The right information at the right time

They say with age comes wisdom, it teaches you to appreciate and understand the process of life. It's wonderful to be able to witness and appreciate how God / the Universe works.

When I had blood taken for the last tests, my blood pressure was taken, and I was told it was a little high. Nothing to be concerned about, but worth doing something about to ensure it doesn't increase more.

Earlier in the week I had a sudden craving for cinnamon. I kept thinking about pancakes with cinnamon. So I finally gave in and had a glass of soya milk and sprinkled cinnamon on top.

Speaking to Pieter yesterday, I mentioned my blood pressure and asked him for suggestion on how to get it down and keep it down. And guess what is a very effective natural way of doing it? Cinnamon!

Wait there's more! Two weeks ago a colleague at work told me about a documentary he'd seen on the telly about the effect protein has on the human body. I was so intrigued Natasja and I decided to watch it. In short, scientist have discovered that a high protein diet fuels the body and puts it in a state of high performance. It's good for short lengths when you need the energy for physical activities or excercise, but its like driving your car at high revs the whole time. It gives you speed and performance, but damages the engine in the long run.

The effects of the protein puts the whole body and cells under pressure, stopping it from relaxing. Cells under constant strain die or become cancerous. It's in the relaxed state that the body heals and creates new cells.

So Natasja and I decided to follow the advice of the program and started a diet in which we have protein only every second day. On the days we don't have protein we have salad, meal replacements and some carbs.

In another conversation with Pieter yesterday he told me how much strain protein puts on our kidneys. He can only have red meat occasionally or else he feels ill due to its high protein content. He suggested that after the operation when I only have one kidney I refrain from eating too much protein. I then told hom about the documentary we saw!

Isn't it amazing how God provides us with just the right information just at the right time for any situation? The trick is to be open and aware enough to notice the signs and opportunities and to use them.

It's a celebration!

 Today Pieter and Lizelle came to visit us for a braai (BBQ), and we took the opportunity to celebrate our perfect score on the cross-match test with some bubbly.

What a brilliant day! We couldn't ask for better weather, it was sunny and warm, which is very rare in England these days. We had such a lovely time, even their dog Trinity loved being outdoors, rolling on the grass. It's so nice to see Pieter and Lizelle so relaxed, it seems that with every steps that we get closer to the transplant, more weight is lifted from their shoulders.

Thanks for an awesome day! Soon we'll be doing more of this, and no more trips to the hospital.

 

 

A perfect cross-match!

I know it's only been a week and a day, but since my sister asked me this morning if I heard anything from the hospital, I couldn't stop thinking about it all day. I hate waiting, and the suspense is unbearable.

So after lunch I decided to phone Ray Trevitt in the hope he had some good news. He looked on his PC but there was no information logged. He generously told me he would phone the lab and find out if they have any information if I don't mind holding. Mind?! I thought almost out loud! Yes please Ray!

When Ray finished his conversation with the lab, he told me: "It all looks good" in a very calm voice. "What does that mean?" I asked, desperate for a full explanation. Ray then told me that the cross-match is a complete negative. Meaning there was zero reaction/ rejection between our cells. He told me there is usually some degree of reaction, but in this case there was none. This is the best result we could ask for, because it means that Pieter won't need to take any immune suppressants to stop his body from rejecting my kidney. It also dramatically increases the life expectancy of his new kidney, possibly beyond 25 years!

We're just waiting on the tissue type match results, but given that we have a 100% match for two out of the three most important tests, I'm confident it will come back as a 100% match as well.

In the meantime I've booked my appointment for my kidney function test for this coming Tuesday 21 August 2012. This will complete the tests, and when they give this full marks as well, the last hurdle is the interview with the board who will ultimately decide if the transplant can go ahead.

If they ask me to explain why I want to do this for a man whom I've met only two months ago, my answer will simply be: "Explain to me why I shouldn't."

Tissue and cross-match tests

Today both Pieter and I had to go to the hospital to have blood taken for the tissue and cross-match tests. Unfortunately I didn't get to see Pieter as he went early morning because he and Lizelle had tickets to watch an Olympic event.

