Liver Transplant Diary
Description
Liver Transplant Diary. A detailed account of my life from daily blogs recounting the period from when I was informed I was to be on the waiting list for a liver transplant - up to the day of the transplant itself, and the recovery period beyond. A nice blend of the serious and humour, this book will act as a useful guide to anyone who is going through a similar situation in their life.
I was considered for a liver transplant going as far back as 2004, although I almost made it to the "list" in 2007 - but it was decided that although my blood results were less than satisfactory, the risks of such a major operation were too great for a not-so-anticipated increase in quality of life - in other words - I was still doing just about ok.
Further tests in the form of MRI scans, Ultrasounds and "Top and Tail" probing kept my name on the "bubbling under" grouping. Until late 2009 when my doc decided enough was enough. My condition, described as Nodular Regenerative Hyperplasia, was showing no improvement on the blood results front and it was felt that as I was young enough and fit enough (not in the Phwoaar!!! sense, I take it) now was as good a time as any.
More tests followed - which revealed, da da DAAA.... a blood clot in the portal vein! Any doubts as to my suitability for transplant were quickly dispersed. I was a... eh.. how shall we say... an accident waiting to happen. I was on the list.
The only issue was, that due to the complications of my inner workings - previous operations, random arteries carrying blood where the portal vein couldn't, and who knows what else, they had to wait for an absolutely ship-shape perfecto-mundo liver, for my size, my blood group and with no abnormalities thrown in. So, I had to wait for that. I had to wait for someone in a good condition to die. Not a pleasant thought. But the medical team have to look at these things in a non-compassionate way - and so, to some extent, do I. Every death can save up to 6 lives - when you take into account the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and whatever else they are able to transplant these days.
So what was life like on the liver transplant waiting list? After a few weeks of realising that the phone-call I was dreading/anticipating was not going to come any time soon I got pretty complacent about it all. I think my wife found it a lot tougher. I tend to find that it is usually the nearest and dearest that suffer the most - certainly psychologically.
This is my account taking you on the journey from those days, recounting the physical and psychological traumas up to and beyond the transplant and the issues encountered during my recovery.
I have made it as realistic as possible, with touches of humour to lighten the tone and observations of the news of the day as it affected my life in the UK.
I hope you find my liver transplant diary interesting.
I was considered for a liver transplant going as far back as 2004, although I almost made it to the "list" in 2007 - but it was decided that although my blood results were less than satisfactory, the risks of such a major operation were too great for a not-so-anticipated increase in quality of life - in other words - I was still doing just about ok.
Further tests in the form of MRI scans, Ultrasounds and "Top and Tail" probing kept my name on the "bubbling under" grouping. Until late 2009 when my doc decided enough was enough. My condition, described as Nodular Regenerative Hyperplasia, was showing no improvement on the blood results front and it was felt that as I was young enough and fit enough (not in the Phwoaar!!! sense, I take it) now was as good a time as any.
More tests followed - which revealed, da da DAAA.... a blood clot in the portal vein! Any doubts as to my suitability for transplant were quickly dispersed. I was a... eh.. how shall we say... an accident waiting to happen. I was on the list.
The only issue was, that due to the complications of my inner workings - previous operations, random arteries carrying blood where the portal vein couldn't, and who knows what else, they had to wait for an absolutely ship-shape perfecto-mundo liver, for my size, my blood group and with no abnormalities thrown in. So, I had to wait for that. I had to wait for someone in a good condition to die. Not a pleasant thought. But the medical team have to look at these things in a non-compassionate way - and so, to some extent, do I. Every death can save up to 6 lives - when you take into account the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and whatever else they are able to transplant these days.
So what was life like on the liver transplant waiting list? After a few weeks of realising that the phone-call I was dreading/anticipating was not going to come any time soon I got pretty complacent about it all. I think my wife found it a lot tougher. I tend to find that it is usually the nearest and dearest that suffer the most - certainly psychologically.
This is my account taking you on the journey from those days, recounting the physical and psychological traumas up to and beyond the transplant and the issues encountered during my recovery.
I have made it as realistic as possible, with touches of humour to lighten the tone and observations of the news of the day as it affected my life in the UK.
I hope you find my liver transplant diary interesting.
