Newbie... few questions

[J.P.]

Hello everyone...  never really joined any forums before, but in looking around I found some interesting information on this site.  I am in the process of testing to be a donor for my mother.  Passed the blood test and cross match test, and will start the physical examination process at the Mayo clinic next week. 

To say we are in a hurry would be an understatement... My Mom had some other health hurdles to overcome before she could even be put on the list to recieve a kidney.  She has overcome those hurdles, but has been on dialysis for a few months now.  I am wondering what the wait time average is to have the surgery, if testing all comes out well.

[lawphi]

It really depends on the center.  Some centers can take weeks to get a donor approved, while others take months. After the donor is approved, it can also be weeks for a surgery date or months.

I had a friend have postpone a transplant at a center in my state. It was a six month wait to get another operating room booked. on the other hand, I hand picked my surgery date two months out.

[J.P.]

Thanks for the reply... I hope not months.  I would like to be recovered by the holidays.  Planning an anniversary trip with my wife.

[Fr Pat]

Dear JP,
     Hi. Just a suggestion: be cautious about planning trips (or anything important) for after the donation surgery:
--- once a surgery date has been scheduled, it CAN be moved. Donor or recipient can catch the flu; sudden arrival or organs from a deceased donor that must be transplanted immediately can take priority in the operating rooms; etc. Some donors, after all the testing, have had the surgery postponed once or more for various reasons.
--- some donors recover much faster than others, and some have complications. Hope for a fast and uneventful recovery, but leave yourself a lot of slack as far as scheduling activities after the surgery.
    best wishes,
       Fr. Pat

[Scott337]

J.P.

I went through the medical testing from March through September before I was finally approved to donate (end of September).  Our surgeries were set for the following October 22 (reasonably soon) but I think it both was dependent on the recipient's schedule and health as-well-as the availability of the surgical teams and OR space.   I hope all goes smoothly for you and your mother is fortunate to have such a loving son to want to provide such a special gift of life.  Good luck and keep us up on your progress. 

If you don't mind my asking, are you from Minnesota that you're going through the Mayo?  I am from Duluth.  Just curious.

Regards!

Scott   

[J.P.]

I have family in Minnesota... Elk River, but no I am from Arizona, and if all goes well we should be having this done at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale.  I have fished in Minnesota... considerably better than in the AZ. 

[J.P.]

Hello Fr. Pat & Scott,

Thanks for the advice... I am trying to prepare myself for the adventure ahead.  Start testing in the hospital for 4 days straight next Tuesday.  Have been told that if everything comes out good, we could be in surgery by the end of this month.  That is just with my mother's regular physician, not the surgeon.  I can imagine how things can change in a hurry.

Here is a little back story...
My mother has had diabetes for many years and was able to control it with insulin injections.  Just this past January she was hospitalized and we struggled to find out what was going on with her.  She was lethargic, and lost 40 lbs in a couple of months.  After weeks of in and out of the hospital she was diagnosed with "sarcoidosis", a type of blood disease.  This disease, when not treated, deposits calcium in the kidney's, liver, heart and brain.  This calcium, along with other issues help speed up the loss of function of her kidneys, and she has been on dialysis since.

We have worked to get the sarcoidosis under control for the past few months, and seem to have a real good handle on it now.  The Docs worked to get her on the list for a transplant, and now that she is on it.  I guess I am in a hurry to help her get well, and for our lives to return to some sort of normal routine. 

[treehugger]

Definitely patience and flexibility will be the two things that you need the most to get through this with the least amount of stress and anxiety. And I mean that sincerely, not flippantly at all. I've been there, watching my husband deal with dialysis while I went through all the waiting and testing. Try to enjoy (or at least find interesting) the whole process.

Oh, by the way, my timing was as follows:

January: mail in the paired exchange interest packet
May: begin testing
October: testing complete and approval awarded
2 weeks later: match found! surgery scheduled for December to meet the needs of my husband and his donor
December: surgery successfully completed

Best wishes,
Kara

P.S. Fair warning: recovery was much easier for me than for my husband. I think we had both neglected to be prepared for the effects of all his new medication.

[Scott337]

J.P.

thanks for the back story - our prayers for you and your mother and hopefully continued control of the issues she faces.  I have a brother in Elk River also - funny!  Best of luck and keep us up on your progress. 

Regards!

Scott   

[WilliamLFreeman]

J.P.,

I believe that Mayo Clinic is one of the few Centers that do all testing in a less-than-5-day period.  Mayo used to require a 3 month wait, however, to give potential donors time to change their mind.  It is possible that your Mom's regular physician is correct about the timeline.   

All the best for you,  , and even more so for your Mom!     [sunglasses for AZ]  Please keep us informed.

Bill

[Aries7]

Hi J.P,

I had all of my testing done in one day. This was in early June of 2009. I had to wait until they discussed things at the next committee meeting, which they had once per month. They had just had their monthly comittee meeting prior to me going for my testing, so I had to wait until they had their next meeting in early July for the final confirmation that I was approved.

I had also had a hysterectomy on May 11, 2009, so the doctors wanted me to wait a few months before I had a second surgery to donate a kidney. I ended up having surgery to donate my kidney on October 8, 2009. If not for the hysterectomy, the surgery could have been sooner. In our case, my husband was able to avoid going on dialysis before his transplant.

Best of luck to and your Mom. Please keep us updated as to how your testing goes.

Best Wishes,

Linda

[J.P.]

Everyone,

Wow!... there is a lot of support here, thanks!  I am leaving for Scottsdale tomorrow, wont be back home till next Saturday.  Kinda nervous, don't like being poked with needles.  I am sure I am in for a lot of that this coming week.  I will let you know how it went when I get back home. 

J. P.

[PhilHoover]

and make sure it is done right....

There are plenty of opportunities to ask questions...and if there are not...then MAKE those opportunities.

Everyone here has given you excellent advice....

[J.P.]

Everyone,

Finished testing this week, the hospital was able to fit all the testing into 3 to 4 days.  Was poked a lot, but I believe most of the tests came back well... I am pretty hopefull.  I was advised that the next committee meeting will be this Tuesday, and hopefully I hear something then.

J.P.

[ohtobeahayes]

YAY! Tuesday is just a day away.  Keep us updated!!!!!!

Nicki