Situation Evaluation

If you are new to the kidney donation situation - start reading here and work your way up from there. :)

First, I want to start this post off with a warning - if you are uncomfortable with reading about medical procedures, bodily functions, or just personal information about me in general, you should probably skip this post altogether. That being said, I want to share my experience over the past few days as I was evaluated to be a kidney donor for my Aunt Michelle. 

I need coffee!

 So Monday morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I set off from Fort Worth at 6:30 in the morning for UT Southwestern in Dallas. Its about 45 miles away, but traffic in DFW is sometimes unpredictable, so I wanted to give myself plenty of time to make it to my 8am appointment. My first appointment was for lab work and X-rays, so I wasn't able to eat or drink anything and I wasn't able to go to the bathroom until I got to the hospital. For those who know me, I am not the most pleasant person without my Venti Caramel Macchiatto from Starbucks in the morning. I am also a fairly normal human being (in my opinion) and like to empty my bladder first thing when I get out of bed. Nevertheless, I was able to make it all the way to the hospital without falling asleep, having a rage blackout on anyone in traffic, or wetting the beautiful interior of my car.

Now, I am not the most fond person of waking up early (I far prefer staying up late than getting up early), but I truly love watching the sun rise. And being up and on the road at 6:30 - I got to experience an amazing sun rise! What a perfect way to start the long day!

Sunrise over traffic (very unsafe to click pictures while driving, I am aware, but I'm only going 17mph!)

I got to the hospital a little early, but only had to wait about 10 minutes before I was taken back for my chest X-ray. The male technician awkwardly asked me if I was wearing a bra (um, duh?) and then made me change into a gown for the X-ray. After that, I got to change back into my normal, supportive, clothing, and waited for blood work. At this point I decided to text Michelle and tell her how full my bladder was, just in time for the lab tech to come get me for my blood work. 

Now, it should be pointed out that I am not the best blood giver in the world - I have good veins, they just like to hide sometimes or just not give anything. So, I am typically and understandably a little nervous about giving blood. The lab technician had a printed-off list of labels about 2 feet long in her hand, which had labels about an inch thick all the way down it. So I figured from the looks of it, and her comment "DANG GIRL, WE ARE TAKING A LOT OF BLOOD FROM YOU" that I was about to have a whole lot of fun. Then, to make things even better, she handed me the urinalysis cup and said that she would get organized to draw the blood while I gave my urine sample. Of course, she had freaked me out with her ridiculous list of blood tests, and there was no way my nervous bladder was cooperating. So I sat like a child, waiting for her to take my blood instead. 

Not too bad - considering the last person who took my blood left a bruise the size of a golf ball.

 Instead of "a lot of blood" she took 6 viles. I have no idea what the other labels were for, but that is not a lot of blood to me. Easy as pie. Since my restrictions on eating and drinking were primarily for the blood work, she gave me some water, I was able to take care of the aforementioned bladder emptying, and I was on my way to my next test. 

I next headed up to the 6th floor of the hospital for my EKG. I checked in, and then sat around in a room full of people wearing masks which made my heart hurt because they all looked at me like I was clearly healthy and therefore out of place. I waited for over an hour, and then finally got taken back for the EKG. Which took all of 10 seconds. And was totally normal. 

Normal EKG :)

 So on I went to the 7th floor, where I would spend the rest of the day. I got to meet my donor coordinator, Sandy, who I had talked to several times on the phone, as well as my nephrologist and a social worker. 

Sandy led me through the entire donation process, as well as the risks, benefits, surgery day, healing process, and then answered my list of questions. 

As part of my orientation with Sandy I got to watch a movie...

 The nephrologist was a different ball game. Even though I had submitted a 10 page application with complete medical history, and even though they had gathered all of my medical records from all of my doctors, he talked with me about each and every medical condition I have ever experienced, including the possible effects they might have on kidney donation as well as the effect kidney donation could have on each of my health problems that are still present. This was an overwhelming session, but I was so glad for all the information. At the end of our conversation, he informed me that all my lab work from earlier in the day was looking very good - and pending the committee review of my file, he saw no reason to require further testing. This for me, was a huge relief. Because of my previous Crohn's diagnosis, I was very worried they were going to require me to have an updated colonoscopy which is about as fun as eating slugs. Probably less fun, actually.

overwhelmed, but still trucking!

