The Diary of a Transplant, One Kidney's Journey

Sticks and Stones, and No Money For A Taco

2007-04-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

I went to my Urology appointment on Friday and got what I thought was the worst news ever. Apparently I still have some stone fragments less than 2mm in some medical word I can't pronounce place that will never come out no matter how many more times they shock me. I thought that removed the possibility that I could donate. I took it pretty hard. My eyes teared up and I could barely speak. I was so upset, and I could tell that Dr. T was really feeling for me. He said that I did all that I could and that I was a good kid. I then told him that I was upset because there wasn't anyone else to help her. Dr. T even offered to write a letter stating that he thought it was perfectly safe for me to donate either one of my kidneys. I thanked him but that did little to lift my spirits. I went to the transplant clinic next (it's in the same building) to get Oscars number. I called him from there and left some whiny ass messages for him. I then got in my van and called my husband Kelly and cryed, and I'll tell you what this man is incredible. He said that we could probably find someone to do the surgery if we looked hard enough, and that God can make anything happen. I had previously read on the internet that there are some places that are doing transplants with stones. That helped a little. I then glanced over at my passengers seat where I had layed my wallet. I did not see i t there so I pulled over at a convenience store to look for it. While I was looking for it what appeared to me to be a homeless couple walked up to me an dasked if I could give them money to buy a taco. I said, no sorry I don't have any money (which was the truth). Then the man said, "Damn you to hell!" This made me cry again because I was already upset that I couldn't help D and also had lost my wallet. The funny part about it was that even though my husband and other people lecture me for it I don't think that I have evr said no when someone has asked me for money for food and I kind of felt bad that about that to. I the went back to the the radiology office, Dr's office, transplant office, all the places I'd been looking for my wallet. Wasted an hour of my life on that. Then gave up went to back to van and drove home while imagining some gang member draining my bank account and charging big screen TV's on my credit cards. Wasn't paying that great of attention to the road and hit the breaks a little late at a red light, gave myself whiplash and saw my wallet fly out from underneath my seat. I swear I looked under there twice.
Oscar called me back later and said to fax the Dr's letter and the reports from the lithotripsies and X-rays to him. He said that he would show them to the surgeon. A glimmer of hope!!! So I left a message for Christie Dr. T's nurse to call me so I can ask her very nicely to make this happen. Now I'm waiting.

I'M ALIVE

2007-04-17T05:34:00.000-07:00

I am ashamed of the fact that I have not kept up this blog properly, what can I say other than life has gotten in the way. Eventually I did hear back from Oscar, not the news I wanted but not totally bleak. After going to San Antonio to be poked and prodded, a CT scan revealed that I had a kidney stone. He assured me t hat this did not exclude me as a donor and recommended that I come back to be re-evaluated after I had the stone removed (lithotripsy is the reccomendation. More on that later. So two lithotripsies later here I am. My second one was 6 weeks ago, I should have been back to get the all clear from the Urologist already but my life has been CRAZY. I have had a foster daughter for t he last three months and she has very high needs and I've put everything else on the back burner. Which is sad because I am putting D's life on hold to. I know that she will understand this as she is a beautiful human being but I still feel guilty about it. I have just found out that the little girl will be going to some relatives soon so I am making my appointment today. The best news I could get would be no more stone. Then I can go back to San Antonio and get a surgery date scheduled (hopefully).

Lithotripsy I

Done under local anesthetic, terribly painful and ineffective. Comparable to being tazed in the back. Not that I have ever been tazed in the back but I imagine that this is what it would feel like. I was very sore afterwards and it was really a few days before I was feeling like myself again.

Lithotripsy II

Done under general anesthetic, highly effective (I hope- We shall see) Painless! No side effects or soreness whatsoever. I highly recommend that if you are given the choice you choose the latter.

Stay tuned for funny stuff and my PPO sucks in the next blog. Coming soon....

A Perfect Match

2006-08-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

Oscar called to tell me that all of the labwork came back within normal limits. Awesome, just awesome! A six antigen match, now that is the handiwork of God. I need to look up the odds on that one. I feel incredibly blessed.

Recycled Juice

2006-08-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

DO NOT DRINK THIS JUICE!

