Organ Transplant – Making the List

Organ Transplant – Making the List

By: Ginger | February 19, 2010 | Category: Health

Ginger's note: This is Part 1 of a two-part blog. Stay tuned for Part 2 next Friday.

Picture of Scott after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetesI have known Scott since grade school. He has always been a very gifted artist. When the rest of us were drawing stick people, Scott was drawing superheros that looked like they came out of a comic book. By high school he was painting wonderful pictures of wildlife. It was in high school that I learned that he suffered from Type 1 Diabetes (Juvenile Diabetes).

Recently, Scott and I reconnected in Facebook. I learned that his niece, Anna, was diagnosed in 2008 with Type 1 Diabetes. He also told me that he was the recipient of an organ transplant. I found his story interesting and I asked him if I could share it in my blog. Here is his story.

At the age of 7, Scott was hospitalized with a serious urinary system infection. Although he recovered from the infection, it had significantly damaged his pancreas. Within 2 years Scott again faced a health crisis. Scott has a vivid memory of his parents holding him in bed and they all cried together after receiving the devastating diagnosis that Scott had Type 1 diabetes. He was just 9 years old.

At the time of his diagnosis, Scott and his parents only had a vague awareness of the full impact this diagnosis would have on Scott and the family. It meant that, at the age of 9, Scott had to learn to give himself daily injections. During the early days of his disease, he had to carry around tubes of test strips to test his urine. Scott recalls being especially embarrassed about this as a child.

Despite this health obstacle, outwardly, Scott appeared to be just a normal kid. He participated on the tennis team, he got very good grades, he pursued his art, and he teased girls occasionally... yes Scott, don't think I forgot about the nickname you gave me. You are not off the hook for that one, buddy!

I lost touch with Scott when we graduated high school. He went off to college to pursue an art degree and became an artist. He took care of his diabetes while keeping an active lifestyle. As medical advancements were made, Scott adapted to new types of insulin and glucose monitoring devices. When he was 28, during a routine check-up, the doctor noted some abnormal blood work indicating a small issue with his kidneys.

In the following years the kidney problems worsened. By the time he was 38, Scott was feeling exhausted and sick. His kidneys were beginning to fail. Scott's doctor thought he was a good candidate for an organ transplant, so the process began to get Scott on the list. In order to get on the organ donation list, Scott had to pass many medical tests. There were regular tissue and blood workups, because doctors look at a host of indicators to determine the best match in organ donation.

Doctor's consider other variables as well. Not everyone makes the list. Patients who have overall poor general health, or who demonstrate poor health maintenance (smoking, excessive drinking, or not able to follow doctor's orders) may have trouble qualifying. Donated organs are considered a precious resource and doctor's are looking for patients who will have the best possible chance of success. There is a high rate of people who die while waiting on the list.

When Scott's name was added to the organ donation list, it became a waiting game for him. He purchased a cell phone in order to ensure he could be reached at all times by the transplant network. He also had to limit his travel in order to be near his medical facility should the call come in. As his wait continued, his kidneys reached the point that he was put on dialysis. He had to go to regularly scheduled dialysis appointments in order to clean the poisons out of his blood and draw the excess water out of his body. These treatments were keeping him alive as he waited for the call.
[ see part 2 here http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=17976.0 ]
http://blog.usa.gov/roller/govgab/entry/organ_transplant_making_the_list?comment=view