Update 9/23/17 - Kidney Transplant Class

Diagram of kidney transplant after surgery (Photo credit - Heartline.com)

Yesterday, Bill and I went to the kidney transplant class at Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital in Denver. There were a lot of people ranging from different ages, ethnic groups, and kidney failure situations. Like the motorcycle driving young man in his 20s who is needing a transplant. It showed me that kidney failure does not discriminate.

A nurse who is on the surgical transplant team taught the class. I'm glad Bill and I went. The information helps us to better prepare us for next steps. Here are the highlights of what we learned from the class:

• Presbyterian St. Luke's has preformed over 1630 kidney transplants since 1985.
• Your BMI has to be under 30 to get the surgery. Anything higher will require you to lose weight. Bill is at 24 BMI. So, he is at a healthy weight.
• Living donors have to be a blood type match. So, it can be from a relative or someone who is unrelated. For Bill's donor, he or she has to be A or O in blood type.
• During the surgery, the kidney is placed in the pelvis and attached to the main arteries and veins. Bill will keep his 2 original kidneys. It is a 3-4 hour surgery with a 4-5 day hospitalization. Surgery will take place at St. Luke's. 
• We will have to meet with an evaluation team (dietitian, social worker, transplant kidney doctor, transplant surgeon, and transplant coordinator). We are grateful that the team travels to Colorado Springs once a month.
• Before that meeting, Bill has to go through a lot of tests (heart, blood, virus screening), chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasound, dental check up. The good thing is that Bill had to do a lot of these for his diabetes. So, the team can use those test results.
• Once test results are available, the Transplant Selection Committee will review to make sure everything is okay. If all things are a go, then Bill will go on this national list as an individual waiting for a transplant. 
• In Colorado, there are 1886 people waiting for a kidney. The median wait is around 5 years for a deceased donor kidney. This is why we want a living donor match. The wait is only about 6 to 12 months. Bill will stay on home dialysis until he finds a match.
• To be a living donor for Bill, the following must happen:
• Be A or O blood type
• Close to Bill's height and weight. Bill is 6 feet tall and 180 pounds. It doesn't have to be exact.
• Go through testing (basic blood work; urinalysis and culture; screening for infectious diseases and viruses; heart testing; kidney function tests; X-ray and ultrasound; psychological tests).
• You can't be a donor if you have diabetes, multiples kidney stones, high blood pressure and on multiple medications, history of cancer even if the cancer happen a long time ago, over 65 years old. You also need to be the similar height and weight to Bill as the donor kidney needs to be the same size as Bill's kidney.
• Surgery is about 3 hours. Hospital stay is 3 days. Bill's insurance will pay for the donor's surgery. It does not pay for travel or expenses for being out of work. Out of work time can be about 4 weeks.
• The living donor will live a healthy life after surgery. No complications.
• If the team finds Bill a match, he and the living donor can receive a call right away to schedule surgery. Surgery will happen at the same time as the team would remove the living donor kidney and place in Bill's body.
• Bill would be in recovery for about 2 months. He would have to meet with team regularly to make sure everything is working properly. He will have to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of his life. 

Our biggest prayer is for a transplant as Bill wouldn't have to be on dialysis anymore. He would have his quality of life back. It is a lot for us to process. But, it is the best decision for him.

The best ways to help us:

• Prayers and well wishes
• Letting people know that Bill needs a kidney based on the living donor criteria and blood match of A and O. We learned that there are people who want to be a living donor.
• Getting tested if you are A or O blood type and close to Bill's height and weight. Bill is 6 feet tall and 180 pounds. It doesn't have to be exact

If you want to be a living donor, please contact me at denisewallace326@gmail.com. Thank you!