This is not OJ and psychic visions

2006-08-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

I had a vision of Dara walking her dog, she looked great. Her face was full of color and her hair was darker. She was smiling and she looked so healthy and happy. It was a nice vision, it made me feel good. I picked up a couple of urine collection bottles. They were orange, and lil Kel asked if they were for orange juice. They do sort of look like they would contain OJ. I said, no and laughed. I told Kel what they were for and he found it quite interesting. I have been reading alot about organ donation, transplants, and living donors lately. I did not realize that 17 people die everyday waiting for a transplant. While I don't believe in the selling of tissues and organs, I really disagree with how UNOS regulates living donors. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong but it is my understanding that if you meet someone over the internett than you cannot donate a kidney to them. This seems kind of lame to me. I think that if anything these types of donations would take names of of waiting lists and less people would die waiting for a cadavar organ. Organs from living donors are better right. You can get a closer match, they last longer, less chance of the recipients body rejecting it. I think that if it were not for the power going out at Dara's house, which is our house. The one she rents from us. I might never even have known how ill she was. That is when I first found out that she was on dialasys, but if not for this incident I may never have known. They are good tenants, they pay there rent on time. Some of the tenants that I have had I only see when I show them the house and when they sign the lease. Why can't you advertise your plight. Why can't you reach out t o fellow human beings and say, please help me. This is who I am and I need help. If there are no close relatives to donate to you and no friends offer are you just suppose to wait and hope for someone to die to help you. The only things that I volunteer to do at church are those tasks which I enjoy, therefore they really are not tasks, but if I am asked to do something I usually say yes and always end up finding joy or learning something from the experience. Dara did not have to ask, and I know she would never have but people should be allowed to. People will do amazing things if they are asked. While we are middle class family with children, I am in the wonderful position of not having to earn an income that we depend on. So I can very easily afford any time lost at work. I can recruit household help. I can even afford to pay someone if we have to but I would prefer not to. I will ask my mother to come and stay with me, I will ask my church members as well. So really this is not as much of a sacrifice for me as it would be for some. Mostly it will be my families sacrifice as they will Mommy will not be 100% for a bit.

Conversation with Dara

2006-07-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

Dara called me to get permission to remove a dead tree in the front yard and I know I probably should not have but I told her the awesome news and she was so happy that she cried. She was so grateful and I don't know why but I did not expect that reaction. I guess because everything is not for sure yet, it was just the offer that she was elated about. She told me that she was really in shock when I initially made the offer. She said that just the possibility gives her hope. Her husband Bill was just about to leave for work and she couldn't wait to tell him. Please, please, please Lord make this your will. In my mind I am picturing Dara happy and healthier. I looked at my schedule and I can start the 24 hour test and do the glucose thing, Wednesday and Thursday then it is more waiting. Dara will be waiting along with me. Waiting with hope. I'm calling Oscar tomorrow to set up the labs.

2006-07-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

Oscar called and......

2006-07-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

Apparently my alien anatomy is of no consequence! Yippee skippy yeah! I'm doing the happy dance. Which fortunately is in private so no living being actually has to witness my dancing. I'm worse than Elaine on Seinfeld. Only I know I'm bad and I still dance when I feel like it. I just don't find myself in the dancing mood very often. So next week, I need to have a few more tests done. Since my Dad is diabetic they want to rule out that possibility. Then there will be the waiting again and then if all goes well a trip to San Antonio for even more tests. I'm glad that Oscar called, apparently he was out of the clinic and that is why it took so long for him to get back to me. I was beginning to think that my psychic abilities were losing there effectiveness. Then after I called I started thinking rationally, it was probably that the tin from the garbage pail that he lives in was thwarting my attempts to communicate with him. I have a theory about that grumpy green guy. I think he needs to move. I mean he would probably be a whole lot happier if he didn't live in a garbage pail. Speaking of which I'm feeling kinda grumpy myself, I think I need to clean my house. I did call little Debbie, but just got her voicemail. She could have been out committing evil acts or creating baked goods.

That's it Oscar. I'm calling Little Debbie.

2006-07-25T03:38:00.000-07:00

WARNING DIABETICS THIS GIRL IS THE DEVIL

While I realize it has only been a few work days-Thursday,Friday,Monday. Since I sent Oscar my CT Scan report but I really just wanted to put a picture of Little Debbie on the blog. I was initially given Oscar N's name and number along with Debbie K's. I was told I could call either. So that's it Oscar if you take too long, I'm calling Little Debbie. She sounded little on her voicemail, but I didn't leave a message. She could have been one of those great big people with a tiny voice. I've been told that I sound like a Jewish woman from New York over the phone, and I am neither Jewish or from New York. I am at times a fast talker.

