# My FIL is getting a transplant right now!



## GB (Oct 15, 2008)

Some of you know that my father in law and brother in law both need a kidney transplant. They have both been very sick and on dialysis for a while now. A while ago we got a call that there was a live donor for my FIL. They checked him into the hospital and were doing the final tests necessary when they discovered that his veins were not strong enough to handle the operation.

This was a major blow. Not only was he moments away from getting a kidney, but finding out that his veigns were no good meant that he could not get a kidney from a live donor. They would need to transplant veins and that means he would need a deceased donor. A kidney from a live donor is much much better than getting one from someone who has died.

Well last night at about 10pm the phone rang and the called ID said it was my in laws calling. Both of our hearts dropped because they would never call us that late unless something was wrong. I feared the worst and I know the color left DW's face quicker than you could imagine. As soon as she answered the phone I knew it was good news though. She started bouncing around like a Mexican jumping bean. They were admitting him right then to prepare him for surgery this morning.

We were worried that it would not happen again as he has a small cold right now and that could have been a deal breaker. Apparently though it did not break the deal because he is under the knife right now. We are all very excited and hopeful and scared. Another woman that FIL was in dialysis with got the other kidney. Her surgery was before his and is already done. They said the kidneys are very healthy and her surgery went extremely well so we are comforted to know that.

I did not want to post anything until I knew it was actually happening which is why I did not post anything when he got the first call. This is really happening now though so I just thought I would share the good news.


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 15, 2008)

That's great news.  Here's hoping all goes well and the recuperation period is short and complete!


----------



## Bilby (Oct 15, 2008)

That is truly excellent news GB!!!  Next month, I will have had my kidney for two years and my life has improved immensely!  Dialysis was not a good thing in the end for me, so a kidney became quite a neccessity. My cadaver kidney was not a good match and we have had quite a few health issues since but thankfully (and touching a lot of wood as I type) not involving the new kidney.

Your FIL should be feeling so much more energetic before the end of the week - well if the post treatment is anything like mine was.  I went into the hospital on the Tuesday and drove home on the Saturday.  (I wasn't meant to but...)  

All the best to him, and I hope your BIL gets one soon too!


----------



## pdswife (Oct 15, 2008)

Fingers are crossed and good thoughts are being sents GB!!!


----------



## GrantsKat (Oct 15, 2008)

Great news!!! You and your family are in my prayers!


----------



## Uncle Bob (Oct 15, 2008)

Prayers just sent....All will be well!!


----------



## pacanis (Oct 15, 2008)

Wishing all my best, GB!


----------



## jennyema (Oct 15, 2008)

*thats so great!!!*


----------



## kitchenelf (Oct 15, 2008)

GB - that is great news.  Please give Darl a hug from me - prayers are being sent!!


----------



## deelady (Oct 15, 2008)

thats wonderful! Prayers are sent!!


----------



## GB (Oct 15, 2008)

Thank you everyone! We are cautiously walking on air right now.

Bilby, thank you so much for sharing your story with me. It is very encouraging and I am so happy to hear how it has worked out for you!!!


----------



## smoke king (Oct 15, 2008)

Thoughts and prayers are headed your way GB-


----------



## kadesma (Oct 15, 2008)

GB,
how wonderful, I know your wife and the rest of the family are thrilled.You have all my wishes for a improved and wonderful new life for your father-in-law.Blessings and good thoughts to all
kades


----------



## Fisher's Mom (Oct 15, 2008)

What fabulous news, GB!!!! I didn't know he was in need of a kidney, but I know how hard dialysis is. Your wife must be on cloud nine. Is her dad there in MA?

This may sound weird, but please post when ya'll hear the new kidney is making urine. It's "hold your breath" time until that happens, but everyone in the OR starts celebrating when it does!


----------



## GB (Oct 15, 2008)

He is out of surgery. The Doctor just called and said everything went very well. That is all the info he was able to give over the phone, but that is the only thing we needed to hear anyway. As long as the sugery went well then the rest of the little details do not matter all that much. 

Thank you all for your support! It means a lot to me.


----------



## bethzaring (Oct 15, 2008)

wow, I hope he tolerates the new kidney, recovers quickly and heals well!!  All the best to him..


----------



## ChefJune (Oct 15, 2008)

What great news.  I am sure you are cautiously jubilant, but I will join my prayers and good wishes with the rest of the crew that everything will go swimmingly and that FIL will be better than ever in no time at all!


----------



## JohnL (Oct 15, 2008)

GB, that is just great!
We'll pray on this side, hope all goes well.


----------



## elaine l (Oct 15, 2008)

Best wishes and speedy recovery.


----------



## TATTRAT (Oct 15, 2008)

Great news, GB!!!!!!!!!


----------



## ella/TO (Oct 15, 2008)

Our younger son in law gave our older son in law.....not brothers, but two guys married to sisters........a kidney two years ago. Thank goodness they're both well and wonderful husbands to our daughters.....wishing you and yours all the best!!!!


