We have a date!

Because of the willingness of my Heros, and the graciousness of one special donor, I have been scheduled to receive a kidney transplant on Friday June 23. My transplant will be as a part of an arranged six person swap, or “chain.” Three donors will give kidneys beginning next Friday to three recipients. Each recipient enters the swap program with a donor who is a good donor candidate but not a match for a direct donation. Through a series of tests and tissue typing, the willing donors are matched up with recipients making up a donor chain. With only six people involved in this swap, it is a much simpler coordination than in UAB’s most famous chain, the world’s record for a kidney swap with over sixty-five receipients!

https://www.uab.edu/news/service/item/7847-from-transplant-lab-worker-to-donor-birmingham-man-becomes-part-of-uab-s-world-record-kidney-chain

As you can see, the kidney swap program at UAB really broadens the donor and recipient footprint allowing more people to participate than one-to-one direct donations.

The surgery is expected to take three to four hours and according to those I have spoken with, I will feel better as soon as I wake up. I expect to be in the hospital for about a week following the procedure and to stay in UAB’s “Townhouse” for a week or two following that. The Townhouse is a converted residence hall available to patients and families for their post-operative recovery. UAB requires close monitoring following the transplant, and a stay at the Townhouse allows for a simple walk across the street for checkups.

Full recovery will be a work in progress, but according to some people that I have talked to who have had recent transplants, I should be up and about within about three weeks.

I am overjoyed to have the opportunity for this transplant. I try to live each day to the fullest (Carpe Diem!), and often times give it my best shot to squeeze a 25th hour out of each day, but the progression of this kidney disease has severely limited those efforts, and the limitations of long-term, or even short-term dialysis would have hampered them even more. While life sustaining, its much more difficult to “gather ye rosebuds while ye may” while tied to a blood cycling dialysis machine for three to four hours each day.

Many thanks to each one of you as we have travelled on this journey. Your kind words, helping hands, cards and notes of encouragement, hugs, kisses, and love have helped to carry us through to this point. You have laughed with us and cried with us --our cups runneth over… We want to thank you for what you have done, and for what you will do. Thank you for your interest in our lives, and thank you for your support.

Brian, Jennifer, Cash, and Taylor