My problems may finally be over...

[Princess-Snake]

...IF I get approved. For about a year now, I have been debating about getting an organ transplant, specifically intestines, to help treat my since-born-and-getting-sick-and-tired-of-it disease. If all goes well, all my tubes go away for all eternity. No more IVs, no more carrying five liters of fluid on my back, no more having to drain my stomach (though that can be an advantage sometimes), no more any of it. And really, it looks like I'll have no choice anyways because I'm down to my last IV lines. The surgery sounds promising, but there is risk of infection, the organ might be rejected, I may have to get another one, or worse, death. And I'll have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of my life. But first, I need to go through a series of tests to see if I'll be approved, and then I'll have to get on the waiting list. So, who knows how long it'll take. But, I'm definately going to do this. I'm sick of having to lay a heating pad on my aching back because I've been hauling five liters during the day and three during the night. As I'm typing this, one of my pumps is beeping that the battery is dead even though I just put a new battery in it. I could really use some support right now, because I know it's the right thing to do and probably my last chance before we have to make the IV catheter go straight to my heart, but I'm still scared to death. That, and I'm scaring my co-workers as well. When they see this 4'8" Irish woman with a bad temper act all worried, they get really worried. Here's hoping all goes well in the end.

[morgana]

:hug:

I hope they get you in soon, and that all goes well.

Sounds like you have a very heavy load to carry, in the metaphysical as well as the physical sense.

My prayers are with you.

Oh, and :respect:

[Crazeyal]

Great to see someone finally get a break. Don't worry about being nervous, it's natural. Come back here when you need support, CS is pretty much 24/7!

[monolayth]

I am wishing you the best of luck. I hope it all goes the way you need.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I didn't know they could transplant intestines...huh...

Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed :)

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

That's good news. We'll all be pulling for ya.

[blas]

We're all rooting for ya! Good luck!

[justZu]

I'm sending good thoughts and prayers your way. We're all pulling for you here at CS. :)

[Amethyst Hunter]

May everything go well for you and you get to feel much better soon! :)

[Igorina]

Good luck!

[Princess-Snake]

Thanks for the support everyone! Of course, first I have to get approved after doing a series of tests. And I don't even know when I'll start the first test.

[Ljt09863]

i hope everything goes wonderful for you! im glad you finally have a chance for some relief!

[Der Cute]

Princess - I had no idea that intestines could be transplanted - but hey! I think this is a great prospect.

I hope the tests start soon and you get OK'd on everything.

Cutenoob

[Princess-Snake]

The first test to be done is an MRI and a blood test. It's scheduled for this Friday. They say that I'm going to be sedated for the MRI because it takes so long. I for one am grateful. Grateful that I'll be sedated, I mean. Because I really really hate narrow spaces. And god knows how long I'll be in that really really narrow machine. Hell, I hate getting on elevators. Updates as soon as I get them.

[XCashier]

I hope everything works out for you. Best of luck! :)

[Boozy]

Good luck tomorrow. Please let us know how it goes! :)

[Princess-Snake]

Everything started off fine. The waiting didn't take too long. Then they knock me out and everything went downhill from there. They had to cut the MRI short because I kept gagging and coughing and choking on god knows what. This resulted in them sticking a breathing tube down and calling off the MRI. When I woke up, my throat hurt like hell. Now I'm going to have to reschedule and this time, they're going to have to put the breathing tube down before they start the damn test.

[cinema guy]

Medical tests suck.

I wish you all the best and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[Dips]

Oh, man. I'm sorry you're going to have to repeat that. Breathing tubes suck (and blow! (sorry, tasteless medical joke :o)) big time.

Big hugs to you and prayers that everything goes well for you and the drugs they give you are so excellent you hardly remember a thing. :)

[Mr. Rager!]

Then they knock me out and everything went downhill from there. They had to cut the MRI short because I kept gagging and coughing and choking on god knows what.

Did they say exactly what caused it? The most prominant complication that my mom knows of (she works at the Mayo Clinic in ear nose and throat) for an MRI is an allergic reaction to the contrast dye.

Anyway, I hope this all works out for you.

[Princess-Snake]

Did they say exactly what caused it? The most prominant complication that my mom knows of (she works at the Mayo Clinic in ear nose and throat) for an MRI is an allergic reaction to the contrast dye.

Anyway, I hope this all works out for you.

No, it wasn't the dye. They put dye in me before and I've never had a reaction. They think that I may have had some drainage or something and it was just a case of wrong place, wrong time. MRI has been rescheduled to Monday. Hopefully, that one won't end in disaster.

[Princess-Snake]

All of the tests are done. We meet with the doctors tomorrow to see if I'm qualified or not. If I am, I get put on the waiting list. If not, I don't even want to think about what I'll do. There are so few places that will do an intestines transplant. If this place won't do it, I may have to check in with Philidelphia or Miami. Fingers crossed.

[crazylegs]

Princess-Snake,

havin had to carry such a weight for such a long time you deserve to have this swing your way, I'm rooting for you, I really am.

Hope everything works out ok.

Crazylegs

[Princess-Snake]

I've been approved! I'm on the waiting list! Oh happy days! :party: What's better since intestines transplants are very rare, I can expect to get mine within six months! There is a snag. Nine out of ten people have some sort of virus in their bodies that just sits there. I don't and this screws up matching which intestines is right for my body. They don't want to introduce this virus in unless they have to. Hospital stay is expected to be between 2 weeks to 2 months if all goes well. If all doesn't go well, I'd say 2 hours.;)

[BookstoreEscapee]

YAAAAYYYYYY!!! :grats: :party: :cheers: WOO-HOO-WOO-HOO-WOO-HOO!!!:highfive:

:super:

:muya:

:bounce:

Good luck! :)

[myswtghst]

Glad to hear it. We'll be hoping it comes through sooner rather than later, and hoping for a short hospital stay with no complications! Good luck, and Congratulations!! :D

[Broomjockey]

I'm hoping for the 2 week stay, rather than the 2 hour one;), but super-congrats on gettings approved and on the waiting list! :)

[sportsmom]

Congrats and good luck! About the transplant, don't worry about the meds too much. My mom's bowling partner has had his heart for somewhere around 13 years now and he's going strong.

[Princess-Snake]

Thanks for the support everyone! I'm just sitting by the phone waiting for the call. During the appointment, a social worker came in to ask me some questions specifically, my emotions. Like do I ever get sad.:confused: I told her everybody gets sad. She pursed up her lips like she just ate a lemon and wrote furiously on her clipboard. She's going to be there during my hospital stay. Hoo-boy. In the meantime, I'm keeping my strength up for the surgery by walking everyday. And if it's raining or too cold, I go on the treadmill at home. I'm going to keep the phone by me every day. That's probably not too healthy (and the social worker said so, but I don't really like her anyway), but I'm so excited!

[Alfie]

Maybe she is jealous that you realised something that took her however many years of University to realise. Maybe she thought that she had an epiphany of some sort, and now she knows that someone else knows the same thing. And so, now you will go on your quest to inform everyone of a little known myth and rob the world of psychology of their money because many people will realise that if they are feeling sad, it is just normal (you will also inform them that depression is an exception)...

Yup, I really am stalling going to work.......

Hope it all goes well though! It must be a relief to know that change may be in the air.