Jeff's Journal

Waiting On Wednesday

The final call did not come today. Instead, a call for one more test, a six hour test and another day at the medical center. Donor #1 is going WAY beyond the call of duty. Hopefully tomorrow something conclusive will emerge.

The transplant coordinator called today. She is optimistic this thing is going to go forward and on June 7 we will have a transplant. They are starting me on the anti-rejection and immune suppressant medicines beginning Thursday. In essence, I become an AIDS patient as the drugs suppress my immune system. The plan is to keep the recipient alive just enough to not kill the donated organ and then find the balance between the recipient and donated organ survival. Thursday I go into seclusion for a couple of months. Howard Hughes time. Have any Kleenex boxes?

Dialysis is getting better. The recovery takes a while as I am worn out when the four hours are finished. After the three hour mark, it is as if every cell in my body is vibrating. The entire epidermis tingles. The sensation of vibration finally calms in the evening in time to go to bed. I’ll endue this because I know in the morning I’ll feel much better.

posted by Jeff Waldo @ 6:59 PM