We had our second visit to the Toronto General Hospital (Transplant hospital), it was to go through the social work aspect of the transplant steps. It was an amazing visit. We got to understand so much more, the process, the way to afford the rejection drugs for life, the donor side of things, etc. We left there feeling more at ease, comfortable with everything that will happen during the process. On our last visit we were a ball of nerves, scared, worried and more, but this one visit to understand things that much clearer made everything calm in our minds.
Amazing is how we feel about this process now!
THE FOREVER YOUNG'S - We married in August 1996 to start the Youngs...added our little miracle girl in July 2000.....We three are what make up "THE FOREVER YOUNG'S". We are a family that devotes our time to "FAMILY TIME"......every moment is a cherished one!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
Care to Donate for the Kidney Foundation?
Click on the link to take you to donate for something that will benefit from someone we know at somepoint in our lives! Give the Gift of Life Walk 2012
Sponsor for the Gift of Life Walk 2012
Sponsor for the Gift of Life Walk 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
First Visit To Transplant Hospital
We visited for the first time last week the Transplant Hospital. We were excited, nervous, anxious & overwhelmed. We got to the hospital with just seconds to spare, Toronto traffic is brutal!! Then to find where we were going we needed directions. We made it to the first appointment, the blood clinic, 14 viles of blood later and an ECG then off to visit our Transplant Assesment Co-ordinator (TAC).
When we frist went down we thought that Ken was cleared to be operated on, but that however was not the case, he needs the Transplant Nephrologist to clear him first. We don't see him until October, and we may be in need of more tests for the clearance. In fact, just yesterday we were contacted to get another Echocardiogram completed, and to our amazement is being done this Thursday.
We got up to the transplant floor, which got us quite emotional......it was really beginning!!!!!
At first it wasn't what we expected, we were 3 other families who were going through the same pocess as we were. We couldn't speak about the details of our own cases, just more of a generalization. We went through what is taking place prior to a transplant, what happens during a transplant and what happens after. A lot of details, that were a lot to take in (thank goodness for the 186 page manual) which we've already ready cover to cover.
When we were in the meeting with our TAC, having the other family members there really helped. They had questions that we never thought of and likewise. There were certain things that the receipient will have to undergo, that Ken has already had to undergo and he was able to explain how he had felt going through it. The great feeling about all of it, that we were all on the same page, able to understand eachother as well as help.
The one question we all had was about our donor's. What support they will receive? We all said it's all about the receipient, and she said it is with her since she is working with us, but the assistance the donor gets is as equally involved, which we were all happy to hear.
We were told that the recipient will be in hospital for 10 days, and then will need to return to the hospital 3 times per week for 6 weeks, then they start to reduce the amount of visits to bi-weekly to monthly, etc. Then the receipent will be on rejection drugs for the rest of their lives, which can cause many side effects. A kidney transplant is not a cure it's a different way of life other then dialysis, more freedom.
We were also told that the donor is taken in the morning for the operation, and then will remain in the hospital for 3 days, and go back to see the transplant team of dr's a couple times. They said that the donor receives Laposcopy surgury to have their kidney remove, which is why it takes less healing time.
Overall a week after going to our first visit we feel more at ease. Immediately after the appointment our emotions were so high, we were frightened of the effects of the rejection drugs & the cost of them, but somehow, someway it will all get sorted out one way or another. The key to all of this is to be able to live a normal life, free of dialysis.
All we need is faith, love, encouragement and support and we can get through this.
When we frist went down we thought that Ken was cleared to be operated on, but that however was not the case, he needs the Transplant Nephrologist to clear him first. We don't see him until October, and we may be in need of more tests for the clearance. In fact, just yesterday we were contacted to get another Echocardiogram completed, and to our amazement is being done this Thursday.
We got up to the transplant floor, which got us quite emotional......it was really beginning!!!!!
At first it wasn't what we expected, we were 3 other families who were going through the same pocess as we were. We couldn't speak about the details of our own cases, just more of a generalization. We went through what is taking place prior to a transplant, what happens during a transplant and what happens after. A lot of details, that were a lot to take in (thank goodness for the 186 page manual) which we've already ready cover to cover.
When we were in the meeting with our TAC, having the other family members there really helped. They had questions that we never thought of and likewise. There were certain things that the receipient will have to undergo, that Ken has already had to undergo and he was able to explain how he had felt going through it. The great feeling about all of it, that we were all on the same page, able to understand eachother as well as help.
The one question we all had was about our donor's. What support they will receive? We all said it's all about the receipient, and she said it is with her since she is working with us, but the assistance the donor gets is as equally involved, which we were all happy to hear.
We were told that the recipient will be in hospital for 10 days, and then will need to return to the hospital 3 times per week for 6 weeks, then they start to reduce the amount of visits to bi-weekly to monthly, etc. Then the receipent will be on rejection drugs for the rest of their lives, which can cause many side effects. A kidney transplant is not a cure it's a different way of life other then dialysis, more freedom.
We were also told that the donor is taken in the morning for the operation, and then will remain in the hospital for 3 days, and go back to see the transplant team of dr's a couple times. They said that the donor receives Laposcopy surgury to have their kidney remove, which is why it takes less healing time.
Overall a week after going to our first visit we feel more at ease. Immediately after the appointment our emotions were so high, we were frightened of the effects of the rejection drugs & the cost of them, but somehow, someway it will all get sorted out one way or another. The key to all of this is to be able to live a normal life, free of dialysis.
All we need is faith, love, encouragement and support and we can get through this.
Sunday, August 05, 2012
SURPRISED!!!
We came home tonight from a week away in PEI visiting family. We were going to write about what an amazing time we had with those we got to spend time with, but instead we are writing about the surprise we came home to......wait for it.....a message from the Toronto General Hospital, in the message she said that she would follow the call up with a letter, so our next step was to rush to the mailbox. To our surprise there it was.....what does it say you ask? We are set up for our first appointment downtown with the transplant team.....OMG pinch us, is this moving forward? Well this Wednesday we have our first appointment, what could be any better then that? We also have dates that take us into October!!! Coming back from vacation, feeling that feeling, getting back to the grind, when in fact we're feeling more hope then we have in a long time......is something going right for us? Amazing, purely, amazing!
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