My Mum has had some severe health issues for quite awhile. It started with her retaining massive amounts of water and going from a size 12 to a size 20. No one knew why the jump in weight other than it was all fluid. She's on various cocktails of meds, been through every test under the sun and it finally came down to her kidneys. By the time they confirmed it, she was in rough shape.
My Dad called on Monday night to say her kidneys are functioning at a level of 19%. Then by Wednesday they were at 16%. She was bumped up on the list for the nephralogists office and goes in on Tuesday to discuss starting dialysis (3-5x a day, 7 days a week) and her transplant options
In the meantime she's put on the kidney transplant list. There's 80,000 people waiting for a kidney, and only 10,000 a year come in from cadavers.
Their top preference is next of kin because it holds the best chance of her body not rejecting the kidney. So it will be me that will give her a kidney. Right now, she's not well enough to live through the surgery so she has to do dialysis for awhile until she gets some strength.
I'm a bit beside myself right now. My emotions go all over the place. I've had a good cry, or three. Of course the decision is a no brainer for me. She's my Mum and she's my best friend. She's my rock and the thought of being without her is something I can't even begin to process. Of course I would give it to her. I just worry that she won't be healthy enough for the surgery (they're surprised she's still living as it is) or that her body will reject it even though she stands the best chance of a positive response if she gets a kidney from me because I have 50% of her DNA.
I have a sister who is 10 years younger than me but she had kidney issues as a child and is ineligable. Also, I have 2 children and if something happens to me, I have a better chance of having a kidney match whereas my sister has never had any plans to have children and it would be harder for her to rely on a match.
It's just all so much to think about. In some ways, the easiest decision in the world to make, in other ways the scariest.
From the information her hospital has supplied right now, I have to have all of my testing there (I live in ON, and they live in GA). Then it's a 4 hour surgery. Today they told me 5-7 days in hospital, then 2 weeks recouping in GA before I have a hope of being cleared to come home. After that it's a minimum 6 week recovery at home. No driving or lifting for 2 weeks ec.
So now I just wait from a call from the transplant team and we'll get the ball rolling. Any good thoughts you can spare for my Mum and for me would be appreciated. I just want her to have her life back and I pray she doesn't die before I have to chance to try and help her.
I have to say that when life throws you something like this, it really puts everything else into perspective.
22 Oct 2009, 7:31 pm
