What a crazy year it has been!

It seems the words organ transplant has been a bit of a theme...


and a personal interest, whether I wanted it or not.

A little over a year ago, ineligibilty was the word for the moment....for me.

Then my beautiful, divine cousin, had her husband take ill, and they discovered his liver was failing...a long time of waiting and testing, hoping, and wishing prevailed...as to his eligibilty for a donor liver.

A little over a month ago, a beautiful friend lost her husband suddenly, the impact on her and her children, and this village was deep...they chose to donate his organs...to give the gift of life, to others...for Blue to be the legacy he had been in his lifetime, carried past his death.

This weekend just past has been tenterhook, breath holding fear, for Tony, my cousin's husband...his bilirubin count went over 800, and basically he was a very yellow dead man walking, or rather lying down...

Monday morning, (Queensland, Australia time) 5.30 am Tony went into surgery....to receive a donor liver...after being on the reciprient list for only 4 days....


11 hours later, the phone rang...I answered with car keys in hand ready to do the 5 hour run, in 3...

and then put the keys down.

Tony's surgery was a complete success...he is not out of the woods yet, but the donor liver is functioning well..already he has gone from saffron to lemon colour...


Finally...an out breath!


Organ donors give the most profound gift, when they agree to help others. The deep loss caused to the surviving family becomes tempered with the knowledge they have helped others live.


Are you an organ donor? Have you informed your family of your wishes?

Jess,

That is great news. Not only am I an organ donor upon my death, I would donate a kidney, marrow or anything else I could live without right now. No greater gift.

My family is aware and supportive of my wishes but just to be sure I put it in my living will. Please let us know how he's doing.

nope, no-ones havin my bits thank u.

*walks through thread wistling*

Yes I am and I am gonna be cremated so why not share what ever I have left thats medically viable for someones use!!

I understand...it is your decision.

But may I ask you...what if it was you....that required an organ?

If you had a partner whom you were completely devoted to, and they required an organ?

If no one was prepared to give another an opportunity for life after their death, it would have been a very different outcome for my lovely cousin, her husband and their beautiful 12 year old son.

Yes I am and yes I have.

**hugs to quiet**

Right on doll...happy to hear it!

(and here I was with a tasteless remark about wanting to donate an organ to you...Glad I stopped myself!)

organ donation is a wonderfull thing but mine ain't gonna be worth much when I'm through with em.

I read your offer to Roberta....that in itself speaks volumes...


(as to your offer to me...what on earth would I do with an extra heart? )

Yes, I am on the list to be both an organ donor, and a bone-marrow donor.

Extra heart?

I was thinking...

Vegetarian here.....

Nope, but no one really wants my organs...probably wouldn't do anyone any good anyway.

ummmmmmm...

Jess I know the feelings that your family and friends are going through.

If in fact it was not for someone that was a donor we would not have my step-sister here today. It has been 8 years now that she had her liver transplant. The fear does not stop with the transplant it is normal for them to go into rejections which with technology today thank gawd they can catch the rejection before the patient even knows it is happening and they call them to tell them to get back to the hospital.

I know her meds are over $400 a month which without them she would die.

I did learn a lot about the liver in researching the situation and what happens ect that I never knew.

Am I a Donor ya bet ya sweet azz I'm due to someone that made that choice my step-sister is alive today. She had her one wish to come true that is to be a grandmother.

Down side to that is a liver transplant it only expected to last for 10 years. At this moment they are starting her extensive test to see how things are going in order to get ready for her second transplant when needed. Some do last past 10 years but 10 is the average.

Matter of fact just went to donate blood this last week and the next time I donate I will once again donate in my step-sisters name. Due to here for every so many pints that get donated it goes towards one pint for her when needed.

There is nothing better then the gift of life since I'm being cremated all my organs and my eyes are to be donated.

Vegetarian? Well crap!....now I gotta get a shirt that says cucumber!

Kidneys are shot from drinking so much when I was younger, same goes for liver. Pancreas is shot as well (doesn't work properly for whatever reason, I don't go to the hospital), heart is irregular from drug usage when I was younger. Small intestine, well, I guess there isn't anything wrong with that.

Your day is coming my friend (((((((((Robin)))))))))

There is nothing that compares to seeing their joy...hearing the relief.


It is such a deeply personal decision, and there is no right or wrong decision.

For me, my organs aren't donatable as the dis-ease that resides in me, is not discriminating in which organ it manifests in...and the immuno suppressant, anti rejection drugs, would only fire it up more..


hence the ineligibility for me to be a reciprient of a new liver.

Does it matter?

No, I got a death sentence handed to me.... nothing different to any of us...we all have that in common...

I guess the difference for me, is I now know to LIVE....every minute.