Good news. Liver is fine (I already knew this and was just humoring the good doctors for wanting to make sure). If you can believe this, they found something on my spinal cord this time and want an additional x-ray. Luckily they agreed to go forward with the process without letting the x-ray hold things up. They aren’t really concerned, but are taking no chances. I take the x-ray early next week.
Today I gave blood again for the final time. They told me that they would try to verify the last blood test results and contact the boy’s family today. However, I have been working with the good people at Good Samaritan Transplant Centers for months and as hard as they might try, I am doubtful about any such immediate results. Coordinating all the doctors, surgeons, and case workers is not an easy task and I am learning that tomorrow usually means a week. The surgery is still “tentatively” scheduled for Dec. 19.
I also found out today that donors usually do not meet the recipients before the surgery and may not at all. I understood this going into the process. There is a chance I will never know more than his age. The social worker asked me if I wanted to put in a request to the family to meet me. Something tells me that it isn’t the right thing to do. I don’t want to put any pressure on the family and I don’t need their gratitude. However, somewhere along the line I got my hopes up that I would get to meet him and his family, hear their story, learn about his recovery, understand his progress into a normal life without dialysis four times a week and the fear that his kidneys will give out before a good donor match is found. I told the social worker not to put in the request, but that if they brought it up to tell them that I would be open to a meeting.
Not meeting the boy doesn’t change anything about why I’m doing this or my commitment to save his life. He exists to me as real and alive as my own children. Those of you who hold tight to your faith, whatever it may be, know that sometimes you just have to Believe.
3 comments:
Stay strong.
We were at Phoenix Children's on Tuesday and the Child Life Specialist that helped Sophie and Isaac through their procedures also works in the dialysis center and she was telling me how attached she has become to these kids because she sees them several times a week. I wanted so badly to tell her that one of them is about to get some GREAT news. This boy is real and you are giving him a chance at a more normal life!!
:)Veronique
No small feat is accomplished quickly. Hang in there. It will all work out like it is supposed to.
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