FINGERS CROSSED……
A lot has happened since my last update on how things are progressing with “A”. She has been motoring through a myriad of tests to ensure she is a suitable donor candidate. I had a bit of a “here we go again” moment when “A” was asked to “redo” her 24 hour urine sample (yes, the jerry can test lol) as well as some other bloodwork. Thought she was going to be declined as something was off with her bloodwork. But, and with a sigh of relief, I learned on January 21st that the nephrologist reviewed everything and that she was given the okay to proceed to the next test.
At St. Mikes, on January 29th, “A” completed bloodwork to confirm she is a match in terms of antigens (this means my body will not reject her kidney). This was very good news. On the same day she also had an EEG and a chest x ray.
In addition to thanking “A” for everything she is doing, I also have to give a huge shout out to the agency Renewal that we are working with. Renewal (a Jewish organization) goal is to assist kidney patients and donors with any support they may need. In “A’’s case, she recently had foot surgery and was not able to drive to an appointment at St. Mikes so someone from Renewal picked her up (“A” resides outside of the GTA). They then waited for her outside during the appointment (due to COVID they cannot go on the different floors), drove her home and to top it off, brought bagels and lox for the drive and pre-prepared an evening meal for her!!! So impressed and grateful for this wonderful organization.
The next test “A” completed was an abdominal ultrasound. This is the test, when I had it, they found polyps on my gall bladder. Like I needed something else….. Long story short, they fast tracked me for surgery in August as, at the time, we thought Nancy was going to get the “green light” and they wanted the gall bladder out prior to the kidney transplant (so it could be removed laparoscopically). For “A”, she was given a clean bill of health and was next scheduled for a TB test and mammogram. Typical of “A”, as she has been throughout the process so far, she made arrangements to have these tests completed in the shortest amount of time possible.
The next scheduled test is a CT Scan on March 17th to look at kidney size and blood vessels (so Dr. knows which kidney to take). I think that testing is pretty much coming to the end, other than maybe a renal scan (looks at blood flow in the kidneys and how well each kidney is working), but would have thought if they were doing this it would be before the CT Scan?
Normally one has to also do a stress test but because of “A”’s foot surgery she is not able to complete this, at least how it is normally completed, on a treadmill. Other than the above tests, I’m not aware of any others.
So this brings me to “how do I feel” about all of this. Obviously very happy that “A” has progressed this far in the testing and that there is a good possibility she will be my donor (so you know, I have never met or spoken to “A” yet. All my information is through my cousin). If she does get the “green light” I think that is the time I would be meeting this amazing person who is giving me the gift of life.
Until then, I continue to be cautiously optimistic and truth be told, I am getting more nervous as testing progresses and I think this may be a reality. See, you have to understand, unlike someone who is very ill and/or on dialysis anxiously awaiting a transplant, I have been living with kidney disease for over 10 years and for the most part feel well. A part of me wonders how long I could just “coast” in my current situation and I know this is partially due to my fear of the transplant not “taking” for whatever reason and that I’m worse off than I am now. You know the expression “know your evil”. But then reality sets in every time I do my bloodwork and see my creatinine at 355 (prior to my illness it was at 40) and my GFL levels (another measure of kidney function) dropping lower and lower. In my head I know the smart thing is to have the transplant while I am healthy. I just have to remain positive that all will work out fine.
I, still with some caution, look forward to the day I can eat in a restaurant ordering whatever I want, eating an entire bag of cashews, plowing through a tub of ice cream, and going out for chicken wings and beer. And who knows, when my life is back on track, maybe I will give dating a go :) . I have kinda put that part of my life on hold the last 10 years. Know anyone? lol.
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