2006-07-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

I SOLD MY KIDNEY STONE ON EBAY

2006-07-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

Nah, just kidding but Shatner did it for Charity.

November 18, 2005
William Shatner Kidney Stone on eBay
03:03 AM, Filed under: Home \ Celebrities \ William Shatner
Oh yes, that's right. William Shatner has requested that his doctors return a kidney stone he passed last month so that he can sell it on eBay. Claiming it would be the "ultimate piece of Star Trek memorabilia," Shatner says he would donate the money raised by the auction to charity.

HERE KIDNEY KIDNEY....

2006-07-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

Outdoor kidneys are great for hunting rodents.

OSCAR IS NOT CALLING ME!

2006-07-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

OSCAR IS NOT CALLING ME!

OSCAR CALL LYDIA!

2006-07-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

I am trying to use my psychic powers to get Oscar N to call me. I want him to let me know one way or the other. Oh the anticipation... I keep telling myself that if it's God's will then it will be. I know that even if the Dr's look at my CT scan and say ok then there are still some more steps to go through. I just can't wait for Dara to know that this is an option for her. I know that there are alot of people that are on Dialysis. It is a part of their every day life. I hope that I may help make her life a bit easier, and if I can't help her then I hope that someone else can soon. Oscar call Lydia, just call and say the Dr.s are reviewing the report. The whole process so far has been rather impersonal, and I found this to be odd as this seems to be a highly personal thing. How much more personal can you get. People seem to have a weird reaction to the living donor issue. Not that I've talked to many people about it. Half of the people while they think it is a very nice thing to do would not consider it and the other half wonder why the heck I'd do such a thing. There is a little risk involved as with any surgery but really the way I feel is that life in general is uncertain. It's not like I'm giving away a child, it's just a kidney for Gods sake. Most people have two of them. You only need one to live. I will be inconvenienced for a little while, but it is a chance to greatly improve someone elses quality of life. How many chances like that do you really have? Thats the way I see it any way. Really the hardest part of making his decision was working up the nerve to communicate my decision to my husband.
I was a little bit afraid that he would not support me. I couldn't do something like this without his support. He is genuinely a very loving person.

WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE KIDNEY

2006-07-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is funny stuff. I was having lunch with my father in law who incidentally is a bit hard of hearing. I was trying to tell him about my decision to donate a kidney to Dara. First he got this shocked look on his face and said, Your giving away one of the kids. Then I said No Dad, a kidney. I may be donating a kidney. Then he said well how many do you have? Then I said four, I think. Then he said oh ok, but remember you have to keep at least two in the backyard to catch the mice.(I think he heard Kitties that time.) When he finally got what I was saying he seemed less than pleased. Then he said well I guess if you got four of them.

KIDNEY BEANS

2006-07-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

I found some some great tenants for the my monster rent house. I call it that because it is huge and it took me nearly a month to ready and rent and thatreally is a long time for me. I know some may think nothing of their houses sitting empty for a few months at a time. Not me though, time is money. It is always nice to have more than a few good applicants to choose from. That is when I get to just pick who I like the best. I promised myself I would reward myself when I got it rented. I'll have to think of what that will be. Yesterday I faxed my CT scan to Oscar the transplant coordinator. I think that is his title. I decided to wait a day and then bug him. I'm praying that my freako set up will not prevent me from being a donor. That would irritate me I think. I don't know why, as it is something that I cannot help. Kidney beans, my mom used to put kidney beans in her chili which was one of the few things that she ever cooked. Can't remember if it was particularly good or not I just remember it some times being really hot. Brandy makes great chili. I like to make a salad that contains kidney beans, (I think it is a salad anyway) that consists entirely of chick peas, kidney beans, canned beets, and ranch dressing. Apparently I am the only one that actually likes to eat it, my husband and kids think it is gross and even give me weird looks while I am eating it.
When I told Kelly that I rented the monster house he started wondering aloud what else I could do for him. I have lots to do in the upcoming weeks. I've got to get three kids ready for the new school year, also need to get ready for Sunday school to start again. I want to be more prepared for my classes then I was last year. I'm suppose to be getting some official training of some sort. I've been playing hooky from church nearly all summer. I've been making it there about once a month on average. The summer has been way too busy for my liking.

