Monday, June 15, 2009

Health Update and what not!

Well, today's labs came back and all is still great. I am so thankful everyday for the gift that God has blessed me with. Not sure if you know this, but when I got my call for the transplant, someone had to die for me to receive it. Okay, most of you if not all of you know that one. I never realized what my fonor family went through with trying to make that hard decision. At least not until my mom was in the ICU this past winter, and we decided it was in her best interest to just let her go peacefully. The next decision we made, I mean my brother and I insisted on if we could do it, was to see if anything of my mom's could be dontated to someone who really needed it. Deep down I thought, more than likely not, but what the heck. It is worth a shot. Why not check? So my dad said that was fine, the nurse called UNOS (United Networking of Organ Sharing) or she called OPO (Organ Procurement Organization), don't remember. All right, I had no clue what those letters stood for, I had to do a search on the internet to see what it meant. I actually did know what OPO stands for. Okay laugh at that.

Now, we waited for about an hour, that is what the nurse told us. So while waiting for more family to show up to say their good-byes and hang out with us so we weren't alone. She came and told us that it was not an option. After that, when she passed. I thought at least we tried. She would have wanted that also. If anything could be donated, she would have wanted it that way. But I didn't realize until it was after the funeral, that it really is a hard decision.

Now back to what I was getting at. I mean with all that, I feel like I have a better understanding with what my donor family went through to donate their loved one's organs. See before I really didn't understand what they went through to do that until we tried to do that.

So anyway's I feel blessed with what God granted me with. Oh the one piece of news that you didn't know when I got my transplant. Not sure who I all told. But here it is. The kidney I received was a perfect match kidney. See they have to match 6 DNA characteristics, blood type, and some other tests I think like 8 or 10 in general. I don't really remember. That was like over 2 years ago or more when we did all that. I can't be expected to remember all that. I just know my kidney matched me 6 out of 6, the kidney before that was 3 out of 6, and the one my brother gave me was 3 out of 6. I hope you understand that.

So my labs are all good, health is perfect, and feeling great. Sorry for all the rambling or information, but like Becky said. This is my blog and I can write on it what I want. I could say more after that comment but I will be nice. If you have any questions feel free to ask me. I am happy to answer them. So until next time!

Jodes

2 comments:

Becky said...

I didn't know until now that you guys looked into organ donation before your mom passed away.

I didn't know your mom, Jodie, but I'm sure that would have made her proud!

Jodes said...

Thanks! And yes we did. That was the first question we asked her nurse after we decided to take her off life support. Either I said it or my brother. Or we said it at the same time. Not sure. But we do know she would have been happy to donate if she could. We gave it a shot.