I arrived at 11am and made my way to the Renal Unit reception. I was met by Ray Trevitt the Specialist Nurse whom I've only spoken to on the phone a number of times. It was nice to be able to put a face to a name. Ray was very polite and kind, he gave me the necessary paperwork and told me to have the blood taken and then meet him in his office. It went smoothly again and this time the nurse that attended to me was very friendly and talkative, which helped get my mind off the 6 tubes of blood being taken from me.

When I met Ray, he talked me through all the pros and cons of donating and receiving a kidney, and explained the whole procedure to me again. It was a very relaxed, open conversation and Ray was keen to answer any questions I had. Ray is very experienced and it shows. Where I am very positive and eager, he is very factual and realistic, which I suppose comes with the territory. He also told me about an interesting documentary that was on Channel 4 last night called "My Kidney and Me", the story of a young man who decides to donate a kidney to a stranger. I started watching it when I remembered to update the blog!

We looked at the test that I've done so far and those still to come, so I took the opportunity to ask him if there were more tests that I could do today to save me having to come in again and do them. He kindly told me I could have the ECG done, but the health test, kidney function test and C-scan can only be done once the tissue and cross-match tests are okay due to the cost involved.

The ECG went very fast as well, I reported to reception, went to the toilet, and when I came back I was called in. The nurse stuck 12 sticky pads on me; one on each ankle and wrist, and the rest on my chest. She told me that the purpose of the test was to establish a baseline for my heart rate to measure against once I'm in surgery. It took less that 5 minutes.

So more waiting, two weeks this time to get the results. I'm positive it will again be a perfect match so I'm already looking forward to the next tests.

It's a match!

I received the call we were all waiting for today from Ray Trevitt from the Royal London Hospital; Pieter and I are an exact blood type match!

I never had any doubt that it would be, given how we met, but it's nice to hear it from an expert.

Ray told me that in addition to this, my kidneys look good and healthy from the test done so far. There needs to be more test to make sure my kidneys are both in good working condition so that each can function properly on it's own within Pieter and I. The next crucial tests will be the tissue match and cross-match tests.

Matching donors to recipient by type of tissue is desirable. The better the match, the greater the chances of the kidney transplant lasting a long time. A perfect match, however, is not essential.Tissue type is usually determined by looking at 6 different proteins in the body. Different people have different versions of these proteins. Since the number of possible tissue types is much more numerous than for blood groups, the chances of finding a perfect match is less than with matching blood groups. Doctors will usually consider doing a transplant if at least half of the donor's tissue-type proteins match the recipient's.

A cross-match is a blood test to ensure that the patient's antibodies doesn't reject the donor kidney. The test is done by mixing a sample of the patient's blood with cells from the donor's lymph nodes or spleen. If there is no reaction, the transplant can proceed.

I'm positive that this will all be a formality as we move towards getting Pieter back to good health. In the meantime he and Lizelle are away on a well deserved holiday, with very good news and Lizelle's birthday on Thursday to celebrate.

First round of tests

After much anticipation and waiting impatiently, I finally went for my compatibility tests at the Royal London hospital today.

I went to the Renal Unit on the 9th floor and reported to reception. At first the young man was very never mind, but he noticed on my profile on his computer that I'm a living donor. His attitude changed immediately and he became friendly and polite. He summoned a nurse and gave her the necessary paperwork to have the urine sample and blood test done. The nurse gave me a urine sample cup and told me where to put it to use, and where to leave it when I'm done. Luckily I drank a lot of water on the tube on the way there as I was fasting from 9pm the night before and starting to long for my breakfast. Let's just say I'm glad I have such a good aim!

Afterwards she told me to take a number from the ticketing machine at reception and wait for my number to be called to have my blood taken.

Renal Unit Reception

I was number 13 and there were only 6 people waiting before me. It went really fast as there were 3 cubicles utilised for taking blood. I waited a mere 5-6 minutes before my number was up. I entered cubicle number 3 and was greeted by a very polite but formal nurse whose English wasn't too good. I wanted to ask a few questions about how many tubes were needed and how long it takes, but she shrugged them off and asked for for my documentation. On it were attached 7 bar coded labels which she started peeling off and applied them to blood tubes with different coloured caps. She asked me to roll up my sleeve, make a fist, and in went the needle. No words or reassurances, just very professional. The tubes were all filled in under a minute, she applied some dressing to my arm and with a smile I was told that was it. I was very relieved that it went so smoothly and without pain or dizziness.

