Growing anxiety and micromanaging

[lawphi]

I am donating as part of a chain paired exchange on MONDAY.  We were flying out this Saturday.  My husband received his kidney previously.

There have been several hiccups with the donation.  I never received a final crossmatch kit and had to figure out my own.  I actually caught this before the recipient's center. My local lab luckily had the tubes and we created our own kit to send off.  

Today, I find out that lab corp lost my final Hep C blood work and the surgery most likely will be on hold.  Lab corp would take five days to get the results, setting my surgery back months.

I was able to get a friend to pull some strings to have the test at a major hospital and possible have the results in two days. It is not guaranteed

I am having serious resentment issues at this point.  It is at no fault of JH, but I don't want to go through all these hoops, have the surgery canceled and still be obligated to donate should it fall through.  

My mood will improve shortly.  

[jstx]

I'm so sorry you are having hiccups in the process.  I certainly understand your anxiety-it is major surgery as it is and then to have these last minute blunders just adds to the stress and anxiety.  Praying all goes well and they get your tests in order so that you can keep your surgery date!

I know once the tests get put back into order, you'll do great!  And just think of the wonderful life your husband has due to his new kidney.  I can't imagine how great it must be to be on the receiving end, but it was awesome as the donor on the giving end!  You can do this!  I had to tell myself that on occasion-I knew I wanted to donate and had researched, prayed, and thought about it for a long time.  Then at the end I'd find myself questioning my decision and my sanity.  I still wanted to do it but there were a few anxious thoughts here and there.  It all worked out in the end though.  It will for you too.

Keep us posted!

[lawphi]

 Yale will accept my December Hep c results and my may antibody levels. Glad it has worked out.  It is a big pain to try to get my clients in Order for surgery.

I am one hour away from clear liquid diet. There is a great sorbet place down the street which will be my lunch and dinner. I stocked up on various waters to stay hydrated.  I also had a massage Friday and hit a great shoe sale.

Waiting is worst from the recipient side.  I tracked the plane my husband's kidney was on and we kept getting updates during the donor's surgery.

I am on bacterim due to a uti. I hate swallowing it, but have no other issues or yeast problems (sorry boys!)

[shelley]

Massage?  Great shoe sale?  Sorbet for lunch and dinner?  I thought this donation process was supposed to be painful! 

Glad your glitch smoothed out.  May your uti be gone in a trifle.  We'll be thinking of you on Monday!

[jstx]

YEAH! So glad it is working out for you to donate tomorrow as scheduled! I'll be praying for you and thinking of you all day.  I know this sounds crazy, but I'm comforted because I've heard other people say they went through these feelings too.....I'm sad my donation is over and done with.  It was so much research and lots of time invested up to donation and now the let down is there because it is over.  Enjoy today as much as you can and try to relax.  Sounds like you have a good start with your massage and shoe sale! 

Who is your surgeon?  What time do you have to be at Hopkins tomorrow?

God bless!  It will be great-you are in very capable hands and they'll take wonderful care of you.  And enjoy if you get into Marburg.  It was really nice!!

[lawphi]

I have dagher tomorrow. We are going to have so much fun. Where do they stick the donors to recover?

I have to be there at 5:30 and order my first cocktail.

[sherri]

If your surgeon is nice then he will assign you to the Marburg wing which is where VIP patients at Hopkins go. Dr. Segev almost always puts his donor patients there as long as there are no complications. If you still want a visitor just say the word. You're going to do great, you've read enough and seen enough patients on Nelson to know what to expect. Once you're on the other side you will breath a sigh of relief. Then I hope you and your husband will get into a new normal.

Hope I get to meet you in person.

Thinking of you tomorrow.

Sherri

[jstx]

Thinking and praying for you!  About now you're probably in the OR getting prepped for surgery.  You'll do great-just like Sherri said.  Can't wait to hear from you after you get to feeling better.  You're doing a great thing!

Jocelyn