----------



## suziquzie (Oct 15, 2008)

Incredible GB, so glad everything is going alright. 
Your family is in my thoughts.


----------



## GB (Oct 15, 2008)

Thanks Ella. What a wonderful thing for someone to do for another!


----------



## Barbara L (Oct 15, 2008)

Such great news!  I am praying for him and the whole family GB.  Thanks for letting us know, and please keep us up-to-date.

Barbara


----------



## Saphellae (Oct 15, 2008)

Sending prayers!!! I hope everything went well.


----------



## pdswife (Oct 15, 2008)

Great to hear GB!!!  Please keep us updated!!!


----------



## texasgirl (Oct 15, 2008)

Great news GB!! Prayers to you all!!!


----------



## Adillo303 (Oct 15, 2008)

GB - I am so glad to hear this. So many people never get an organ they need. I am happy for you, your FIL and yuor whole family. Prayers and good wishes coming your way.

AC


----------



## Toots (Oct 15, 2008)

Great news GB - my hubby gave a kidney to his mother 2 years ago, both are doing well and hopefully your FIL will too.


----------



## mikki (Oct 15, 2008)

Great news GB- wishing him a speedy recovery!!!!!


----------



## Alix (Oct 15, 2008)

WOOHOO!!! You guys must be so thrilled, and scared, and relieved and all that other stuff. I'm so glad this has worked out for you all!


----------



## In the Kitchen (Oct 15, 2008)

GB praying for you and your family.  Thanks for sharing with us.


----------



## love2"Q" (Oct 15, 2008)

best wishes to your FIL


----------



## middie (Oct 15, 2008)

Gb that's terrific !!!! Sending my thoughts and prayers that you fil has a speedy recovery and feels better than he has felt in a long time.


----------



## babetoo (Oct 15, 2008)

all my best wishes. please keep us informed


----------



## quicksilver (Oct 16, 2008)

I'm just seeing this, GB. Soooo glad all has gone well. My prayers and good wishes for your FIL and BIL too.


----------



## GB (Oct 16, 2008)

Thank you all!

We got word this morning that the kidney is working!!! They told us it could take a few days for it to "wake up" and start producing, but it actually started working last night. We are thrilled beyond belief!!!


----------



## middie (Oct 16, 2008)

Aww Gb that's wonderful !!! Thank you for the update.
I'll continue to send well wishes for everyone.


----------



## GrantsKat (Oct 16, 2008)

Wonderful news!! Prayers DO work and I will continue praying for all of you!


----------



## LEFSElover (Oct 16, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> That's great news.  Here's hoping all goes well and the recuperation period is short and complete!


ditto to that Andy said, do keep us updated please.
I think I posted somewhere not long ago that I heard one day watching Fox that 38 million people in the US suffer from kidney disease.  What are we all doing wrong I wonder since I'm one of them......


----------



## LEFSElover (Oct 16, 2008)

Fisher's Mom said:


> What fabulous news, GB!!!! I didn't know he was in need of a kidney, but I know how hard dialysis is. Your wife must be on cloud nine. Is her dad there in MA?
> 
> This may sound weird, but please post when ya'll hear the new kidney is making urine. It's "hold your breath" time until that happens, but everyone in the OR starts celebrating when it does!


I watched a kidney transplant on television not two weeks ago.  That this is coming up now is quizzical.  Anyway, funny you say that as the first thing that they did was made sure the new kidney pe'd.  It did!  Their words, "ah, that's a beautiful thing."


----------



## LadyCook61 (Oct 16, 2008)

GB said:


> Thank you all!
> 
> We got word this morning that the kidney is working!!! They told us it could take a few days for it to "wake up" and start producing, but it actually started working last night. We are thrilled beyond belief!!!


 
that is wonderful news , GB !


----------



## jabbur (Oct 16, 2008)

GB, so glad to hear everything went well.  Here's to many more wonderful years together with the family.  Treasure each moment.


----------



## GB (Oct 16, 2008)

I just got another update. I guess the kidney is not working completely yet. There was some output, but not up to normal levels. This is normal though so we are not worried. It sounded a little too good to be true when we heard it was already working.


----------



## ChefJune (Oct 16, 2008)

Thrilled to bits with that news, GB.  Prayers continuing, anyway...


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 16, 2008)

Great news, GB.  The whole family must be very relieved and happy!


----------



## GB (Oct 16, 2008)

Yes we are very very happy. It is like a dream come true. My wife did something she should not have though. She was very curious about the donor. The doctor told them it came from a young person, but that is all they could tell her for confidentiality reasons. Well DW did some research and is pretty sure she knows who the kidney came from. Now that she knows something about that person it makes it very difficult for her to deal with her emotions. She is, of course, thrilled for her dad, but she is extremely sad for the family of the donor. My wife is a very emotional person so she is having an inner struggle right now. She feels guilty for being happy. Thankfully she understands the reality of the situation and is not beating herself up over being happy. She is dealing with the guilt in a very healthy way thank G-d.


