Okay, so I talked to the transplant nurse. She told me that they don't do the screenings ahead of time, because they would just have to repeat everything when the time came (the five years cancer-free mark). Apparently, things change and the test results could be different later on. Anyway, she said the letter was just for now and in 2010 I can contact them again.
She also put a little different spin on the whole requirement to wait until 5 years after the cancer. I'd always thought the reason behind it was that I would be too high a risk to waste their time and a healthy kidney on. But what she said made me think of it differently. She said, that because of the immune suppressing drugs, if there were any cancer even on the cellular level, then it could grow and spread more rapidly than otherwise and they wouldn't be able to stop it. The fear is that the transplant could hasten a cancer death so they want to be really sure no malignancies are still lurking. The "too big a risk" was really for me, not them. I no longer feel like I'm not worthy of a transplant, due to the cancer.
Well, that's the news from Natchitoches.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
I forgot!
I was reading over my posts and saw where I was looking at Hawaii vacations. Well, we decided instead to go to Greece. We've made a deposit on a trip for 11 days - 8 days on the mainland and a three day cruise to see some of the islands. We'll be going next May.
We're really excited. We've started reading up on ancient Greece to learn all we can before we go to get the most out of the trip. It's a lot of money in these uncertain times, but hey, you only live once.
We're really excited. We've started reading up on ancient Greece to learn all we can before we go to get the most out of the trip. It's a lot of money in these uncertain times, but hey, you only live once.
Uh-0h
I received a letter today from the Willis Knighton transplant committee. It said they reviewed my case and they are sorry, but I'm not a transplant candidate. Just like that. No appointment or anything. It said they reviewed my records and decided I wasn't a good risk. The reason they gave was "chronic malignancies." The letter said I could apply to another transplant center. It also said I could call the transplant nurse if I had any questions.
I had just gotten home when I opened the letter so I tried calling, but she had left for the day. When I asked what her hours were they told me 8 to 4:30. It was 4:10. I said, "Eight to four thirty except for today?"
All I could do was leave a message. I guess I'll try back on Monday. I don't know whether the letter meant I was turned down for transplant surgery forever, or just until five years after the cancer. Or even if they think I still have the cancer. The letter made it sound as if they thought I had malignancies currently. I'm quite confused as I expected an appointment, not a decision.
I'm not going to worry about it right now, though. I can't do anything until I speak to the transplant nurse.
I had just gotten home when I opened the letter so I tried calling, but she had left for the day. When I asked what her hours were they told me 8 to 4:30. It was 4:10. I said, "Eight to four thirty except for today?"
All I could do was leave a message. I guess I'll try back on Monday. I don't know whether the letter meant I was turned down for transplant surgery forever, or just until five years after the cancer. Or even if they think I still have the cancer. The letter made it sound as if they thought I had malignancies currently. I'm quite confused as I expected an appointment, not a decision.
I'm not going to worry about it right now, though. I can't do anything until I speak to the transplant nurse.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Well, I finally came back to make an entry. I've been very selfish with my time these last few months. When I have free time, I just want to read, or play with clay, or surf the web, or hang out with Luke, or just watch a little TV. I forget that I set this up and had a goal.
But I'm here now for a moment to make an update. At work they finally officially gave me the promotion, so I'm no longer "acting" Area Manager, but actual Area Manager. I hired my first employee - an Administrative Coordinator 4, which is basically a support person that acts as receptionist, and all around clerical person. We only have one so we needed someone good. I'm happy to say she seems to be working out well. She's smart and pleasant and enthusiastic, so she's already doing more than the previous girl who had been here three years and was totally familiar with the job.
The rest of the office is coming around and getting over the resentment they had about me being given this position. All except one, but she's a hateful person and nothing will win her over. She's the one who said I got cancer because I wasn't "right with God." You just can't win over someone like that. With her, I just had to lay down the law and make sure she understands she's not going to win in battle of wills with me as I have all the power now.
The other desenters have either quit or have realized they really didn't want the manager position after all. And they see the improvements that are happening in the office that have been long overdue. It's amazing how much cleaning up the office, and getting repairs done after years of neglect, can lift morale in an office. Also, I have one person working from home now which the previous manager would never have allowed. And I managed to keep us from losing a worker who was moving to Lafayette, by arranging for her to continue to work for us, but from the Lafayette office. This is big as we're short four workers and Jindal's idea of governing is to not allow us to replace workers we lose. Four workers is a lot in a small office. It's not easy to spread out that much work to the remaining eight workers.
I am getting a new worker after all, I found out yesterday, but I don't get a choice in the matter. I was informed by the powers that be, that a manager from another office has moved to Natchitoches and agreed to take a demotion to work in my office. So I'll be supervising a man who has been the manager in another office for years. You may be wondering why he would want this transfer - well he's the pastor of a church and has been "called" to this area. This doesn't bode well for me, I've got to tell you.
