My Journey to Transplant---by Debbi

Once most people find out you've had a Transplant of any kind the question, "How did you know?, When did you decide? Why?", among many others usually comes up. So, today I thought I'd answer those questions about my Transplant Journey. It seems to have all started or at least first came to my attention when I broke my ankle in 2000, ironically also in November, the 12th. My doctors then due to blood tests told me there was a slight problem with my liver. Admittedly I'm stubborn & refused to heed any warning. For the next four years my weight slowly crept up, I began feeling something akin to panic attacks, confusion, dizziness, intense itching & the lack of being able to keep food or drink down. When I finally came to terms that indeed something was 'wrong' with me I went to a local doctor with my bags packed, as if I knew I would be hospitalized. Right I was. The diagnosis was cirrhosis, by a combination of fatty liver disease, a few too many beers with the guys & possibly a hereditary problem with hemochromatosis which my Dad had. I'd like to add here , not all liver transplant patients are alcoholics nor was I, as soon as the doctor told me to stop all alcohol it was just that simple, even more since I had already stopped due to how ill I was. I did and have not even wanted any alcohol since. The next year from November of 2004 until my acceptance of the need for a transplant was spent in a flurry of hospital stays from overnight to a few days for tests and blood transfusions, intense itching leading to sores and often having the ascities drained from my bloated abdomen. Which was a major but temporary relief, for a few days breathing was easier. I took diuretics, ulcer medications (since I also was diagnosised with bleeding ulcers) and a battery of other medications in an attempt to stabilize my condition. I also enjoyed 5 months of what seemed to be a miracle recovery, with normal weight, energy and was again able to walk and enjoy life. All too soon it was evident my liver again was in failure, within a few short weeks my body filled with fluid, the itching, confusion and lack of mobility returned. At wits end still in denial I asked my doctor to have the ascities drained, still thinking if I could just get the fluid out of me, I could keep it out. In one day a massive amount of fluid was drained, leaving me dehydrated and too weak to move alone. Three days of laying on my couch in pain too weak to move, even breathing was laored, finally I told my husband I had to go to the hospital ER or be dead by morning. Which was pretty much agreed upon when I arrived at the emergency room. Within 4 days I was in St Louis, MO being accessed/screened/tested/scoped etc....to obtain a Meld Score on me and qualify or null me as a candidate for the 'wait list'. I did make the list on the morning of November 23rd, 2005. 13 hours later I received a call in my hospital room that a liver was available, November 24th, 2005 my life changed forever. I view it as my 2nd birthday in many ways. I owe so much that there is no way to repay my medical team or doctors, definitly not my donor/donor family, no words to express the depth of gratitude. Even searching for words is impossible, there are not words to convey the feeling a recipient has. Simple thou heartfelt, human words can't do justice to the sacrifice or our gratitude and concern for our donor family. That is a brief of my journey to transplant, like any journey once you arrive there are still many roads to travel, bumps along the way to reveal, each one another topic. Lastly I would like to add, the moment I found out I was receiving a donor organ it was a joyous and yet frightening moment, still somehow peaceful. Then almost instantly turned into great concern and Prayer for my donor's family. Their heartbreak, their Thanksgiving's will never be the same, their sacrifice and courage to allow their sorrow to become someone's joy. I don't know them, yet I love them and think of them and the part of them I carry with me daily. Someday it would be wonderful to meet my donor's family, learn about my donor and find a more personal way to honor them.
B~Positive, Deb