----------



## bethzaring (Oct 16, 2008)

good news on the peeing front...hope all continues to go well


----------



## bethzaring (Oct 16, 2008)

LEFSElover said:


> I think I posted somewhere not long ago that I heard one day watching Fox that 38 million people in the US suffer from kidney disease. What are we all doing wrong I wonder since I'm one of them......


 
I was interested in this statement so looked this up

"The two most common causes of kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure. If your family has a history of any kind of kidney problems, you may be at risk for kidney disease."

this came from this website
Your Kidneys and How They Work

Diabetes and high blood pressure sure are prevalent in the US these days..


----------



## suziquzie (Oct 16, 2008)

GB bless you for understanding how your wife deals with things and letting her do so, her way.


----------



## texasgirl (Oct 16, 2008)

GB said:


> Yes we are very very happy. It is like a dream come true. My wife did something she should not have though. She was very curious about the donor. The doctor told them it came from a young person, but that is all they could tell her for confidentiality reasons. Well DW did some research and is pretty sure she knows who the kidney came from. Now that she knows something about that person it makes it very difficult for her to deal with her emotions. She is, of course, thrilled for her dad, but she is extremely sad for the family of the donor. My wife is a very emotional person so she is having an inner struggle right now. She feels guilty for being happy. Thankfully she understands the reality of the situation and is not beating herself up over being happy. She is dealing with the guilt in a very healthy way thank G-d.


 
GB, let her know that the donor would not have wanted to be donor if they didn't want to make someone else happy. That is why we do this, to help someone and let them be happy.


----------



## GB (Oct 16, 2008)

Thanks TG. Logically she knows that. I think she was more upset for the donors family. She seems to have figured out how to deal with it now because she is doing great now.

She got to visit him today and said he looks so much better already. He was loopy on meds, but told the nurse he wants to get up and walk around. This is a huge change from lately and a very exciting turn of events.


----------



## pdswife (Oct 16, 2008)

That's great to hear GB!!!!


----------



## LEFSElover (Oct 17, 2008)

bethzaring said:


> I was interested in this statement so looked this up"The two most common causes of kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure. If your family has a history of any kind of kidney problems, you may be at risk for kidney disease."this came from this website
> Your Kidneys and How They WorkDiabetes and high blood pressure sure are prevalent in the US these days..


  I am told my blood pressure is very low, they think I'm almost dead every time they take it.  Diabetes, nope, no concern there either.
Loved you getting the info out there. Thank you.
So I worked with a lady today who is giving up one of her kidneys in two weeks.
She's been through the ringer having tests and the lady recipient, is the secretary at her church.  She wasn't a first runner, she was considered a person of interest if the original donor wasn't perfect and it was found that the original donors one kidney functioned at 40% and the other one functioned at 80%.  So that person is out and she will give up one kidney to a lady that she knows and feels strongly about.  Mine aren't that great and I take my hat off to her for the decision to help out an other person.


----------



## Fisher's Mom (Oct 17, 2008)

GB said:


> I just got another update. I guess the kidney is not working completely yet. There was some output, but not up to normal levels. This is normal though so we are not worried. It sounded a little too good to be true when we heard it was already working.


Sometimes this happens and it takes a few days of Lasix to nudge the new kidney into action. It's a spooky time because so much is riding on it but things should stabilize soon. Please keep us updated on his progress and recovery, GB.

Your wife must be a very lovely person. It's really hard for people like that to take joy in a situation that springs from such a painful event in another's life. The way I handled it was to decide that I would take every opportunity to "pay it forward" from then on. (That movie was years away at the time, but it describes it so much better than I could.) It helped me so much to be able to take action that I could mentally dedicate to my daughter's donor and his family.


----------



## GB (Oct 17, 2008)

That is such a nice way to handle it FM!

Yes my wife is one of the most loving people I have ever met. I knew, long before this transplant ever happened, that when it did it would be an issue of sorts for her because of it. She is really handling it remarkably well though and is focusing on the good that has come out of it and it is not dampering her joy anymore.

FIL is sitting up in a chair and eating which is great news. DW is on the way over there to see him now. Things are going as well as we ever could have hoped.


----------



## quicksilver (Oct 17, 2008)

So glad to hear more good news, GB. Thanks for the update.


----------



## Fisher's Mom (Oct 17, 2008)

GB said:


> FIL is sitting up in a chair and eating which is great news. DW is on the way over there to see him now. Things are going as well as we ever could have hoped.


This is just wonderful! I know it will be a pleasure for him to be able to drink as many fluids as he wants to whenever he wants to. Such a simple thing that we all take for granted but for someone who's been on dialysis - it's like one of the best presents ever.


----------



## GB (Oct 17, 2008)

After seeing them watch their fluid intake so carefully, I can see how that would be one of the best gifts. Like you said FM, it is something that so many of us take for granted. I could not imagine not being able to drink whenever I am thirsty.


----------

