A really good thing and a lesser good thing.

[High_Jumbllama]

My mother just got back from John Hopkin's Hospital in Baltimore. She donated a kidney to a 17 year old boy. Both are doing well. THe doctors say it was a textbook surgery.

I took in my Dreamcast since I have not used it in years to help him keep his sanity while there. I'll let him keep it if he wants it. His father has two Atari machines. and they're gonna give me one. I think I am going to make out on the trade.

[TransformX]

Great news !
Your mother is a very special person, you probably know it better than any of us

[Chrono_Wanderer]

that sounds great. Its very nice of you to consider emotional support too

[TnT]

That's a marvelous thing you guys are doing.

[High_Jumbllama]

Thursday was not fun. Up 'til 1AM the night before. Alarm goes off at 4:30AM. I'm up first? Open her bedroom door and turn on the hall light. Leave aroun 5:50AM. Get to hospital. Now I understand why they want to put cameras in Baltimore. My cousin and grandmother show up. We end up in the waiting room with the recipient's family which is not supposed to happen for pressure reasons. It was cool though. Was extremely tired due to about 3.5 hours of sleep. Slept only about five minutes due to being unbelievably worried on the inside. Was at the hospital for 13 hours including a few in her room after she was out of recovery. Before the surgery, I thought she was crazy. I still think she is but it was definitely worth it. I can't imagine getting cut open but then again I have never had any emotional reason for it. Had to take tylenol due to a stress headache. His family was very nice. We passed stories back and forth which kept us mostly calm except for the automatic head jerk reaction whenever I or someone from their group would answer one of the phones. We were very close to the pediatric pre-op or maybe it was intensive care. It was depressing watching the various kids get wheeled by so I had to sit facing the other direction. I'm looking forward to a relaxing work week with a visit from a friend at the end of the week. Work stress is much less traumatic.

She's very mobile though of course any kind of lifting is a bad thing for now. She should be driving in about three weeks if we allow her. I'd rather drive her to work for an extra week. The recipient should be out by Wednesday.

[High_Jumbllama]

Originally posted by Chrono_Wanderer


that sounds great. Its very nice of you to consider emotional support too

I was not happy beforehand. Our family was mislead by my mother about a few things which got us irritated but it was because my mother was following all the rules to the letter. Seeing the other family calmed me down. I hold grudges/bad feeling the longest in my family.

He's already walking around. He's urine is back to a normal color. He now has three and one can have up to four due to surgeries like this.

[KvHagedorn]

Originally posted by High_Jumbllama
He's already walking around. He's urine is back to a normal color. He now has three and one can have up to four due to surgeries like this.

Three and four what?

Your mom is a saint for doing this.. not one in a thousand would have such a giving heart. How old is she, btw? Please keep us updated on how she is doing.

[Helevitia]

Excellent! It's nice to hear about good things like this. Tell you rMom she is an awesome person!

[Elie]

This is great news for sure, I wish your mother and the boy a speedy recovery and a great life.

Regards,
Elie

[Fat Tone]

That is indeed a truly marvellous this she has done.
I'm ignorant of these things...what are the long term effects for her?

[mmp121]

Originally posted by KvHagedorn
Three and four what?

Your mom is a saint for doing this.. not one in a thousand would have such a giving heart. How old is she, btw? Please keep us updated on how she is doing.

Assuming that the person who recieved the transplant has 2 fully functional kidneys that were working under capacity, I would say that the three and four comment means he's got 3 kidneys right now (because of your mothers giving) and could have as many as four ?

/could also be way off...

[High_Jumbllama]

Originally posted by KvHagedorn
Three and four what?

Your mom is a saint for doing this.. not one in a thousand would have such a giving heart. How old is she, btw? Please keep us updated on how she is doing.

Yup. Kidneys.

[GT98]

Wow why does he need 4 kindeys? the orginal set that messed up?

[SpiralDragon]

that is a good thing you and your mother have done... if only there where more people like that in the world...

[High_Jumbllama]

Originally posted by GT98
Wow why does he need 4 kindeys? the orginal set that messed up?

Doctors had said that he would not make it past 1 year old. His kidneys have been deteriorating since he was born but there was no need for a transplant yet.

One does not even need two. One needs enough to safely handle waste levels in the blood. They can put in up to four assuming the previous ones aren't infected or detrimental to the body. Even 10% functioning is better than 0% in the kidneys he already has. It gives the recipient more leeway.