• The right question

    Date: 2014.06.21 | Category: Uncategorized | Tags: ,,

    English: St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, On...

    English: St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada – at night from Queen Street. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

    I’ll agree that there is no such thing as a wrong question. However, I firmly believe that there is such a thing as the right question.

    Last week someone asked me something I’ve never in my 30 years as a renal patient ever been asked before: How long have I been on the transplant list?

    Of course for those who know me, would respond to that with a question as well: Which time?

    Because for those who truly know me, would know that my next transplant won’t be my first, second, or even last, as unfortunately as it is for me to type that. No, it’ll be my fourth. And no, I cannot have an indefinite number of transplants.

    Back to the original question though: This time, I have been on the list since 2007. Now to qualify that, when a renal patient goes on the list, they have to have gone on dialysis first. And your place on the list is based on what day you went back on dialysis. So despite the fact that St. Michael’s Hospital didn’t formally put me on the list until 2009, it went back to the day I went back onto dialysis.

    And every year I do a series of tests to ensure that I am medically capable of remaining on the list.

    A hemodialysis machine, used to physiologicall...

    A hemodialysis machine, used to physiologically aid or replace the kidneys in renal failure (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     

    So what does that mean for me?

    Well, likely I will be on the list until at least 2017, possibly longer. Because I’ve had so many transplants, I also have every antibody known to man. Thus, matching a donated kidney is difficult at best. A PITA at worst. At least I’m not getting any false calls… except for that one time in 2011 or 2012. Missed a day of work too.

    And the reality of it all is – until they can change my DNA to cure the underlying problem that causes the chronic rejection, the prognosis is that I’ll likely keep a transplanted kidney no more than 5 – 7 years… and then I’ll have to lather, rinse, and repeat.

    It can be a morbid subject that at one time might have caused some brief depression. Now in my own words to the doctor: “That’s 7 years I have freedom to do anything.”

    I have some freedom on dialysis, but it’s not true freedom. I can’t go on vacation in California, because I have no one to foot the medical bills. OHIP pays very little. They’re cheap bastards.

    So the question isn’t about how long I have been on the transplant list. The question my friend, is about weather or not I’ll be on it again. Or weather or not I’ll even want to bother with dialysis in the first place. We all assume I will. But until I am there making that decision, in the moment, I have no idea.

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