KIDNEY STONED

2006-07-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

My left side was hurting like hell. A sharp spasmic unbearable pain. The kind of pain that brings you to your knees and makes you cry for Mama. I thought that possibly my appendix was burst. I had no fever so really how bad could it be. Maybe it was something I ate, menstrual cramps from hell perhaps. Kelly was out and about doing what I do not know. I think he was at best buy buying me a new computer monitor. He came home and was fiddling in the office. I made my way in there, because evidently I was not moaning loud enough to gain the appropriate amount attention. I started rolling on the ground and crying. I figured it was another ovarian cyst, I had one 5 years ago and it was a bitch. A little bitch, but a few hours of misery and some soreness after. Seemed likely, I remembered that the Dr, didn't do much for me but give me some pain killers and take me off the pill. So I thought I'd drug myself and ride it out. Motrin did nothing, moved onto the tylenol with codeine, still hurt like hell so I took a darvocet and was generally dopey and misertable for the entire evening, I woke up the next morning and felt like I'd been in a bar room fight the night before. Not that I would know what that feels like, but I imagine if I was involved in such a conflict I would get whooped. Assuming I was in a bar I would probably have had a drink and I'm pretty dopey after just one so my reflexes would be off. More on that later anyway. I felt pretty rugged and sore and also a bit hung over. Almost called in sick at my place of employment but did not. Not because I have an excellant work ethic or anything like that but simply because I knew that I would end up doing more at home than at work and I really needed some rest. I did briefly entertained the notion that I would schedule a Dr.s appt but never actually got around to calling for the appointment. My reasoning was that I had no fever and there for I was not really ill. Can't remember much of that day except for that Brandy made me a really good breakfast. Which I ate even though I felt nauseous. I had Kelly bring me a coke which usually cures that for me. I seemed to feel better as the day progressed. By the time I got home I was burning up. 103 maybe, my temp got pretty high. 104, 105, wasn't very coherant. Couldn't get the Dr to give me his ok to walk in and couldn't get an appointment. Apparently I failed to realize that a 104 fever is an emergency. I was pretty exhausted and in pain again, I hurt so much it was really getting hard to determine where the pain was even coming from. I put Kelly in charge of my health and he got me in to see the my doctor who admitted me to the hospital for appendicitis. It was hours before they even gave me tylenol. They hadn't started my IV and would not allow me to drink. I was beginning to second guess my decision to seek healthcare. Of course it took a while to even get to the room because they wanted to make sure they got PAID. Can't remember much about the hospital experience, not sure if I blocked some of it out. They put a cooling ice blanket thingy on me and I froze my butt off. I got morphine but it minimally took the edge off the pain just enough for me not to cause harm to anyone in my presence. I now understand why animals bite people when they are hurt. My blood work came back and that is when they told me that I probably just had a nasty virus, cause they found no sign of infection. The surgeon was generally annoyed with me that he wasn't going to get to rip my appendix out and I felt a little relieved that I would get to leave with all the parts I came in with. They were pretty perplexed by the amount of pain I was in and decided to do a CT scan of my pelvis and kidneys. The tech stopped midway through the procedure to ask me to describe to him the surgeries I had on my bladder. I said, I think you have the wrong chart. The CT's took a really long time. The urologist came in and told me I had a kidney stone and that if it did not pass on it's own that I would have to have surgery. He also informed me that I could possibly be an alien. Just kidding, he mentioned the intersting fact that I had an extra kidney. Apparently I have duplicated collecting systems whatever that means. It's not all that uncommen or that is how he made it sound. No big deal really except that my stone was trapped in the funky junction of two of my freako ureters. I think he said I have 4 or 5 of those things. Shortly after I saw the Urologist I started peeing blood. I had an excelleant night nurse named Vera, she was an angel. She brought me pain reliever regularly and seemed genuinely concerned for my well being. She reminded me of my mother, who could have been an excellant nurse. I called Cristal to let her know we were going to miss Davins party she came to visit me and brought me contraband food and a book. Also a very pretty plant. I intended to give it away as I am an infamous plant killer. Kelly brought the little ones, I kept wishing Charles would drop by with the kids but he did not. I really missed them, especially my Lindy girl.Anyway the pain was gradually subsiding, I saw my regular doc and he told me that my stone aside I had perfect functioning kidneys, just an unconventional set up. He even hinted that I could possibly have more than just the three. Maybe he was teasing, I didn't ask. So I said, they are totally normal, so I could give one away if I wanted. He said that I sure could. I had the surgery and even gave them permission to record my innards to share with students. The surgical nurse was a man and I was somewhat dissapointed. He was as nurturing as a man could be but his hands were rough. My anesthisiologist made some crack about him doing illicit drugs and I don't know