Good news!

[alyfaye]

After several set backs and re-tests, I'm finally heading to Baltimore for my last set of tests. I am so excited and just keep praying that all looks good and I am able to donate. I will be flying up on Tuesday from Dallas to get the rest of my testing done later in the week. I'm a little clueless as to what I can expect. I don't have a date set yet so I haven't gotten any details from my coordinator. If anyone wants to share what your final day of testing was like, let me know. Hearing others' experiences really helps calm the nerves. I know that I will be meeting my surgeon, talking to a counselor and having xrays and a CT done but I'm not 100% sure what else I have left. How long was this day of testing for you guys?

[Fr Pat]

     I lived relatively near the hospital, so my testing/interviews was spread out over three vists weeks apart. So, I'm not much help regarding advice on all-at-once testing. Just 2 tips I have from other donors:
--- bring along a note-book and don't be shy about writing things down as you go along (including the names of those you meet). You will be bombarded with lots of info and may have trouble keeping all the tests straight. Also jot down in advance any questions/concerns you want addressed, so as not to forget.
--- make sure you are clear about what type of food/drink restrictions are required for each test.
                   best wishes,
                         Fr. Pat

[CK]

I live close to the hospital I donated in, but they crammed all the tests into 2 days. The only ones I dreaded were the Glofil GFR test (had to drink nasty stuff and be injected with stuff) and the CT scan (didn't like the idea of the contrast dye). I'm not big on taking meds and tend to get nervous when some foreign thing is injected in me. 

The others were smooth. I didn't have to wait much as they scheduled it nicely and even crammed an extra pulmonary function test in there at the last minute (I have asthma).

The doctors and others were all fantastic.  I personally got a little tired of hearing what an "amazing hero" I am, because I don't feel that way, I feel like I did what was right and what most people would do in my shoes.

[lawphi]

You pretty. You will spend the morning in a room while the nephrologist, surgeon, coordinator, psychologist and social worker come in and speak with you.  You will also have additional blood work.you may be asked to participate in a few research studies.

[jstx]

Somehow I missed this post!  So glad you are moving on to the next step with your tests this week.  Praying all goes well!  It is a long day so try to relax tomorrow night (I'm assuming your testing day is Wed--I think that is when Hopkins does their all day evals).  You'll meet with all the docs like Lawphi said and will probably have an EKG, a little blood work, and the CT with contrast dye.  Try to drink water in the morning to help hydrate you before your blood work and CT scan.  They will make you drink another cup or two of water right before you do the CT scan.  I took a notebook with me so I could ask questions and write info down.  I also took a little tape recorder to record what the docs all said so I could play it back when I got home and could absorb more (sorry----probably a little late to tell you this now since you leave tomorrow).

Good luck!

[sherri]

alyfaye,

Good luck testing. I live in Baltimore and also donated at Hopkins in 2007. Let me know if I can help you while you are here. I am actually going to try and visit Julian tomorrow or Wednesday. You can email me if you'd like while you are in Baltimore.

The day is going to be very long with lots of people coming in and out and talking to you. Definitely write things down and even better if you have another set of ears with you to help synthesize all the information. Keep us posted.

Sherri

[MissFrizz]

My day of testing was very interesting, but a bit exhausting.  It started at 7:15 am.  They gave me a wrist band and a schedule.  Everyone at the hospital knew I was a potential donor when they saw my wristband, so they were very welcoming and helpful throughout the day.  They put a butterfly IV in my arm that would stay in all day.  My first test was glofil in nuclear medicine (not everyone has this and I believe this is the only reason for the daylong IV), this involved many blood draws at specific intervals.  Then I proceeded to another department for my chest Xray, then another department for an EKG, then to the lab for urine and LOTS of blood draws, then I met the coordinator, social worker, and surgeon who gave me a brief exam of my abdomen, thyroid, and ankles(?) - wished I knew I'd be taking my socks off, I'd have gotten a pedi-, then returned to nuclear medicine to finish the glofil blood draws, although I had breakfast before I arrived at the hospital, I had to fast for 4 hours prior to my CT scan, which was the final test of the day.  I arrived for my CT ahead of schedule and got out of the hospital about a half hour earlier than expected at 1:00 - at which time I was quite hungry and tired.  It was a very informative day, bring along any questions you have.  It helps to have someone with you, but basically, that person will just be sitting in different waiting rooms all day.  My husband came along and read books all day, but was able to meet the coordinator and surgeon and ask his own questions.

None of the tests were scary and everyone was nice.  The only part that I found uncomfortable was the CT scan, mainly because I had never been injected with a dye before, so I didn't know what that would feel like. It didn't help that I was a little shakey from the blood draws and not eating.  Also, that room was cold and you must lay with your arms over your head. I swear the AC vent was pointed directly at my sweaty, nervous armpits!  lol.  But it was not a big deal, just a warm feeling when the dye was injected.  I thought for a moment that I peed on the table. 

Best of luck to you. 

[CK]

Yeah, thankfully they warned me that it was going to feel like I peed! 

[MissFrizz]

No warning... thought I lost my cookies right there on the table!   

[alyfaye]

Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences with me! It is so, so helpful to me. MissFrizz, that is funny and terrifying at the same time! I am not afraid of needles at all but the thought of the dye being injected creeps me out. I'm sure it's not as bad as I am anticipating though.

Sherri, it is really kind of you to offer so much support to other local donors. I am still not sure when my testing day will be. I had to redo a blood test that my lab in Dallas lost somehow. Given that it comes back ok, I should find out when I can move forward this this week. I do hope to meet you so I will keep you informed once I set a surgery date.

[smudge]

They didn't warn me either but they also made me do a pregnancy test minutes before the scan due to where I was in my cycle (despite the fact I'm infertile - my insistance that I couldn't be and several gynae reports in my file to confirm the fact made no difference) so I knew there was nothing there to go with.  Weird sensation!

[SWB]

I am lucky - I was warned ahead of time about the effect; however, it was described as a warm sensation that suddenly flushed through your body.  It wasn't bad, didn't hurt or anything; however, it was definitely a weird experience. 

The only thing I can compare it to was the time I took a huge gulp of home-made moon shine.  That too flooded through my system like a warm fire.  However, the CT Scan experience did not leave me coughing, gagging, or hung over 

I had a really good technician who was explaining everything along the way.  I guess that is one more thing I took for granted at UAB.  Awesome, awesome group of folks and top-notch facility.

[alyfaye]

Hey everyone!

I finally got to have my full day of testing at Hopkins today. It was really long and exhausting but I'm feeling pretty good about it. As long as my CT scan looks good then I should be approved. I am young (21) and hearing from the psychologist that he doesn't think I'm crazy was very comforting. I should hear from my coordinator in the next week!

And, thanks to all who warned me about the dye injection with the CT scan. I went into it knowing what it would be like and it was no big deal at all! However, if I hadn't known what to expect from your experiences I might have freaked out when it felt like my butt was heating up on a stove top!

[mobico]

I found the CT scan only mildly uncomfortable, but I was warned duly beforehand. I actually had a big issue in that I have asthma, and they were worried that I react adversely to the iodine.

I am actually from Baltimore originally, before I moved to Israel. Sherri, where in Baltimore do you live? (If you don't mind saying, of course!)