Fairbanks Mayor Strle recovering after successful kidney transplant

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Fairbanks Mayor Strle recovering after successful kidney transplant

By Rebecca George

Published Thursday, November 6, 2008

FAIRBANKS — Fairbanks Mayor Terry Strle and her cousin, Kathy Strle, are both recovering after a successful kidney transplant in Madison, Wis., on Wednesday.

Despite a last-minute decision by doctors to transplant the mayor's right kidney instead of the left — which is often a more painful procedure and recovery for the donor — the mayor is resting and in recovery for the next several days but doing well, according to the Strle family and the mayor’s husband, Steve Ferree.

Ferree said he was relieved the surgery went well for both his wife and her cousin and noted that the only thing out of the mayor’s mouth after she donated the kidney was that she wanted to know if her kidney was transplanted successfully and if her cousin was doing all right.

“She’s like that,” he said. “She’s always thinking of everybody else.”

Both the mayor and her cousin were unavailable for comment given the nature of their recoveries.

The transplanted kidney started working immediately for Kathy.

According to Ferree and the mayor’s sister, Linda, Kathy was all smiles, and both women were laughing after the surgery.

In the meantime, the two patients will be surrounded by family and friends in the hospital for the next three to four days.

According to a conversation with Kathy in September, she has received more than a kidney from her beloved cousin.

Kathy got her life back.

For the last two years, Kathy’s days ended at 8:30 p.m. when she headed home for dialysis treatment.

With the new kidney, the Strle family is excited for Kathy to have a night life again.

And if there’s anything distinctive about the Strle family, besides stubborn will, the family said, it’s that they all know how to have a good time.

The mayor will remain in Madison for another two weeks to follow up with physicians.

She is scheduled to return to Fairbanks on Nov. 18.

http://newsminer.com/news/2008/nov/06/fairbanks-mayor-strle-recovering-after-successful-/