Meeting with tx team/living donor option

[Guest guest]

Hi, all,

I am behind on reading posts. Give me a bit to catch up.

Friday I met with the transplant team at New England Med. Dr. Freeman talked to

the three who have said they wanted to consider the living donor option. He

gave a balanced, well-informed talk about the option, and he also answered any

questions we had.

I have asked one of the candidates to drop out of consideration because she has

health problems that only recently surfaced. Of the two remaining candidates,

one just e-mailed me, and she's feeling that she can commit to going to the

second step (getting the okay from her pcp to continue with the process). I

have yet to hear from the third potential candidate (since the meeting),

although he was going on to Connecticut to visit his son & daughter-in-law and

is probably only now returning home.

If either of the two remaining potential donors work out, the earliest the

transplant would be considered is mid-February because New England Med wants the

donors to have time to think over their decision before the surgical procedure.

I have to say I was impressed by the ethics of New England Med, and with their

respect for the donors. It was a good experience, and I am much more settled

about the process. I know I continue to get closer to the top of the list, but

who knows when I will get there. Meanwhile, it seems okay to continue to pursue

this option. I cannot believe how grateful I am for the love of these amazing

people. That they would put themselves through this ordeal for me is truly a

blessing.

Well, I just had to share the experience. I'll post more on it as I go through

the process.

Take care,

in NH (dx.'85; listed 3/98)