The Call...

[hyperlite]

Who's ever recieved "The Call"?? Whats the story behind it, anything exciting? How many times have you been called? Let's hear some stories!

[Rerun]

Mine was SO long ago, but I got called in October of 1987 and went in for the final cross match.  They put me in a hospital bed and they came in and said it was a "Positive Match" I was SO excited until I looked around and the Dr was not excited.  Positive match means they reacted to each other.  You want a negative match.  I went into a deep depression and decided to try CAPD instead of Hemo.  I did well on CAPD.

The next call I got was February 1988.  I did the cross match and was put in a room.  The nurse came in and said "it is a go."  So, I got up and started to get dressed.  She said "what are you doing you are 'going' to surgery."  I thought "go" meant "go home." 
So, that kidney lasted 17 years.   

[hyperlite]

When you thought you were getting the kidney, turns out you didn't (positive is bad...negative would have been good)
And when you thought you were going home, you actually got the kidney (its a go means stay, not go...)

They sure like to throw you for a loop!

[kevno]

My last call 91 8am in the morning, my potassium was a bit high so that had to be lowered. Had the drips up gown on and pre-med given. Was having the Transplant at 4pm. At 4.05pm a nurse came to my bed side, said they had found something was wrong with the Kidney. So I could go home. Plus how did I feel, was I alright. Was I alright. Sure after 8 hours waiting, having all the things that need to be done just before an transplant. Was I *#"% alright. So home I went to do a CAPD exchange. Never been called since

Kevno

[Panda_9]

I got the call in 94 at about 6am. Was totally unexpected and very exciting! Not long before, few days I think, that I had said a prayer before I went to bed, to please find me a kidney. I'm not religious, but I guess one will try anything to get a kidney. Although it feels kinda awful knowing that someone has died to give you life.

[kevno]

The Call. When I had my Transplant. 11pm 24th November 1980. Had the Transplant 4am 25th November 1980. Not much happened. Was in Hospital for 3 months had a hard time with the Kidney keep rejecting. I Remember Xmas 1980 Great 5 shacks of goodies. Me And two Nurses started to open then just after midnight.

[livecam]

We were in the server room here at the TV station wiring up new racks of equipment when my only call came.  It was just after noon on a Thursday in November.  On the other end one of the transplant coordinators said "we think we have a kidney for you".  I was scheduled for my yearly cardiac stress test in 5 days so the transplant center wasn't sure if they could go ahead.  They said they would call back in a couple of hours with the final word.  I decided to take a chance and start heading in their direction.  I was in Hollywood and the center was in San Diego.  I called my wife and asked her to get ready and then made tracks home which is about 30 miles away in the wrong direction.  We packed quickly and beat feet out of there stopping at our daughter's school to let her know what was happening and say goodbye.  We arranged with neighbors to pick her up and let her stay with them for a few days. We hit the road driving about as fast as I could get away with which was around 75-80.  Not hearing from the center I called them when we reached Orange County which is roughly halfway.  They said all was a go.  They had everything covered including a place for us to stay after release from the hospital.  Its time to go home now so I'll make it short.  It happened and it has worked for almost 5 years. 

[Bajanne]

That was a great account, Livecam.  Hope it lasts as long as you do.

[Rerun]

Today at work I got a call.  The other end of the phone said "This is Sutter Transplant Center blah, blah, blah"  That is all I heard and my heart stopped.  I gathered myself and tuned in.... It was the stupid dietition!  She said "your center has indicated that you are losing weight is there anything we can do for you"?  DUMB Question.  I yelled into the phone "FIND ME A TRANSPLANT THAT IS WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR ME!"  GEEZ  Then I said "How do I know I'm really on the LIST"?  Kaiser patients thought they were on "the list" for 2 fricken years!!!

[livecam]

Ah Rerun, you gotta play their game.  No yelling into the phone!  Remember you're the compliant dialysis patient who is doing everything they tell you to do!  That Kaiser thing happened the way it did because Kaiser F...... up as they often do.  You should have gotten a confirmation letter when you were added to the list.  If not request one from them. BTW: I would have been pissed off too!

[Rerun]

Confirmation Letter?  What does that prove?  I want to go "online" and see where my name is on the list and I want to see other names dissappearing when they get a transplant.  I want to see Live Action.

I seriously don't think I'll get another transplant, so I'm going to give them all the shit I can.   

[hyperlite]

Lets take that idea one step further Rerun, lets turn it into a reality TV show! Everytime someone gets a kidney, they show up at your door with cameras!

[livecam]

I have to agree Rerun that the system is something of a black hole.  You never really know where you are on the list at any given time so planning for possible transplant is impossible.  I remember taking a 4 day cruise which is right about at the limit of what someone on dialysis can do about a month before the big event.  If I had any idea that my number was about to come up I would have been walking more and generally trying to get in shape for the surgery.  The system right now is a crapshoot.  You only know in the most general of terms where you might be on the list based on blood type, location of the center, etc.  It is damn frustrating going through all the badness that comes with dialysis and knowing that the elusive transplant could end it all...someday.  There has to be a way of keeping patients better informed...no they can't promise a kidney on Wednesday at noon but it should be possible to tell someone where they stand on the cadaveric list.

