May 12!!!

Got a call from my transplant coordinator today. We have to be in Tucson next week on Wednesday for more pre-op testing. They did our antigen test last Friday, but they want to do one more and then we meet with the anesthesiologist. Then the following week on May 10th we go back for surgery that will take place May 12!! I can't believe it is so close. Molly goes in tomorrow for hemodialysis. It is good and bad. Good because it will clear her blood from the toxins that have been building up and it will likely make her feel much better. Bad because since it is a temporary situation, she has to get a line put in her neck for the dialysis. That line will stay until after the surgery. It is going to be painful for her as well. But at least it is short term and hopefully will make her feel much better. It used to be she would have one or two bad days a month, but now it is turning into one or two bad days a week.

I have been watching transplant videos on youtube just so that i can know a little more what to expect. I am a little scared of the pain afterwards. The surgeon said that it will be more painful for me because they have to go in and take my kidney out and the location of your kidneys makes that a bit difficult. They will attach my kidney in Molly's lower right abdomen, almost by her leg. It gets directly connected to her bladder and runs off a blood vessel in her leg. I still think it is crazy that she will have 3 kidneys!! But i guess it makes sense. Removing her other two would be a major operation and there is no need to remove them.

Now we just have to make it 2 and a half weeks without getting sick. I bought masks at the store today for the airplane!! We both have to be well to get the surgery done so if any of my co workers come in sick i might have to cuss them out!!! Please call in sick!!! I have been washing my hands more than usual which is like 10 times a day now. I need to carry lotion with me now!

Thanks again to everyone that donated to Molly's give forward site. I am still completely blown away by peoples generosity. Thanks for all the prayers and positive thoughts. We are so close now, i can't believe it! I can't wait to help my sister!!! Love ya McB!

it's a date.

Today Molly, Mom, and i met with the chief surgeon of transplants for UMC Tucson. He answered a lot of our questions and explained exactly what will happen before, during and after the surgery. They are going to take my left kidney out because it is bigger and they will put it in Molly's right side. He said my remaining kidney will then work overtime and grow to compensate for the loss of the other. Recovery should be about a week, with no heavy lifting for 6-8 weeks. That will be the hardest part, nothing over 5 pounds for 2 months. I will stay in Tucson for about a week, Molly will have to be there for a few weeks.

Time to nap before the midnight shift and dream about life with one kidney :)

closer.

I received a call from my transplant coordinator yesterday. She said that the surgeons in Tucson had received and reviewed my renal scan. Everything looked good and they decided which kidney they would remove and give to Molly. She then started asking me about dates and when we could make it down to AZ for the surgery reference work and our care takers schedules. I told her tomorrow!! We are fortunate to be in the situation that we are in when it comes to work and the people that are able to take care of us after the surgery. I can't imagine having to go through this with the added pressure of taking off work and finding people that can take care of us after the transplant. This is one of those times i feel blessed to have the job i do. Working for mother government at times can suck. But mostly it is a good thing.

So it looks like May 12 will be our surgery date. We still have a few more pre-op tests that we have to finish. Molly and i will have to be in Tucson a week prior to the transplant to do all these tests and meet with the anesthesiologist. She was scheduled for dialysis May 4. This Friday we meet with the surgeons from Tucson as they are up here in clinic and we can ask them if she can hold off a couple more weeks and just wait for the transplant.

I can't tell you how excited we are to get this done! I have heard so many people say so many different things about our situation. Someone asked me, well what if you have a kid one day and they need your kidney? All i can think about is that my sister needs my kidney now. I am not going to spend my life living in what if's. All i know that is guaranteed is right now and if i can help Molly get back to a semi normal life then it is not even a question for me. This has been one of the easiest decisions i have ever had to make.

Thank you to everyone that has donated to Molly's give forward site. I am overwhelmed by the support shown.  I am so lucky to know so many amazing people. Thank you to all my friends and family that have donated and sent prayers, positive thoughts, white light...i really believe it all helped make this all possible.
To all my NATCA Brothers and Sisters, a big thank you!!! Our union is the best union on the planet. Thank you for showing my family the solidarity that i get to see everyday. We could not have done this without you guys :)

More to come on Friday after we meet with the surgeons. Until then i will be all jacked up on a gallon of water a day and making sure to wash my hands 50 times a day so that i don't get sick!!!!

3 means i get free ice cream for life :)

Three seems to be this number that keeps popping up all over my life this year. My sister Molly was diagnosed with Advanced IGA Nephropathy in 2007. It is a genetic kidney disease that has slowly damaged her kidney's to the point she is at now; 5% function. So now we are on the verge of transplant. The moment i heard that Molly was sick i said right away that i wanted to give her my kidney when the time came. Back then it seemed like something that we would not have to worry about for years and years. But a few months ago her levels started to get progressively worse and now her doctor is trying to put off dialysis in favor of transplant. So in the past several weeks i have been going through a number of tests in an attempt to become her living donor. So far each test has come back with positive results. Tomorrow i go in for my final test. A CT scan of my kidneys. This test will determine which kidney they will take and also to check the blood vessels that go to my kidneys. If this test comes back with good results we will get a date for the transplant. Both Molly and i are so excited for the possibility, but trying to not get too ahead of ourselves because there are so many things that can happen between now and surgery.

But if all goes as we hope and pray it will, in May Molly will have 3 kidneys (mine and her old 2) and most of her energy back. I know that is what she is looking forward to more than anything. Molly has always been a go getter. She has worked full time from the age of 15 and even now with all the nausea, swollen ankles, fatigue, and just general crappy feeling she still manages to run a business with my mom, raise her two beautiful daughters, and never ever complains about how sick she feels. 

Whenever someone hears that i am trying to donate a kidney to my sister they always say, "wow that is amazing you are so generous." I always say the same thing, "no, my sister is amazing."

And i mean it. I would do anything for her.