The Waiting Game

Hi folks!  I hope that you all are making the most of what summer has to offer- long days, fresh garden goodies, a vacation or two...  Time is absolutely flying by and it's hard to believe that the last post was over a month ago.  There haven't been any big changes yet-  Patrick is stable and growing stronger.  He is still receiving hemodialysis treatments three times a week, exercising, following a super-strict diet, and looking for a living kidney donor.  We are anticipating a move into a new home on August 1st, in Greensboro, NC.  Patrick and I, his sister Kate, will live together there while waiting for the transplant to happen.  Right now we have no way of knowing exactly when that will be.  I am being evaluated as a potential donor, and starting graduate school at UNCG- a double whammy!  The news was unexpected that I could be considered as a potential candidate for donation.  Doctors at UNC Renal Transplant Center told Patrick a couple of weeks ago that there are technologies and medications that will allow him to receive an organ from someone with a different blood type than his own (type O).  Before we learned this, the information that we were sharing was NOT ACCURATE.  Blood type is only one of many different types of matching that must take place, so someone with an incompatible blood type might still be a match on the rest of the criteria, and their kidney could be acceptable for donation.  This is great news for people who have considered getting tested, but are not type O.  Please share this information! 
The option of a swap, known as "paired donation" increases the likelihood of finding a matching kidney for Patrick.  And honestly, we want him to find the very best match out there, because that will give him the greatest chances of a successful transplant.  If you would like to get started with a consultation (completely confidential and absolutely no expenses) please call the Renal Transplant Coordinator at UNC, Ann Litts.  Her direct number is (919) 966-3079.
Please keep following an passing this blog along.  Patrick is creating a new website, as well as planning personal activities and public events to get sponsership from some outdoor gear companies.  He has ideas in terms of marketing his own cause and highlighting the needs of so many others who have shared the experience of acute renal failure.  So look for a new website and a few new articles by him to come out soon.
Take care everyone.  All the best~