Okay, enough of that. I went to the nephrologist for a two month checkup. The good news is that the efforts I've been making to lower my phosphorus have been working and my numbers have gone down some. All I can really do is continue what I'm doing and hope it's enough to slow down the kidney failure long enough.
I was better prepared to ask questions at this appointment. I asked if I had to wait two years to have a transplant or if I had to wait two years to start the process. Since it takes so long to jump the hoops before you get to the actual surgery, I was wondering if I could get all the screenings and stuff out of the way, so when I get to the two year mark it could be set up to happen. The doctor said there was no reason to wait to start the process and in fact, that would be the best thing as it takes months to get an appointment with the transplant surgeons. They have to do evaluations of your fitness for a transplant and counseling and screenings for matches for anyone willing to donate a kidney to you. Everyone has to be evaluated for physical and mental fitness, etc. The whole thing actually takes years.
My point is that the nephrologist has submitted my name to the transplant specialists and told me to expect an appointment in a couple of months. He said I should hear from them by early Jan. Perhaps, I can get it set up and ready before August 2010, when I'll be permitted to go ahead with the transplant. Wouldn't that be cool? That is, of course, if we can find a match. Otherwise, I can't get on the list until 2010 and really organs go to those with greatest need, so it could be a long time.
They do the transplant surgeries in New Orleans, Shreveport and Dallas. I was quite surprised that they do them in Shreveport.
So, if you are one of those that has offered a kidney then you may be hearing from me in the next couple of months to find out if you were serious. I'll find out when I go for my first appointment what the whole procedure is.
And now I must go to work and put out fires.
But I'm here now for a moment to make an update. At work they finally officially gave me the promotion, so I'm no longer "acting" Area Manager, but actual Area Manager. I hired my first employee - an Administrative Coordinator 4, which is basically a support person that acts as receptionist, and all around clerical person. We only have one so we needed someone good. I'm happy to say she seems to be working out well. She's smart and pleasant and enthusiastic, so she's already doing more than the previous girl who had been here three years and was totally familiar with the job.
The rest of the office is coming around and getting over the resentment they had about me being given this position. All except one, but she's a hateful person and nothing will win her over. She's the one who said I got cancer because I wasn't "right with God." You just can't win over someone like that. With her, I just had to lay down the law and make sure she understands she's not going to win in battle of wills with me as I have all the power now.
The other desenters have either quit or have realized they really didn't want the manager position after all. And they see the improvements that are happening in the office that have been long overdue. It's amazing how much cleaning up the office, and getting repairs done after years of neglect, can lift morale in an office. Also, I have one person working from home now which the previous manager would never have allowed. And I managed to keep us from losing a worker who was moving to Lafayette, by arranging for her to continue to work for us, but from the Lafayette office. This is big as we're short four workers and Jindal's idea of governing is to not allow us to replace workers we lose. Four workers is a lot in a small office. It's not easy to spread out that much work to the remaining eight workers.
I am getting a new worker after all, I found out yesterday, but I don't get a choice in the matter. I was informed by the powers that be, that a manager from another office has moved to Natchitoches and agreed to take a demotion to work in my office. So I'll be supervising a man who has been the manager in another office for years. You may be wondering why he would want this transfer - well he's the pastor of a church and has been "called" to this area. This doesn't bode well for me, I've got to tell you.
Okay, enough of that. I went to the nephrologist for a two month checkup. The good news is that the efforts I've been making to lower my phosphorus have been working and my numbers have gone down some. All I can really do is continue what I'm doing and hope it's enough to slow down the kidney failure long enough.
I was better prepared to ask questions at this appointment. I asked if I had to wait two years to have a transplant or if I had to wait two years to start the process. Since it takes so long to jump the hoops before you get to the actual surgery, I was wondering if I could get all the screenings and stuff out of the way, so when I get to the two year mark it could be set up to happen. The doctor said there was no reason to wait to start the process and in fact, that would be the best thing as it takes months to get an appointment with the transplant surgeons. They have to do evaluations of your fitness for a transplant and counseling and screenings for matches for anyone willing to donate a kidney to you. Everyone has to be evaluated for physical and mental fitness, etc. The whole thing actually takes years.
My point is that the nephrologist has submitted my name to the transplant specialists and told me to expect an appointment in a couple of months. He said I should hear from them by early Jan. Perhaps, I can get it set up and ready before August 2010, when I'll be permitted to go ahead with the transplant. Wouldn't that be cool? That is, of course, if we can find a match. Otherwise, I can't get on the list until 2010 and really organs go to those with greatest need, so it could be a long time.
They do the transplant surgeries in New Orleans, Shreveport and Dallas. I was quite surprised that they do them in Shreveport.
So, if you are one of those that has offered a kidney then you may be hearing from me in the next couple of months to find out if you were serious. I'll find out when I go for my first appointment what the whole procedure is.
And now I must go to work and put out fires.
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