21 September 2012--Great Transplant News!

Yesterday I received great news in the mail.

This afternoon, I received more great news from a phone call.

Here is what I received in the mail:

So, what exactly does all of that mean? Well, it simply means that I am through to the next step in the Transplant process. I am on the "inactive" recipient list while I continue doing the workup tests. As you see on the last document, my first scheduled things are on 09 October. I have to schedule the Dental Exam and the Colonoscopy. On the colonoscopy, patients are not generally required to have this until they are 50. Seeing that my 50th birthday is coming up in January, the surgeon thought it prudent to go ahead and get one done. Plus, I haven't had one in years; so it really is best.

Then this afternoon, I received a phone call from my IHC Transplant Coordinator, Mayra, with some outstanding news.

My antibody test came back with a result of 00%--that's right, zero percent. This is great news because this means that I have zero resistance to human tissue, making me the ideal candidate in this area. This backs up my decision to not allow re-use of the dialyzer (in dialysis) from treatment to treatment (because re-use builds up antibodies in your blood).

Additionally, the four tests listed above will complete the requirement for transplant!

So, I can have all of my testing and procedures done in a very short time and be on the active Transplant Recipient List as administered by UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) within three months, or so!

Plus, I can now start to ask for possible living donors to step up and begin the testing process.

In this, the potential donors are under no financial obligation for the testing; aside from travel expenses (airfare, gas, lodging, etc. if needed), food, lost work time and other miscellaneous costs, all hospital, surgical and testing costs are covered by my insurance a/o Medicare. The same goes for the living donor that is chosen. Their surgery and hospitalization are covered 100%.

So...two FANTASTIC days of news!

On to the final testing...

Good Health to All!

ScottW