Here's a pic and newspaper article abt my first transplant!

[Krisna]

The one I got from my dad.  It lasted 8 & 1/2 yrs. 





March 10, 1980
Family bond strengthened by father's gift of kidney

Eight-year old Krisna Reece of Kent has a stronger bond with her daddy than most children.

She now has her father's kidney. The kidney was transplanted February 27 in Swedish Hospital Medical Center and is working better in Krisna than the one in her father, Jerry Reece has left.

But the prognosis for both is good. Reece, a 30 year- old Seattle school custodian, is now out of the hospital and recuperating at home - in between visits to Krisna.

Reece and his wife Judy have learned a lot about kidney disease since Krisna became ill last fall. And Krisna "understands the whole thing," said her father. "She knew it wasn't just like having the flu or something that she would get over right away. She knew it could threaten her life."

Month of dialysis


Krisna is a second grader at Pine Tree Elementary School in Kent. She didn't get to go to school too much this year. After her ailment was diagnosed in November, she spent a month undergoing dialysis on an artificial kidney machine and Children's Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle.

Doctors gave the family the choice of continuing dialysis or transplanting a kidney.

"We asked the doctors if we could go this way - a transplant," said Krisna's parents, aware that continuing dialysis would deprive Kris of freedom for ordinary childhood activities and might limit her development.

Krisna could had waited for a cadaver kidney, usually taken from accident victims, but physicians said that the chances of it functioning well were not as good as if kidney were donated from a member of her immediate family. Krisna has two sisters, Kari and Kelli but they are too young to donate organs. That left her parents. Mrs. Reece was not of Krisna's blood type and so couldn't be a donor.

Almost perfect match

Her father was an almost perfect match, not only in blood type but also in antigens (organisms in the blood that cause antibodies to develop that may reject the transplant.)

Mr. and Mrs. Reece have spent as much time as they can at Krisna's bedside in Swedish Medical Center. Kari, 2, and Kelli, 7 months, stayed with their grandmother, Launetta Reece, in Snoqualmie so their parents could be at the hospital.

Krisna doesn't complain about having to be in bed. She watches a lot of television and draws and colors. Her classmates have sent cards. And nestled on her be is a little black and white plush dog called "Doorknob," sent by her teacher, Doris Amundson. Her father's coworkers also have showered her with puzzles and other quiet toys.

Her favorite, a gift from hospital volunteers, is a tiny ballerina activated by a magnetic mirror. Krisna uses strips of bandage to plot its intricate dance steps.

No date has been set for her return home - and it may be a while before she's back in her classroom. But Krisna smiles and shakes her head when asked if she misses school a lot.

[bolta72]

What a great gift.

[donnia]

Thanks for sharing.... that is touching

[MyssAnne]

Aw. To be so young and to have to be so quiet.  I'm sure glad you had it for so long, so you could have a normal childhood (somewhat!)

[KT0930]

I was just about the same age when I received my first transplant from my mother. Like you and your dad, she and I have a much stronger bond (I think) than most moms and daughters. What an awesome thing for a parent to give us life twice!! 

[angela515]

Thank you for sharing!

I totally know how you felt, I got my first transplant from my mom. 

[paddbear0000]

Thanks you so much for sharing that. It was great to read.   

[Krisna]

I forgot to put the date on it so I fixed it.  I was always a daddy's girl but that made us even closer.  I am also extremely close to my three sisters. 

[Romona]

Thanks for sharing.

[Black]

   You were a well loved child.  Inspirational story, thanks for posting.

[Sluff]

Thanks for sharing such a special part of your life with us. 

[okarol]

Nice to read the story and see the pic.

I may have missed it - but how is your dad now?

[Krisna]

Nice to read the story and see the pic.

I may have missed it - but how is your dad now?

Well, he recovered from the surgery.  In fact he went back to work like 4 or 5 days after the transplant.  And he was fine for years after.  He was always physically active.  He love hiking in the N. Cascades and when I was a kid we went to MT a lot to my mom's family. 

