Friday, June 16, 2006

A Special Message from My Sister

I’m Gene’s slightly older sister Anna Sauer. If everything had worked out according to my scenario, you would be reading in Gene’s blog that he would be going to Denver for a couple of months so that I could give him one of my kidneys. I honestly didn’t imagine that it would be a problem – my blood type is compatible, so we would just schedule the transplant, he would spend 3-4 months in Colorado recuperating, he would go back to China, and we all would live happily ever after. But, I’m too short! I’ve always known that being 5’3” was very annoying, but it seems that the “surface area” of my kidney would not support someone Gene’s size. One of the doctors at the transplant center explained it this way – it would be like taking the motor from a Ford Focus and putting it into a Hummer and expecting it to perform. Conversely, if I needed the kidney then one from Gene would work for me. So if you are bigger than Gene don’t assume that would be a problem.

I’m asking you to PLEASE consider being a donor. I’ve researched the process; I’ve talked to the doctors and the members of the transplant team, so I can answer some of your basic questions – my email is Asauer0328@aol.com.

Here are some common questions and concerns:

  • Are there conditions that would prevent someone from being a donor?

  • High blood pressure;

  • Taking medication for blood pressure;

  • Diabetes;

  • Overweight (body mass index higher than 30);

  • Previous kidney stones, although if it was a single episode the candidate would be tested to see if their kidney had suffered any damage.

  • So who can be a living donor?
Living donors must be over 18 and under 60. They also must be blood-type compatible with the recipient. (Gene is B, so he can have a donor with B, O, or AB.) Of course, they must be in good physical health.
  • How is the surgery done?
A new technique for removing a kidney for transplant has been available at the University of Colorado Hospital Transplant Center since 1999. This technique utilizes laparoscopic technology to allow the kidney to be removed safely through small incisions in the lower abdomen. Patients undergoing this procedure have significantly less pain, a shorter hospital stay, and return to normal life much faster than those who undergo the more traditional “open” procedure.
  • How long would I be in the hospital and out of work?
Usually the donor is in the hospital an average of 3 to 5 days, and they may be asked to stay in the area (Denver, Colorado – and you would be a guest at my house!!) for approximately one week after the donor surgery. Most people return to work after 2 – 3 weeks, depending on how they recover and the type of job they have.
  • How will kidney donation affect my life after surgery?
Most people can live a long and healthy life after donating a kidney. The remaining kidney grows bigger and simply takes over for both kidneys.
  • What are the risks of becoming a living donor?
Any time major surgery is done there are risks involved. The most common problems encountered with donor surgery are minor infections at the incision site and pain related to the surgery. The risk of dying from donating a kidney is less than one percent.
  • How much will this cost me?
There are NO COSTS TO YOU for the pre-operative evaluation, surgery, hospital stay, outpatient visits or donor surgery-related medical treatment within the first three months. These costs are paid through a fund provided by the recipient’s insurance company. The only costs that might affect you are your time off from work and transportation to Denver.

After reading through all of this, hopefully you have decided that you would like to be considered as a donor, so your next step is to contact Gene’s transplant coordinator at the University of Colorado Hospital, Jamie Reitz. She can be reached at 303-372-8321 or via email at Jamie.reitz@uch.edu. Let her know that you are interested in being a living kidney donor for Gene Bryson, give her your contact information and she will mail you a packet of materials for you to review. (The packet is not available via email so you need to give her your mailing address.) The packet includes medical history forms that you will need to fill out so you can be considered as a donor.

As you can see, this process is very detailed, very cautious and could take many months to complete. Gene doesn’t have that many more months before he may have to be on dialysis. It is important that we really try to get his kidney before that happens – the success rate for transplants is much higher in recipients that have not had to go through dialysis. Please consider this seriously, but don’t take too long!


posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 11:23 AM Comments: 0