It’s
official…
It was a
very long testing process but all signs pointed to a very positive verdict from
the transplant committee. The only test that R had trouble with was the blood
pressure test, some days it was up and other days it was down. For those of you
unfamiliar with the testing process let me take a moment to give you the run
down:
First you
clear time in your very busy schedule to fly to Phoenix, Arizona. Then you
submit yourself to five pass or fail days of testing, blood tests, fitness
tests, stress tests, psychological tests, ultra sounds and the dreaded ‘Dave
Barry’ colonoscopy (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1975542/posts).
If you make it to the fifth day your case is put in queue for the transplant
team to vote yes or no on. You wait a minimum of two weeks for your case to be
heard and then each doctor that tested/evaluated you has a chance to speak and
vote whether or not they feel you can give your kidney to someone in need.
Well R’s
case was heard and the team voted and inconclusive, ‘not now’. They contacted R
and asked him to retest again in 3months time and in order to get the green
light this time he would have to have ‘perfect’ blood pressure tests. Perfect.
He was instructed that he could only lower his BP through diet and exercise and
that BP meds were out of the question. Now
R is in very good physical condition but…he has a high stress job. Very high stress.
Three months went by and R was exercising more and eating very well, no salt,
no French fries and limited red meat. Alas his BP was still on the high side by
the Mayo clinic standards. R decided not to retest at the 3 month mark but at
the 4 month mark. Mayo Clinic said it was still too high but they wanted him to
test for 10 days in a row and they would use the 5 best results. Long story
short, R was disqualified last week due to high BP.
What is
next? Or should I say who is next? Well….that would be me. I cannot be a direct
donor b/c our blood types do not match, I can however apply to be in the ‘paired
donor program’. This means that I will donate one of my kidney’s to another
patient in need whose loved one will donate one of their Kidney’s to my loved
one in need. The Patient Service Coordinator told me that b/c my blood type is
the most popular we would not really be increasing our chances by that much but
I still have to try.
Mr.
Gushard and I made a promise to each other back when he was first listed with
Mayo. Our agreement was that we were to start a family first and then once I
had given birth to our son or daughter I would be allowed to ‘enlist’ if you
will. After trying for a year to get pregnant we went to the best fertility
clinic in Las Vegas. Diagnosis: Infertile. Treatment: In Vitro Fertilization.
Success Rate: 70%. Cost: $36K. Percentage Covered by Insurance: 0%. Chances of
getting pregnant naturally >1%.
Plan B:
Adoption. Chances of Adoption with one parent diagnosed as ‘terminally ill’:
0%.
Plan C:
Be happy and blessed with what God has given us and wait to adopt until after
the transplant.
After
seeing two healthy men disqualified for one reason or another I have decided to
start my 120 day challenge before applying to the ‘paired donor program’.
Challenge:
I will
eat clean: Organic, No GMO, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Hormone Free and locally
sourced foods
I will exercise
more intensely and more often
I will
lower my stress level
I will
live each day to the fullest and appreciate the little things
I will
let those I love know it each and every day
I will
maintain my faith in God as my one and true savior
And
I will believe
that good things happen to good people
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