But he has had a brain tumor for the past 8 yrs.  It's not related in any way to the transplant.  He had two different kinds as a preteen.  He survived the brain surgery for those and fully recovered which surprised the doctors.  Now he has a completely different kind but it's slow growing and he decided from the beginning that he did not want to have surgery.  And he's maxed out on radiation treatment!  He's still working right now so, I don't think he's going anywhere yet!  His grandmother lived to be 101 yrs. old!  I come from a long line of survivors!  But I did cry for a week when he told me!  I held it together until he left but I didn't stop crying for a week!

He told me a few weeks ago that the pressure in his head is getting worse so he was going to go see the doctor!  But for now, he's doing okay!  Spends lots of time with the 3 grandkids.  They're nieces and nephew to me. 

[paddbear0000]

Oh Krisna! I'm so sorry to hear that! That makes me very sad.    I hope he does decided to do surgery. He sounds like an awesome guy who will be missed terribly!

[Krisna]

Oh Krisna! I'm so sorry to hear that! That makes me very sad.    I hope he does decided to do surgery. He sounds like an awesome guy who will be missed terribly!

It's too late!  It's grown too much and without radiation to shrink it and make sure nothing else comes back it's pointless in his way of thinking.  But I do understand, there was a time just before my last transplant failed that I was seriously considering not going back to dialysis!  There's also the fact that he could come out of surgery a vegetable.  My dad also told me that they type of tumor that the very first was causes more down the road and that each one was a different type.  So, he won't change his mind abt it.  But yeah, it makes me sad too!  He's not just my dad, he's my best friend!

And btw, he is still a custodian for the Seattle School District!  lol  He actually left Seattle Schools for a while and went to work for the Kent School District. 

[Krisna]

There's some stuff that wasn't in the article that's kinda cool.  At least I think so..

#1)  I was in the hospital for minor surgery when I went into congestive heart failure after going to sleep.  My parents had left to go home and get some sleep.  Back then they made you           
       stay overnight if you were having surgery the next morning.  They visiting hours at the hospital I was in and they didn't allow visitors to stay the night!  If I had been at home I
       probably would've died!

#2)  The doctor at Children's Hospital who took me on as a patient was Robert Hickman (the Hickman Catheter guy, which he invented and patented in 1979).  He was my doctor until
        Medicare coverage ended three yrs. later! 

#3)  After I was released, I couldn't go back to school and my teacher, Doris Amundson, came to my house every day after school and tutored me on her own time!  I still talk to her and
       she is good friends with my dads' uncle!  I have lunch with Doris regularly!

#4)  The only medications available for kidney transplants were Prednisone and Imuran.  Dialysis in 1979-80 was acetate only and made everyone sick to their stomach.

#5)  I was dialyzed for 8 hrs. fours days a week.

[Bajanne]

Thank you so much for sharing these experiences with the IHD family.  Our caring thoughts and prayers are with you, and especially your dad.  Give him our best regards.

[Krisna]

Thank you so much for sharing these experiences with the IHD family.  Our caring thoughts and prayers are with you, and especially your dad.  Give him our best regards.

Thanks!  I will! 

[okarol]

Nice to read the story and see the pic.

I may have missed it - but how is your dad now?

Well, he recovered from the surgery.  In fact he went back to work like 4 or 5 days after the transplant.  And he was fine for years after.  He was always physically active.  He love hiking in the N. Cascades and when I was a kid we went to MT a lot to my mom's family. 

But he has had a brain tumor for the past 8 yrs.  It's not related in any way to the transplant.  He had two different kinds as a preteen.  He survived the brain surgery for those and fully recovered which surprised the doctors.  Now he has a completely different kind but it's slow growing and he decided from the beginning that he did not want to have surgery.  And he's maxed out on radiation treatment!  He's still working right now so, I don't think he's going anywhere yet!  His grandmother lived to be 101 yrs. old!  I come from a long line of survivors!  But I did cry for a week when he told me!  I held it together until he left but I didn't stop crying for a week!

He told me a few weeks ago that the pressure in his head is getting worse so he was going to go see the doctor!  But for now, he's doing okay!  Spends lots of time with the 3 grandkids.  They're nieces and nephew to me. 