why but for a brief moment I was scared. Surgery took longer than expected not because of any complication, apparently the stone had made a stealth escape before the surgery. Probably they were just examining my freaky set up and recording it for posterity. Or at least that was what I was imagining them doing. They could have just been playing with my breasts. Kelly was a bit annoyed that because apparently I forgot to inform him that I was having surgery. I thought I had told him but I could have been a morphine dream.When I called my mom and told her about my alien anatomy she was pretty shocked she said no you don't. I'm your mother I would know. I told her that she really would not since I had no clue myself. I assured her that I was normal and that this was just the way I was born and probably not the result of some mutant growth due to toxic waste or drinking the occasional Cocacola out of an aluminum can. She made some crack about selling it on ebay.I thought of one of our tenants Dara for a few moments, remembering that she was on dialysis. Didn't think about donating a kidney to her as I thought that only close relatives could donate organs to people. Basically milked my kidney stone recovery for all it was worth. Made other people do whatever I didn't want to for a little while. Til they got wise. My plant died, I couldn't give it away because I kept thinking this time I wouldn't kill it.Started working a tiny bit more, the college girl that was sharing the relief manager position with me flaked so now it was just me. A few months passed I thought of Debrah off and on. I decided that I could do a better job at managing our properties than anyone and decided to take on that task. First task was to deal with one of my previous property managers loose ends. Apparently Dara and her husbands A/C had been broke for a few days and I was pretty horrified. Especially considering her lack of good health. I didn't like thinking of her having to be any more uncomfortable. John the super A/C man went out there ASAP and it was a misunderstanding of sorts everything was in working order.I looked at her and she looked so tired and so much older than she did just a few years ago. It hurt my heart. I had extended my friendship to her probably a year ago and invited her to blog with a group of wise and wacky women. Since she did not take me up on the offer I assumed she was not interested in more than a Landlord tenant relationship. I don't know if I heard her dog barked or if she mentioned him but I asked if I could meet him. He was an interesting character he seemed to be a mix of lab and dalmation and pit bull maybe. He looked one of a kind. She told me that her husband had found him when he was a pup. That dog was so ugly he was cute. He seemed very loving. I don't know why but I asked Dara about her health which she did not seem reluctant to talk about. I sympathized with her, I asked her if she was on a waiting list for a kidney. She said yes, I inquired about possible relative donors. No compatible donors had come forward thus far. She had a sister who was a match but it was not a convenient thing for her sister to do at this time in her life for whatever her reasons.It saddened me to hear that. I thought to myself that if my brother needed that of me that would do anything to help him, and then I thought of who Christ said was my brother or my sister or my mother. I just kind of blurted out. You know I have an extra kidney. No really I have three, you want it it's yours. Not very likely that I'm a match though. She saidthat she's heard of unrelated people who were compatible. Then I looked at her and said really I am totally serious who is your doctor. I called her doctor the next day I think could have been two days later. His office directed me to the Methodist Texas Transplant center. They asked me some questions over the phone, just basic health stuff and scheduled an appointment for me the next week.I went in and got some blood drawn, I was hopeful that I would be a match for her but I didn't allow myself to get too excited. Prior to my appointment I informed Kelly of my decision and he was surprisingly supportive, as long as my doc gave me the ok. He was probably thinking that there was no way in heck that I would be a match. I suppose he was being supportive of my nice gesture. It would be 10 days before I could call for the results. I tried not to think to much about it but in my heart I was asking God to let me be a match. Because I know God can make anything possible and if it was God's will then I would be. Ten days went by and I called for the results, no one was returning my messages. So finally I called the local place where I got the blood drawnand asked if the people I was suppose to call for the results were on vacation or something. The center said no that they were just very very busy.I was busy showing a house when I got the call. I have your results he said, you are a match and I cried right there with my perspective tenants looking at me. I said that is wonderful, this is great. What's next he said that I will need to do a few tests here in town to make sure that I am not a diabetic and a 24 hour urine collection. (Sounds like fun) Then if that comes out ok then I will go to San Antonio for the final evaluation. I told him that I had read that some times an abnormal anatomy (like having extra kidneys) might exclude someone and that I did not want to waste their resources if that was the case so I offered to fax my CT scan results to them. He is going to have the doctors look at the report before we proceed. You would think that extra kidneys might be a good thing in this case but you never know so I thought I would mention it. So hopefully they will get back to me sooner rather than later. It's been a great day.