Kidney Transplant broadcast live via Twitter next week

[TeenHatesDialysis]

http://www.evliving.com/2009/05/13/6615/hospital-to-twitter/

[dwcrawford]

There is a live twittering session going on now from Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston.  A father *in a sister hospital" is giving a kidney to his son.  Updates are going to be made in the surgeries and after live on Twitter.  You can check it out at thru a link at:

cllick2houston.com

now


Edited: Merged with News Article - okarol/admin

[okarol]

Dad’s kidney donation first operation to be posted live on Twitter
Posted: 1:08 PM May 18, 2009
Last Updated: 1:08 PM May 18, 2009
Reporter: Rita Kotey
Email Address: rita.kotey@kxii.com
 
DALLAS -- You may have heard of the website Twitter. You might even use it yourself, but on Monday, Children's Hospital in Dallas is doing something that’s never been done before—they are posting real-time updates of a major operation. A Bonham father and Sherman firefighter is donating a kidney to his young son. Rita Kotey has the one-of-a-kind, 21st century story.

Monday’s operation is extra special because a local dad is giving an extra special gift to his son. Sherman firefighter and Bonham native Chris Gilbreath is giving his son, John, a kidney at Children’s Hospital, and they wanted family and friends who were not able to go to Dallas to be able to follow their progress throughout the day, and they're making history while doing it.

Three-year-old John Gilbreath is an active little boy who wants to be a firefighter just like his dad. John has end-stage renal disease, which means his kidney does not function properly, so his father Chris stepped in to give him a kidney.

They have been in surgery since early Monday morning. Firefighters, family, and friends across north Texas are logged on to Twitter following their progress. This is the first time an operation has been logged with real time updates on the site.

Before the surgery, John told us that he wanted to give his son his kidney so that he can enjoy doing everything that three-year-olds love to do.

"I know one of the things we are going to enjoy doing is going swimming. He will be able to swim and do things that he can’t do now because of his catheter site," Chris Gilbreath told us Saturday.

The last update we received said the kidney had been removed from Chris and it is on its way to John, so John will be in surgery for a few more hours, but they both have a long road to recovery.

Follow live updates from the hospital at http://twitter.com/ChildrensTheOne

Be sure and tune into First News at Six for Rita Kotey’s full story on Chris, little John, and a medical and technological breakthrough.
 
 
http://www.kxii.com/news/headlines/45304787.html

[dwcrawford]

Apologies:  I could have sworn that someone on the morning news sad Texas Children Hospital....

[paris]

I thought I had missed it!  Now we have time to plan.  Thanks DW and Okarol.  How exciting is this!  AlohaBeth does twitter, so we will have to check this out. 

[Zach]

 ChildrensTheOne

A succssful surgery wraps up at 2:30 p.m. CST. Thank you all for tuning in, John is on his way to being a healthy, happy 3 year old.

about 3 hours ago from web
John is all stitched up and will be receiving an epidural for pain management.

about 3 hours ago from web
John was born with kidney problems and has been on dialysis since birth. Last night was most likely his last dialysis treatment.

about 3 hours ago from web
Dr. Desai and Dr. Mitchell are starting to close John's incision.

about 3 hours ago from web
Dr. Desai is taking John's dialysis catheter out.

about 3 hours ago from web
Urine is coming out of the bladder and Dr. Desai has finished the anti reflux valve.

about 3 hours ago from web
Dr. Desai connected the kidney to the bladder. Now, they will create a valve to prevent urine from backing into the kidney from the bladder.

[dwcrawford]

What about the father?