NATION'S CAPITAL AREA Organ and Tissue Transplant RESOURCE GUIDE for Transplant Candidates and Recipients Prepared by

Nation's Capital Area Chapter of  TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION March 1997

© Copyright 1997 Nation's Capital Area Chapter of TRIO

This book is dedicated to the thousands of donor families who gave the greatest gift possible -- the gift of life.  These families are the true heroes and heroines in the medical miracle of organ and tissue transplantation.

TO REMEMBER ME    

THE DAY WILL COME WHEN MY BODY WILL LIE UPON A WHITE SHEET NEATLY TUCKED UNDER FOUR CORNERS OF A MATRESS, LOCATED IN A HOSPITAL BUSILY OCCUPIED WITH THE LIVING AND DYING. AT A CERTAIN MOMENT, A DOCTOR WILL DETERMINE THAT MY BRAIN HAS CEASED TO FUNCTION AND THAT, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, MY LIFE HAS STOPPED.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO INSTILL ARTIFICIAL LIFE INTO MY BODY BY THE USE OF A MACHINE. AND DON'T CALL THIS MY DEATHBED. LET IT BE CALLED THE BED OF LIFE, AND LET MY BODY BE TAKEN FROM IT TO HELP OTHERS LEAD FULLER LIVES.

GIVE MY SIGHT TO THE MAN WHO HAS NEVER SEEN A SUNRISE, A BABY'S FACE OR LOVE IN THE EYES OF A WOMAN.

GIVE MY HEART TO A PERSON WHOSE OWN HEART HAS CAUSED NOTHING BUT ENDLESS DAYS OF PAIN.

GIVE MY BLOOD TO THE TEENAGER WHO WAS PULLED FROM THE WRECKAGE OF HIS CAR, SO THAT HE MIGHT LIVE TO SEE HIS GRANDCHILDREN PLAY.

GIVE MY KIDNEYS TO ONE WHO DEPENDS ON A MACHINE TO EXIST FROM WEEK TO WEEK.

TAKE MY BONES, EVERY MUSCLE, EVERY FIBER AND NERVE IN MY BODY AND FIND A WAY TO MAKE A CRIPPLED CHILD WALK.

EXPLORE EVERY CORNER OF MY BRAIN. TAKE MY CELLS, IF NECESSARY, AND LET THEM GROW SO THAT SOMEDAY A SPEECHLESS BOY WILL SHOUT AT THE CRACK OF A BAT, AND A DEAF GIRL WILL HEAR THE SOUND OF RAIN AGAINST HER WINDOW.

BURN WHAT IS LEFT OF ME AND SCATTER THE ASHES TO THE WINDS TO HELP THE FLOWERS GROW.

IF YOU MUST BURY SOMETHING, LET IT BE MY FAULTS, MY WEAKNESSES AND ALL PREJUDICE AGAINST MY FELLOW MAN.

GIVE MY SINS TO THE DEVIL.

GIVE MY SOUL TO GOD.

IF, BY CHANCE, YOU WISH TO REMEMBER ME, DO IT WITH A KIND DEED OR WORD TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS YOU.

IF YOU DO ALL I HAVE ASKED, I WILL LIVE FOREVER.

  by ROBERT N. TEST     Note to Candidates (and their families)

This guide is meant to be a "living" book. It will be updated to reflect the continuous changes in the transplant community. It is being written to make available the best information that present transplant recipients and current candidates have to share with each new candidate. Progress in the transplant health field is made each day. Kidneys, partial livers, partial pancreases, and recently lung lobes are donated by both living related and non-related donors. Hearts, heart valves, lungs, livers, pancreases, kidneys intestines and corneas are donated by the generous families of loved ones who are declared brain dead. Bone marrow and tissue comes from a living donor who may or may not be a blood relative of the recipient. Donors, and their families are people just like you and me.

Recipients are forever grateful for the generosity of their Donors, expressed with two overused but sincere words -- "THANK YOU ! ! !" Usually followed by "I would not be here today to . . . if it weren't for your generosity! "

Transplant Patient Stages

Most transplants are given to people with chronic disease or genetic problems who go through a very extensive evaluation program to ascertain the possibility and probability of positive transplantation. Some transplants are given to people who suffer an acute attack, are in a coma, and the transplant is needed within days or hours. These, if they are lucky, wake up transplanted.

For the chronic transplant patient, or candidate, the process is generally the same.

• DENIAL - "No, not me. The doctor can't possibly be talking about me. I'm sick, but not sick enough to die."
• PARTIAL ACCEPTANCE - "Why can't the pills make me better?" I'm not ready to die. I want to . . ."
• BARGAIN WITH YOUR GOD - "GOD if I can live until . . . I'll . . ." (And make peace with my God.)
• ACCEPTANCE - "Yes, I'm convinced, I want that transplant. I'm not ready to die, I want to live! Let's do it."
• EVALUATION - "Am I accepted? I am accepted for my . . . transplant. I hope it comes real soon. (The wait can be months, even years.)"
• ANXIETY - "Why is it taking so long to get my new . . . ? I don't know how much longer I will be able to hold on. Where am I on the list, now? Can't somebody be generous when their loved one dies? Don't they know that people are dying every day because they didn't get their . . . transplant on time?"
• DISBELIEF - "My new . . . , are you sure? Are you sure that someone younger doesn't need it worse? . . . Of course I want it. . . . I can't believe it. Yes, I'm ready. Let's go! Let's do it" "Hello, Honey, my new . . . is here!"
• THANK YOU GOD! - "I sure am glad that I did this. Thank you doctors. Thank you nurses. Thank you donor. I hurt. I feel so good. Gee, I didn't know food could taste so good. Really good."

For the acute transplant patient, or candidate, the above process is compressed to hours if the candidate is conscious. There are some who wake up in ICU to find that they have received a precious gift of life. They have had no time for the emotional preparation to such a change in their life.

No matter, you will not be the first one . Someone has done it before. The transplant recipients life revolves around the next time he or she has to take their medications. Many return to their former occupation. Some are back to work in under a month. Many experience many more years added to their life. Transplants offer hope, but there are no guarantees.

Life

Life ends instantaneously for some.
Life's end is long and painful for others.
Life's end is known by some, but for others
It ends when you least expect it.

Life is good to most people for a long time.
Life takes some people very early on.
Life fights with death for the cream of the crop
It ends when you least expect it.

 
Life is taken advantage of by some, others live for one
Day at a time, and cross bridges when they come to them
Life usually ends for the careful ones, not the careless.
It ends when you least expect it.

Life's end is welcomed by those who are suffering.
Life's end is not welcomed for those who are not.
Life is hard after a loved one dies.
It ends when you least expect it.

Life is a terrible thing to waste.

By Kristi Lynne Brown
March 16, 1968 - June 24, 1987
(Donor of Heart, 2 Kidneys and 2 Corneas)
Reprinted with permission of the Kristi Brown family