tissue test, to see if Pam and me are compatible.

I have called 3 times now to schedule this test - I hope it can be arrange soon, because we need to get this done for Pam's health.

Why am I doing this? That is to be answered another day .....!