We have a Transplant Date

The date is: 1 April 2010 (It is April's Fools Day -- but this is for real!)

Medically cleared to move forward!

1 March 2010: Received the following message from my transplant coordinator:

"I received the electrocardiogram report and all is within normal limits.

You are medically cleared to move forward. Your sister's coordinator is working on a date with her and as soon as I have information I will be in touch."

We are Go for the Transplant

23 Feb: Kate called last night. Her team highly recommended that she go ahead with the donor transplant. Right now she is saying mid-April. However, I might like to do it a bit sooner since we have reservations to go to CA in late May and I would like all the recovery time I can get before flying cross country. I will write to my transplant team coordinator today and ask for their recommendation.

Things May be Speeding Up

18 February 2010: Got a note from Kate with the following information from her Transplant Coordinator:

"I understand that originally you wanted to hold out for the SPK* but I do need to inform you that as a blood type 0 your wait time is significantly longer. Currently, we have 10 patients listed prior to you and half of these patients have been waiting for over two years. As discussed at our first meeting your blood type makes a significant difference in your wait time. At this time we are advising our patients with blood type 0 who have donors to go ahead with living donation secondary to this long wait time. We have also advised our patients on the 0 SPK list to multi-list with centers outside of our region but unfortunately it is still a long wait. "

* SPK = (Simultaneous Pancreas / Kidney ) transplant

Kate is meeting with the head of her transplant team on Monday, 22 February.

The Tests Go On - 16 February 2010

17 February 2010: Echo Cardiogram

It is amazing how much you can see (wish I knew what it all meant). The technician said that I had a "Beautiful heart". I suppose that is thanks to Barbara who got me into biking, running and swimming (all the time I thought she was trying to kill me!) I will get the results from nephrologist (pronounced: kidney doctor) next week.

I am also doing another 24 hour urine test - which just ended. (Praise the Lord!)

Tomorrow we are off for a week of hiking in Georgia.

Blog Update Notifications

Is anyone getting automatic notifications when there are Blog updates or comments? If so, please let me know what settings are required. It sounds like a "no brainer" but I cannot find this issue addressed at all in the help topics.

Norman, our son, volunteers to be a donor

Norman has been playing phone tag with Presbyterian hospital for over a week. He is now on the list as a backup donor for Kate. We are proud of him.