Monday, September 10, 2007

Transplant Tribune: U-Turn Ahead?

Greetings one and all,

It's a new month, and new information is coming our way to keep our minds boggled! After weeks of being "this close" to Bob/Irv getting on that heart-kidney transplant list, we finally got to hear what's been going on in the weekly listing meetings at UCSF. Dr. Rame' met with us last Thursday and (no big surprise) told us that there were differing opinions on the long-term benefits of a heart transplant for Bob, due to his diabetes. So Dr. Rame' has been busy contacting other transplant centers across the country to try and gather more statistics on success rates for diabetics receiving heart-kidney transplants. This procedure is still so new that there are few numbers to rely on. New information received this past few months has made the team less inclined to include the heart in the transplant plans.

However, the very good news is that the most recent test results from Bob's right heart catheterization and echo-cardiogram show that his heart function is much improved over the results earlier this year. So - the heart transplant team is working with the kidney transplant team to see if Bob can go back to just getting a kidney, since it seems that his heart can now withstand that surgery. Not only are we somewhat in shock over this, imagine my brother Dave's surprise to be asked if his kidney is still available to be donated! Lots of discussions and decision-making are in the works again, both within our families, the transplant departments, and between the insurance people and the hospital.

In the meantime, Bob did have outpatient surgery this past Tuesday to create the fistula access for dialysis, using synthetic materials this time. The surgery went well, but he's got a very sore arm again and the anesthesia is not leaving his system too quickly, so he's a bit fuzzy around the edges still.

Not sure what we will do for entertainment once this transplant business is past ( if it ever is) but we do look forward to some kind of sanity one of these days! Stay tuned for a possible return to the Kidney Chronicles in the near future!

Hopefully,

Cherie / Mom/ Cheryl / Irving / Bob / RJ / Bobby
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RJ/Bob/Irv is a 61-year-old beloved husband, father, uncle, brother, motor racing fanatic, and Livermore resident who received a heart and kidney transplant in February of 2010. Bob's recent years have been defined by his health, which forced him into early retirement. Unfortunately, many of his days were spent in a dialysis center or at various medical appointments, primarily due to his living with diabetes for over 40 years. Numerous were panic visits to various Emergency Rooms all over California for treatment of chest pain. But now no more dialysis and no more late-night dashes to UCSF! The main focus of Bob's family, friends, and doctors has been a prompt transplant, so that he can get back to traveling with his Sweetie, driving fast cars, enjoying great music and laughing with his friends. This blog will function as a way to communicate with all interested parties and to keep everyone informed. And hopefully it can serve a great purpose also, in making people more aware of the importance of organ donation and how each life saved has a positive effect on dozens of related friends and relatives.