Meet the transplant Doc today

[macojoe]

They are seeing if I am able to get a transplant. They took 17 bottles of blood today! The Doc stated that a person that get dialysis lives about 10 years and a transplant about 20 years.
That said he adds that the amun drugs that I have to take for the rest of my life after transplant will cause infections amnd maybe cancer.
So do i die of kidney failure or infection, or cancer?? thats a hell of a choise! I have so much cancer in my family that I might get it any way? so I will go for the transplant if I can get one? worth the risk for a extra 10 years.
I still have a ways to go, as it will be at least 3 months before I will know if my brother can donate, then 3 to 6 more months to do the transplant. So its going to be a tuff 2014 thats for sure.

[GREYWOLF]

Hang in there Joe , we are all sending prayer's and good thought's for you and your's . Keep your faith thing's will work out

[inaforty]

Joe,
You are always in our thoughts and prayers.
Hope everything works out and this New Year brings good things for you and your family.

[bradford]

Said a prayer for you bro. Hang in there.

[Well20F]

Hang in there MJ

[macojoe]

Thanks guys, I am hanging here is not much els to do.

[Redneck]

Good luck Capt..

[Blue_Runner]

There's only one who knows how long any of us will be around, but with that said I think you are right about going the transplant route. Very best of luck to ya big guy. Hope you get it and it goes perfectly.

[spareparts]

my brother in law is on his 12th year of his transplant, he's in as good of heath as he's ever been( a whole lot better shape than I am). he still rides his bicycle in limited competition, he does 100 plus miles each Sunday

[Destroyer]

Like Spare, I know several people that have had transplants. Two of them are well past their ten year mark. Don't ever listen to what a doctor tells you as far as longevity goes. The answers you get from them are just general statements and have nothing to do with an individual persons ability or willpower. We'll send the prayers, you just get better.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Yep, like said above don't always believe the docs. I was told over 12 years ago I wouldn't live through the night, yet here I am still going.

[bradford]

Yep, like said above don't always believe the docs. I was told over 12 years ago I wouldn't live through the night, yet here I am still going.


Lookin' good too Ferm! :sun:



A friend of mine's mother was in kinda bad shape. The doctor's told her she had 24-48 hours left. The family was called in from all around and basically told that now was the time to say goodbye.

That was almost two years ago and she's doing as good as anyone else her age.

[macojoe]

Thanks guys!! My wife a few years back was told she was going to pas, I called all and we sat with her waitting, well I should have known she was to much of a ***** to go, she still here!! LOL
I get my first Dialysis tomorrow.

[twhrider2]

:pray2:Hang tough MJ.. We will be thinking about you tomorrow.

[GREYWOLF]

Hang tuff big guy . bring a fishing mag. or a good book to pass the time and remember we are all ther with you . GOD BLESS my friend :pray2:

[Road King Cole]

I would assume if you do the transplant then you wouldn't have to do the dialysis? I would think that would be a better quality of life.

rkc

[Destroyer]

I would assume if you do the transplant then you wouldn't have to do the dialysis? I would think that would be a better quality of life.

rkc

Everything is relative RKC. Unfortunately, Dialysis is not a solution to the problem. It's just a way of keeping the person alive until a solution (transplant) presents itself. So, while the quality of life lessens somewhat with Dialysis, it's better than the alternative. And really, it's not so bad. Yes, you have to stay near a treatment center, but the treatment can be almost any place, so you can still take long vacations, and the quality of life is much better than without the treatments. The major drawback is just the time it takes.

[dbetterred]

Maco, my mom had a kidney transplant in 1980. She is still alive and well.
She does skin cancer and has ongoing treatment for that, but skin cancer (if caught early) won't kill you.
Transplants have gotten much better since the eighties. I can remember her taking fist fulls of pills after the surgery, thankfully those days are long gone. The newer drugs are much better controlled (it had been 33 years after all) and the actual transplant process is way more efficient now.

I hope this helps your fears a little.

Best of luck,
Chris

[reelapeelin]

Thanks guys, I am hanging here is not much els to do.

Keep on keepin' on, MJ...thinkin' about you down here...

[macojoe]

Thanks everyone!
I started the dialysis on Tue after some comfussion with the hosiptal not being able to get me in monday. It was a 2 hour treatment for the first time to see how things would be. All went well!!
But there always seems to be a but! When it was time to go home the nurse was no were to be found?? I had called friend Kenny to say I was needing a ride early as I thought it was going to be a 4 hour thing. I could see Kenny parked at the door from my room. Nurse shows up and I say were you been? I need to get going. She said that it does not work that way, and walked out! I walked out to her and stated my ride was there and I was leaving, she said who said you could go home? I said my doctor, she said well there is no orders here? I said you have 5 min to find some then I am gone!! She comes to room fast with head nurse and say there are no orders and i have to wait for the doc to call, before i could leave. i said see that truck by the door? she said yes i said thats my ride I see you later and started to walk out. the head nurse said wait sign here you are leaving with out doc order, i signed and was gone!
Went to the dialysis center yesterday for my 2nd treatment, again just 2 hours as i went the day before to the hosiptal. but they never got the word i was coming, oops guess walking out messed that up! LOL
They called the doc and in 30 min i was hooked up for my treatment. it also went very well but getting hooked up was a lot more painfull, they sain at the center they use a bigger needle thats why, but the more they use the arm the easier it will get. I said amazing what we get use to!!
Felt good after and drove myself there and home. but when i got home sat in my chair i passed out in 2 min flat! my wife was a little worried cause she bareky said hi and i was gone!But fter a 3 hour nap I was awake and hungry as a bare!!
Sp its begun I will be there every Mon, Wed, Fri 11am to 3pm for now on.

[Road King Cole]

Hi MJ,

try not to P-off the nurses if they will be the same ones attending you all the time ;)

So what did the doc say about a transplant?

rkc

[macojoe]

I qwill not be seeing them nurses again, they are not at the center. Transplant is a long prosses, they did all kinds of blood work, i have to have ekg & ztress test, colonoscopy. They ck for everything ! They said they want me to be healthy for a transplant. After the test and 4 months I will go back to Boston and meet the phic nutriotion and that crap then they will recomend transplant or not according to all my stuff. after that is all done and they say yes then my brother can be tested to see if we match or go on the list. but if my brother matches and passes all the same test to say he is a healthy person then they will say yes to him. so nothing here is going to go fast!!

[GREYWOLF]

AMEN we havent seen any posts from you . Was getting worried ! I am glad things went well . Keep up the good attitude with it . Soon things will get better .

[macojoe]

Sorry Gray, but I can only get online when the people next door have there router on, they seem to shut it off all the time?? I am surprised its on now!!
I still have no cable or internet and the phone was from cable so can't do dial up either. Just have the cell and I can't see it that well to go on the net with it.
Good news today was we got a local church to give us 100 gal Oil, so no more desil for awhile!!
I will try to post more as I can!

[smokeonthewater]

Good to hear from ya MJ ... was starting to wonder....

Does the clinic have WIFI?

a few of us regulars at maybe just $5 a head could buy a V-20.com tablet. Small price to pay to have you chained to the forum 2-4 hrs a day and 3 days a week