By this point, I was in dire need of a break, and it was time for lunch - which Michelle was kind enough to drive up to the hospital and join me for! We got some sandwiches in the hospital deli, and then sat and talked about our day - and the fact that at this point in the day, many of her previous donor candidates had already been disqualified. By the time we both looked up, it was already time for me to head by up for my meeting with the social worker. We always get carried away and lose track of time. 

Michelle and I at lunch :)

 My visit with the social worker was awkward, but I can understand the importance of that step in this process. That being said, it is strange to talk to someone you have known for 5 minutes about intimate details of your life. For those who don't know me, I have a sarcastic streak in me (more than a streak, some would say) and I have a tendency to respond sarcastically to questions that I think are not very intelligent or just because I feel like giving someone a hard time. It was all I could do to hold my sarcasm at bay talking to the social worker about how I am not crazy, not on drugs, not being paid for my organ, etc. I realize these are legit concerns. But for me, knowing myself and the situation, these questions were obviously unnecessary and I struggled to keep a straight face. 

My very medical view from where I sat all day...

 After I met with the social worker, I talked to Sandy one more time, who said that everything was looking very promising and she thought it would be wise to go ahead and start looking at possible days to do the next set of tests, as well as look at possible surgery dates (because I am on such a strict schedule with law school, finals, graduation, and then bar exam prep). So with that in mind, we called it a day. 

I thought this was a cool picture - my tattoo says "love" and this is my medical information bracelet

The next day after work, I headed back to the hospital to meet with the surgeon, the only part of the first step of testing that they were unable to schedule on Monday. Mind you, this was the day that all the tornadoes came through DFW, and I got to the hospital just in time to put my car in the parking garage and head in before the weather got bad. Right before my appointment, we were evacuated to the lobby due to a tornado warning. In the lobby, I was then told to go back upstairs and that the doctor was there and ready to meet with me so that we wouldn't have to reschedule. So, I was able to meet with him for a good hour without any weather interruptions as we were being thunderstorm cells.

As I was getting ready to leave the lobby of the hospital and head home for the day, I was very abruptly herded down a hallway and told we were under a "code black" and that everyone was being directed to the hospital's shelters. I spent about an hour in the hallway, waiting for the bad weather to pass. Finally, I was able to leave and head home. 

Tornado Drill! Waiting in the hallway with all the other hospital people for the tornadoes to pass

 At the end of my appointment on Tuesday, Sandy again told me that things are looking very positive - and Michelle has been told as much from her doctors as well. I have a few more hurdles before everything is a for-sure go. First, I have a CT Scan with contrast on Thursday Morning. I have a 24 monitoring test over the weekend at some point. Finally, I have a meeting with an outside donor advocate (psychological evaluation) on Tuesday of next week. Additionally, Michelle now has to go through several tests to ensure she is also in prime condition for the transplant - which after my Monday, I know can't be any fun!

On Thursday morning, Sandy will present me to the donor committee, and Michelle's doctors will present her as the recipient. The donor committee will then either approve or deny our match, or decide they want to see more testing of one kind or another. 

Right now, we have a tentative surgery date of May 8. I will have to move a final around - as well as the possibility that I won't be well enough to walk the stage at graduation on the 12th. Additionally, I have to stop taking birth control for the next month before the surgery - which I haven't been off in 9 years, so I have no idea how my body and mind will react to those hormonal changes. However, I can't express how excited and thrilled I am that we are moving forward! I have felt more at peace throughout this entire process than ever before in my life - and I know that is only because of the grace of God and the many people praying for both Michelle and I through this journey. Keep the thoughts and prayers coming - we are both going to need them in the coming weeks! :)