My Listing

[Guest guest]

Hello All,

I realize it has been some time since I have written so let me update you on my life. For those of you that are new, I was diagnosed with PSC in 1989 and UC in 1990. Since that time I got married, have gone through three successful pregnancies and for the most part have felt relatively good. I averaged 1-2 cholangitis attacks/year. In the last two years, I have had repeated infections, have jaundiced and have developed cirrhosis and portal hypertension. I was listed for transplant on October 3, 2000 mainly because of the recurrent infections and because I am beyond the "average" for a person with symptoms. I am listed at Toronto General Hospital and their feeling is that PSC patients should be listed as early as possible because a transplant is inevitable. At first I was told that I would probably have an 18 month wait but that they would like to see me as a candidate for a living donor transplant. My docs believe that because I am still relatively "healthy" a living donor ups my odds considerably. My sister, (who is adopted) immediately volunteered to be tested and was found to be a perfect match. My surgeons are now planning the surgery for late spring or early summer depending on our schedules. All of this is very frightening to me because, although I know I need a transplant, the unknown worries me. At first I tried to talk my sister out of the surgery. I never thought she would be accepted as a match. She has two small children of her own and I worry about her but she has done a lot of research and spoke extensively with the surgeons and she believes that this is the reason she was adopted into our family. She said there was nothing I could do to change her mind. She told me all of this right before Christmas as her gift to me. I am overwhelmed to say the least and have spoken extensively with my transplant coordinator who says I need to understand why she would be willing to do this and that I would do the same for her. All in all I am stressed and relieved to be receiving my transplant before I am too sick. I meet with the tx team again on February 8 and hopefully we will have an exact date by then.

I'll keep in touch.

A special hello to Tina. I haven't heard from you in a while. Hope all is well.

Debbie (Ontario)