From there I decided to go outside and have something to eat just in case, as I never has so much blood taken before and I didn't know how my body would react. Luckily I had no side effects during the day, apart from a little fatigue. So I went up to the Imaging Unit on the first floor for my chest X-ray and kidney ultrasound.

As with the Renal Unit, the Imaging Unit is located in the new extension. I love the design, it's so modern and felt more like a hotel than a hospital, which made me feel more at ease. I find traditional hospitals very intimidating and depressing.

Imaging Reception

Imaging Reception

I handed the lady at reception my appointment letter and told her why I was there. She initially told me to go to the second floor for the X-rays, but after looking at my records on her computer probably noticed those magic words: "Living donor" and told me not to worry about going to the second floor, they'll just do all the scans right there. I started to feel like a mini celebrity! I was asked to take a seat and wait to be called. I barely sat down when I was called for the X-rays, being bumped right to the top of the queue! The male nurse was extremely polite, asked me to take off my shirt, remove any metal objects and stand in front of the chest X-ray machine. He returned to the safety of his booth, took the X-ray, and politely told me that was it, I can put on my shirt and return to the waiting area. I was very impressed with the efficiency of this hospital!

Chest X-ray machine

 

While I waited for my kidney ultrasound, I let Pieter know I was almost done. The plan was to go for a meal afterwards to catch up and celebrate the first step in the transplant process. After 10 minutes I was called by nurse Janet. She was so nice and reassuring, and told me exactly what she needed to do. She asked me to lie down with my shirt unbuttoned, and applied gel to my abdomen and sides to start the scans. I had to inhale deeply and hold my breath several times for every image taken. She was so compassionate that without realising it, inhaled and held her breath with me every time. She kindly gave me feedback after every image and told me her initial assessment was that both my kidneys were healthy.

 I then had to go empty my bladder and return for further scans to determine my bladder function. Again she told me that both my bladder and prostate were healthy a functioning well, which is always good news! 

She also showed me on the screen that I have a second partial spleen, which is very unusual! My immediate question was: "Can I donate that as well?". I had no idea what a spleen does, so I Googled it: "The spleen has an important role in the body's ability to manufacture antibodies that help resist infection. It also removes harmful microorganisms from the blood and gets rid of old blood cells. Before birth, the spleen manufactures red blood cells until after birth when the bone marrow can take over this process. In Chinese medicine, the spleen is considered a vital component in making chi and blood." This explains why my immune system is so good and I seldom get ill.

Ultrasound station

When my Ultrasound was done, nurse Janet wished me well, assuring me that I would certainly go to heaven for my good deed!

When I returned to reception, Pieter was there waiting for me. The look on his face was priceless when he saw me walk in. He looked very happy to see me, and very thankful that I was there to have the tests done. I'm sure in the back of his mind he must have wondered how committed I was, and if I would go through with it. Hopefully now all doubt will be gone.

We left the hospital, and decided to go to the Spur Restaurant at the O2 arena for a meal. Pieter insisted that I take a very large steak "to replenish my iron" as he put it. What a great guy! He has such a positive attitude, and even though he felt poorly from his dialysis from the previous day, he was still friendly and upbeat. It's so inspiring. We had a very nice meal and chatted for a long time about health, the purpose of life and everything in between.


Thanks for being such a great friend Pieter, and for guiding me through the whole process.

The ball is rolling

After offering to donate a kidney to Pieter on Sunday, we decided to meet the following weekend to discuss the massive undertaking. However that whole day Natasja and I felt waiting an entire week is a waste of time, when we could get the ball rolling by arranging for the test to begin.

Surely enough early Monday morning Pieter sent me a text message saying he spoke to the hospital and discussed the matter with them and asked that I get in contact with them to arrange for a date for the testing, as if he read my mind. We knew as soon as the shock settled Pieter would want to start the process as soon as possible.

I rang Sister Lilly at the Renal Clinic of the Royal Free Hospital, who took some of my details, including the name of my GP to request my medical records. She phoned me back today and told me that the tests have been scheduled for Monday 30 July.

The journey has begun.