February 20, 2007
Tuesday
Morning: Emailed David the Social Worker at the Transplant center about “paired exchanges” and got the following reply: “Our transplant center has just joined a consortium of other transplant centers in several states to do what is called "paired exchanges" where a transplant candidate has a willing but unmatched donor who can be matched with someone else's donor in the same situation. Just last week we went through and pulled all of our closed living donor files where there was a mismatch with our transplant candidates not yet transplanted. We will be sending them letters soon to let them know of this potential to still help their family member or friend to get a kidney by participating in the paired exchange program. However, if you have potential livings donors who were never tissue-typed because they know they have an incompatible blood type for you, we would not have them on file and they should call us if they wish to participate. Actually, it might be best if they call us even if they were tested just to make sure they are not lost in the process somewhere.
As for the insurance question, it should not make a difference. If the insurance covers the living donation evaluation and surgery for a donor who is not on the same plan as the candidate, it should still be covered. However, there may be some additional charges not covered by insurance, such as travel and other such expenses for the donors. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions.”
More about “paired exchanges”* can be found on the web and I am researching the current thoughts on these strategies and will report on this blog what I find.
El Milagro: I shot over from work and got here right on time today. Gladys stuck me while the new doc, Ron the Nurse, and Jennifer the Dietician did their walk-through review. They gave me an excellent report and Jennifer applauded my recent decrease in the phosphorous numbers and I got the doc to give me a 3-month prescription to send off to the mail-meds people. The place again seems less busy today and I hear from staff that it’s partly because the north center is re-opened after restoring. Today I’m sitting by a guy who is coughing his head off and the staff are seemingly concerned about his health and considering whether he should go to the emergency room. And I am wondering if I should ask for a mask to wear while I’m sitting this close to him. I look over at Phyllis and Herman while they are attending to him, to catch their eye with a wondering look but they are too focused on him and I finally just settle back and say to myself, “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” and know that all things are according to God’s will.
Once my neighbor leaves it is a quiet evening at the center. I read a report for work, watch the news, and watch a TLC Channel show on overhauling a ’64 Chevy Malibou.
Notes: In at 76.3 and out at 72.9 Kgs.
New Readers: For A Welcome Post, click August 2006 on the Sidebar.
*Crawford, D. (2007) Paired kidney donation helps Cleveland, Columbus couples. Retrieved online February 2007 @ http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/hospitalsandservices/press/?ID=2215
* Ross, L. & Zenios, S. (2004) Practical and ethical challenges to paired exchange programs. Retrieved online February 2007 from the American Journal of Transplantation @ http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-6143.2004.00574.x
2 comments:
I know you don't remember this, but one time when I was stressed out at MEUI Counseling Center and explaining to you that I didn't know what to do in such-and-such situation you taught me “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo”. I've never forgotten it and I have used it REGULARLY over the years. . . in times of stress, as a mantra to put my self to sleep at night, and as a mantra to hike out of the grand canyon . . . No one else has ever said it to me, I've never read it anywhere else. It came just from you. Thank you--Melanie
It means a lot to me to get this kind of feedback, many years later, from an old colleague, friend, and supervisee. We are all mentors to someone... and mentees of someone. Now, teach it to someone else, Mel. JN
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