[kevno]

It's not too bad in the UK seen my name on the list. But i think they put it on for appointment day, then the day after take it of the LIST It seems that way just now. I have now been told that I have been taken of the list because of my leg To weak to have a transplant. I keep saying to myself "must get it sorted out"
Surgeon been on holiday, now his secretary is on holiday. So I am waiting for him to come around to the unit
to see me. Hopfully next Tuesday or Thursday. This as dragged on for too long now. three months.

Kevno

[jdat]

I just got the call 


I'll let you know in a couple weeks how it went!

[tamara]

Congratulations, hear from you and your new partner in crime (kidney) in a few weeks.

[babi68]

Thats fantastic news. Hope it goes well for you and post again soon. Liz

[Rerun]

WOW, best of luck and my prayers are with you.

[Panda_9]

Woohoo!!! The very best of luck for a sucessful and speedy recovery!

[Naggy6]

I had already taken the day off work, to finish up some Christmas shopping. When the phone rang at 7 AM I thought I'll brain my husband for waking me up at that hour when I told him I didn't have to work that day. Much to my surprise it was the dr. telling me they had a kidney that looked like a great match for me. I was so excited I had been waiting 5 years.

Unfortunately it didn't last very long but heck at least on Christmas I got to have all the fluid I wanted. 

[girlfriend]

"THE CALL"

My first "call" came when I was at home watching tv.. I just packed my bags and headed out.. Oh it was very exciting, finally after 7 years and 5 of them on the "list".. I tried not to get to excited, thinking that if it did not work i did not want to get to depressed over it all.. I remember getting more excited over another dialysis patient getting a call then I did with my own.. That kidney (from a 14 year old boy "David" (found this out my mistake, doctor switching office and info in back of our reports that we had to take with us to appt.) burn victim cardiac arrest. That kidney lasted 16 years.

My second call was in the middle of winter.  storming out, had a 50 mile drive to the airport, but made it fine.. Thing is, when i got there they would not give me the kidney. ( i had my parathyroid removed and like always a small piece left in. it had grown to about the size of a cherry..) Doc came to me and said.. they did not know what it was.. well hell everyone could see or at least figure out what had happend.  but oh well thats the way it goes.  She said you could be growing another head or something for all we know.. HELLO? and your a doctor?  . I got through that one OK as they already had me all doped up so i really didn't give a sh*t by then.. (had a free plan ride to boot!) LOL
 
My third call. I again was at home and had to travel that dreaded 50 miles to catch the plane.. things went better this time as it was only September and we did not have any snow storms at that time.. I did get the kidney. (from a 45 year old lady, car accident) that was in Sept 2000.. doing great..Starting year 6 this Sept.

But I have a question, after reading your posts and you all talking about a list.. is it really a list? I live in Canada.. and I was under the impression that here in Canada as the list goes, you need to be needing a kidney more then the next guy (if there are more then one candidate for the available kidney) in good shape, health wise. like no flue or cough type thing. And it depends on the situation, like are you single a working member of the family where your income makes the difference etc etc. and a panel (so to speak) decides who is the best for the kidney at the time.
Does this sound right? so it is not like i am second on the list  or sixth  but who best fits the profile... Only in Canada eh???
Barb

[jdat]

I just got home after spending 15 days in the hospital! Everything is a-ok! 
I will explain my little 'story' in another thread.

In regards to the call itself:
I was in dialysis it was about 10.40 pm or and the nurse comes over all stressed out and tells me we just got a call for a transplant for you. ( The transplant center is over an hour away and they first have to call my hospital/dialysis center before calling me directly ).
I was like ok when do I leave! 
She tells me that my taxi that usually brings me to dialysis would first take me home to get my stuff and then would bring me to the transplant hospital. ..... When time for dialysis time was up the nurse taking care of me tells me to hurry up cause I was leaving for the hospital right away.
I get angry and tell her I was first going home to get some things!
She had the nerve to go check with the first nurse that I had been told I could go home first.
If they had denied me to go home first to get some things I would have gone as far as a fist fight with them 

[Rerun]

jdat, Congratulations!!  I sure am glad you came through this and are doing good.  Keep us posted and drink a big glass of milk for me!
 

[Bajanne]

Yeah, Jdat, that is so exciting!  Please keep us posted and give us ALL the details.

[Epoman]

I just got home after spending 15 days in the hospital! Everything is a-ok! 
I will explain my little 'story' in another thread.

In regards to the call itself:
I was in dialysis it was about 10.40 pm or and the nurse comes over all stressed out and tells me we just got a call for a transplant for you. ( The transplant center is over an hour away and they first have to call my hospital/dialysis center before calling me directly ).
I was like ok when do I leave! 
She tells me that my taxi that usually brings me to dialysis would first take me home to get my stuff and then would bring me to the transplant hospital. ..... When time for dialysis time was up the nurse taking care of me tells me to hurry up cause I was leaving for the hospital right away.
I get angry and tell her I was first going home to get some things!
She had the nerve to go check with the first nurse that I had been told I could go home first.
If they had denied me to go home first to get some things I would have gone as far as a fist fight with them 

When you post the story PLEASE, PLEASE be as descriptive as possible and tell us every detail. Your story will help MANY people make a decision to transplant or not. Please make a new thread and make it a LONG one. Thanks.

- Epoman