I'M ON THE UAMS TRANSPLANT LIST!!!!

Today I got my official letter from UAMS stating that I am on their kidney transplant list effective January 17. I am listed as inactive because I still have some residual kidney function. When Dr. Moulton (my nephrologist) determines that my function has again declined, we are to notify UAMS and they will change my status to active, which is when I will be in active consideration for a transplant.  The letter is a great next step for me, and I thank God that they decided to list me.

PD Catheter Surgery

Yesterday, January 18, I had surgery at Washington Regional Hospital to implant the peritoneal dialysis catheter in my belly. Dr. Hudec did the surgery. We were told to be there by 6:30 and my surgery was scheduled for 9:30, but about 8 am. we were told that Dr. Hudec's first surgery had been cancelled, so I was next. The procedure took about 40 minutes, and I went home by noon. My sister came to the hospital while I was in surgery, and then helped get me home. Ramiro drove me home and she shopped for some jello for me to have later. I slept most of the afternoon, and when I did wake up my sister and I played Words with Friends--me on my iPad and she on her new Kindle Fire. Since I have a Kindle app on my iPad, we were able to download all the books she now has on her Fire, onto my iPad. Great way to share. We need to get her a Nook app on her Fire so that she can download my Nook books to her Fire.

I did not sleep well last night after the surgery. I had to get up to urinate once an hour like clockwork, starting at 10 p.m. I think it was all the IV fluids I got during surgery. I took half a hydrocodon pill this afternoon, and slept for about 4 hours. I feel much more rested now. 

I sent out a bunch of emails to friends and family telling them about the surgery, and it's been fun reading their responses today. Poor Wayne Rosing--he sent me an email teasing me that he would refer all maritime questions to me since he considered me a "port authority."  (I had described the catheter as a dialysis port). This was followed by an immediate email apologizing for his joke, and telling me that he was not making light of my medical situation. Of course I had not taken offense; I am very familiar with his brand of humor and told him so.

My friend Bruce Furbush made a passing reference to being curious about being a donor. I referred him to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) website, and gave him the phone # for Sue Weeks, the living donor coordinator at UAMS. I hope he follows up; that would increase my chances of a living donor, since he said he is a type O blood type. Funny, that all the donor volunteers have been women up to now. Bruce is the first man to even contemplate it.

UAMS Listing Decision

On Friday, January 13, I had a call from Fadell Powell (Pre transplant coordinator at UAMS) to say that the transplant committee had been able to meet, and had voted in favor of putting me on the transplant list!!!!! The official listing will take place Tuesday, Jan. 17 (Monday is MLK holiday at the state). So, my waiting time will begin official from that date. However (and there is a always a however), I will be listed as inactive for 2 reasons:  (1) I still have one potential living donor candidate--Kathleen Butler--in the evaluation process; and (2) I still have some residual native kidney function and Dr.Abul-ezz, the transplant surgeon, believes I ought to get the most out of it that I can before I face all the side effects of the anti-rejection drugs. As soon as my nephrologist notes a downturn in my function, I am to call UAMS to let them know I want to be on the active list. Hopefully, I would be transplanted soon after that. If Kathleen turns out to be a viable candidate, then the decision to go forward will depend on her schedule, mine, my kidney function, etc. It would be nice if I could avoid dialysis altogether and go directly to a transplant.