Alexx/Russ medical update

[alexxkay]

For those of you who haven't been following russkay's blog: My dad's kidneys are failing. I have offered him one of mine, if the tests say I'm a match. The testing has now commenced...

Spent a bunch of time yesterday on the phone to both Codman Square Health Center (my local clinic) and UMass Memorial (who are coordinating the transplant effort). Big kudoes to Jackie at UMass, who was both clueful and helpful at every step of fighting through Codman Square's bureaucracy.

Went into the lab at Codman this morning. Only a minor, 30-minute hiccup with the paperwork, which is frankly less than I expected. Didn't even have to call Jackie back (though I probably should now, to let her now it went through). The lab technician didn't speak english very well, which is always worrisome. But he was actually very good at his job, and got his blood sample very fast, with minimal pain to me. Soon, I will know my blood type, and then move on to step N+1.

This is all very scary. I've never underone major surgery before. But it's clearly The Right Thing To Do, so I'm determined to go through with it. kestrell is being very supportive, in her usual topsy-turvy way: To her, "never having had major surgery" is an alien concept, so she jokes about it, and makes it all seem easier. I love her so much.

Comments

[jdulac.livejournal.com]

good luck... (not sure what else one says!) Hope everything goes smoothly for all concerned.

[antoniseb.livejournal.com]

My LJ friend sorchekyrkeby has offered a kidney to my friend noxcat. She might be able to point you to some kind of support group for this. Based on what I've seen with noxcat getting a new kidney into your father before he begins dialysis would be good. Dialysis saves lives, but it's not the same as a kidney.

[russkay.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, things started going downhill much faster than expected. I got quite sick and I had to begin hemodialysis last week, with one day's notice to put in a chest catheter. But it makes quite a difference. 1st day after dialysis was the best day I'd had in two or three months!

[antoniseb.livejournal.com]

That was noxcat's experience too. She lost her kidneys due to diabetes. Her kidney function went from about 30% in December to zero percent in May. During the last few days, she knew she was having big problems, but kept waiting for the serious nausea that is supposed to be the big symptom. She didn't really experience that, but came pretty close to dying before her mother finally dragged her into the hospital and they got hemo-dialysis working. After the first round of hemo, she felt great.

She's been on PD for about eight or nine months, and two months ago had a stroke, seemingly from a clot related to the PD. The business of clearing a patient to receive, and a relative to donate takes a while. Hang in there.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Best wishes to your entire family.

The trick to surgery is - if they ask if you want some medication for pain or anxiety, just say yes.

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

Oh, my goodness - best wishes to you and your father, that everyone makes it through this safe and healthy.

If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know....

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

I think the best thing that you, particularly, can do to help is to do whatever you can to make your own upcoming surgery go smoothly. The less surgical-horror-stories I hear in the next few months, the happier I'll be :-)

[kestrell.livejournal.com]

Forget the surgery horror stories, stay away from the tuna casserole. A person can survive very happily on Jello and juice for a week.

Also, I would happily bring my loudest talking clock and alarm, um, alert, the nurses when its medication time. See? I'm not just decorative, I'm useful, too.

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

See? I'm not just decorative, I'm useful, too.

But of course!

[ricevermicelli.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness. I had no idea.

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, I haven't talked about it much. I've noticed that I often don't post about the really big stuff in my life, and I'm working on changing that...

[idonotlikepeas]

Jesus. Good luck to the both of you.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

Do keep your friends posted on the progression of this plot, ok? That way we'll know when to come visit you in the hospital, for example.

I haven't had major surgery, but I've had minor surgery and twins, so maybe there's some part of the spectrum understood. It's definitely scary -- on the intentional releasing of control front if not the mechanics of the surgery front.

What's the timetable for finding out if you're compatible?

*hug*

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

Do keep your friends posted on the progression of this plot, ok?

Will do.

What's the timetable for finding out if you're compatible?

I don't actually know. Part of why I haven't mentioned this is because I've ben avoiding thinking about it. That's changing now, of course...

[elizabear.livejournal.com]

Sending good throughts.

[new-man.livejournal.com]

Lots of love and luck coming your (and Russ' way). If there's anything we can do, say the word.

[jducoeur]

Hugs and good thoughts. Tell us if there's anything we can do to help...