TYLER (KLTV)
Man who received kidney transplant, doctor talk to KLTV 7Updated: Oct 31, 2008 08:22 PM
The wait is finally over for one East Texas man and for one East Texas hospital. Robert Vanmeter of Longview celebrated his 60th birthday at ETMC. One year after the hospital put its transplant program on hold, Robert received a brand new kidney. KLTV 7's Layron Livingston met with Robert and his doctor today, both grateful for the chance at a new beginning.
These pills are easy to swallow. A few weeks ago, Robert got one the best phone calls of his life.
"They said are you ready, we have a kidney for you. When they said come, I didn't think one thing about it," said Robert.
Robert was on the ETMC transplant waiting list a year ago. But at the time, the program was forced to shut down because their transplant surgeon left. That meant a long year of waiting and dialysis for Robert.
"4 hours a day, three days a week."
With a new surgeon, the program was reactivated earlier this month. 6 days later, Robert was ready and willing to go back to the hospital.
"I got extra Jello for my birthday....green and red," said Robert.
"You can see a change in their cheeks," said Dr. Potter.
Dr. Steven Potter is ETMC's new director of transplant services. Robert is one of three transplants he's performed so far.
"Renal transplant is really a life-altering and life saving procedure that can add not only quality of life, but can add years of life for people," said Dr. Potter.
Dr. Potter says he's now trying to help build a model program.
"Where patients have continuity care from their pre-transplant evaluation, through the time of their transplant, their hospital stay, and then post transplant."
It's one that provides not just a medical, but community service.
"We like to not only rehabilitate people physiologically, and get them out of kidney failure, but really get them back to work, playing with their kids, and get them back to their families," said Dr. Potter.
Basically, living life.
Layron Livingston, Reporting llivingston@kltv.com
http://www.kltv.com/global/story.asp?s=9275228
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