Here is an email we sent out last week:
Dear Friends,
After much discussion, prayer, listening and watching for God’s lead in this we have decided to send out this request. We hope you will thoughtfully consider it and pray that the best donor will be selected.
Background
As you may know I was diagnosed with kidney failure last November and in March went on full time dialysis. Fortunately my health is very stable now on dialysis and, in general, I feel the best I have felt in years. I am a candidate for a living donor kidney transplant and the team at Johns Hopkins has cleared me for a transplant if we can find a suitable matching donor.
Brother Craig
We are so thankful to have had four potential donors go through the process already, however, only one emerged as a candidate for transplant. My brother Craig matched 3 of the 6 required antibodies and if I undergo a couple de-sensitization treatments (plasma pheresis) the rejection risk of non-matching antibodies can be lessened. In other words, it IS possible for my brother to donate, though not a perfect match. The possibility for rejection with kidneys is much greater than other organs (including the liver –which is doing great by the way) so we (and the doctors) felt it would be important to make a final attempt to locate an even better match if there is one out there.
“Quick” Test Approved
Just today, we heard that the transplant team met and discussed my case. The doctors, one of whom knows me very well (Dr. Kraus) lobbied the transplant panel to bring the best resources of Hopkins to even more quickly identify matching donors. They have approved a quicker test that will be done on every potential donor. This test will provide an answer in days before the longer (couple weeks) test will be run. This will allow us to screen several people very quickly and hopefully get a bead on who could go to the next round.
Basic process:
1. Blood type should be O (they will test it also)
2. Call the DONOR transplant coordinator Valerie Bell 410-614-9345
3. Give a brief medical history over the phone or by email
4. If that looks okay, they will send 4-6 empty tubes which you can have filled any Quest/LabCorp/Doctor’s office that does blood draws.
5. Fed-Ex to Hopkins so it arrives before Friday of the week (shipping material provided)
6. Quick test (couple days) is performed on your blood
7. If that looks good, full test is performed (on same the same samples)
8. Couple weeks to full result
9. All information is confidential from me, so you can ask any questions you want, in fact I will never know you called unless you tell me.
Surgery
A lot of people ask what is involved with the surgery. There are a couple incisions (it is actually arthroscopic), the largest being to get the kidney out – maybe a couple inches. Surgery lasts several hours and recovery is 1- 3 weeks typically (only a few days in the hospital). My insurance will cover all the medical expenses.
Thanks so much.
Brent and Nicka