Awww krisna, I am sorry to hear that about your dad!
I hope things stay stable for awhile. Best wishes to you both! 

[paddbear0000]

Krisna, you and your Dad are in my thoughts and prayers!!   

[MyssAnne]

My gosh, Krisna!  I'll be adding you and your dad to my prayers, I hope he comes out of this okay!! How are you doing???

Anne

[Krisna]

Here's an article abt the one he has now.  Meningioma of the cerebellum.  He can't have anymore radiation because there is a lifetime limit on how much they will let you have.  It's the ethics thing...any more and it won't be safe for him anyway.  And without radiation, there's really no point.  It would just come back.  So, he doesn't know if it's malignant or benign.  But he does know it's growing faster than it was!  But we just try and look on the positive side.  We know he's gonna die and we can prepare for it!  People like us tend to live life to the fullest because we know that we won't be here for ever!  I spend as much time with my dad and all of my family as well as hubby's family that we possibly can!  I love my dad and I will miss him terribly when he's gone but it's his choice to not get treatment and I respect that. 

Meningioma

Meningiomas are the most common benign tumors of the brain (95% of benign tumors). However they can also be malignant. They arise from the arachnoidal cap cells of the meninges and represent about 15% of all primary brain tumors. They are more common in females than in males (2:1) and have a peak incidence in the sixth and seventh decades. Most cases are sporadic while some are familial. There has been some evidence that persons who have undergone radiation to the scalp are more at risk for developing meningiomas. The most frequent genetic mutations involved in meningiomas are inactivation mutations in the neurofibromatosis 2 gene (merlin) on chromosome 22q.




Pathogenesis

Meningiomas arise from arachnoidal cells, most of which are near the vicinity of the venous sinuses, and this is the site of greatest prevalence for meningioma formation. They are most frequently attached to the dura over the superior parasagittal surface of frontal and parietal lobes, along the sphenoid ridge, in the olfactory grooves, the sylvian region, superior cerebellum along the falx cerebri, cerebellopontine angle, and the spinal cord. The tumor is usually gray, well-circumscribed, and takes on the form of space it occupies. They are usually dome-shaped, with the base lying on the dura.

Histologically, the cells are relatively uniform, with a tendency to encircle one another, forming whorls and psammoma bodies (laminated calcific concretions). They have a tendency to calcify and are highly vascularized.

Clinical manifestations

    Main article: brain tumor

Small tumors (e.g., < 2.0 cm) are usually incidental findings at autopsy without having caused symptoms. Larger tumors can cause symptoms depending on the size and location.

    * Focal seizures may be caused by meningiomas that overlie the cerebrum
    * Progressive spastic weakness in legs and incontinence may be caused by tumors that overlie the parasagittal frontoparietal region.
    * Sylvian tumors may cause a myriad of motor, sensory, aphasic, and seizure symptoms depending on the location.
    * Increased intracranial pressure eventually occurs, but is less frequent than in gliomas.

[edit] Diagnosis

Meningiomas are readily visualized with contrast CT, MRI with gadolinium, and arteriography, all attributed to the fact that meningiomas are extra axial and vascularized. CSF protein is usually elevated if lumbar puncture is attempted.

[edit] Treatment

    * Surgical resection -- Meningiomas can usually be surgically resected with permanent cure if the tumor is superficial on the dural surface and easily accessible. Transarterial embolization has become a standard preoperative procedure in the preoperative management. [1] For incompletely accessible tumors, recurrence is likely. These regions include the medial sphenoid bone, parasellar region, or anterior brainstem. If invasion of the adjacent bone occurs, total removal is nearly impossible. Malignant transformation is rare.

    * Radiation therapy, including Gamma KnifeTM or proton beam treatment, may be pursued in cases of inoperable or unresectable tumors, or if tumor shows malignant transformation. Focused radiation may also be helpful for small tumors at the base of the skull.

    * Conventional chemotherapy is likely not effective. Antiprogestin agents have been used, but with variable results. Recent evidence that hydroxyurea has the capacity to shrink unresectable or recurrent meningiomas is being further evaluated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meningioma

[paddbear0000]

Thanks for the info Krisna!