MARK IS OFFICIALLY ON THE TRANSPLANT LIST
We spent this week at UHN in Toronto, for a thorough transplant evaluation. Mark was officially added TODAY to the transplant list (previously transplant was still subject to in-person evaluation at UHN).
What we learned during this week of doctor visits:
- Mark’s condition is deteriorating rapidly and transplant is now needed urgently.
- Given his frailty and rapid muscle loss, he would not survive the wait for a deceased donor.
- Living liver donation technique has improved, so that the surgical scar for the donor is now midline and only about 4” long. Donor hospital stay is about 4 days. The donor can be off pain meds in 1 week and back to work in 2 weeks for desk jobs and 4 weeks for heavier duties.
- Now that he is on the list, living donor applicants will be formally evaluated and contacted by UHN.
We had a close opportunity:
SOCIAL MEDIA WORKS! Yesterday, a stranger in southern USA found our Facebook page, and contacted us wishing to donate their dying family member’s liver to Mark. However, Mark wasn’t “on the list” until today so donation wasn’t a possibility. To the family: Thank you. We are grateful that people like you are willing to donate organs. You have given a beautiful, generous gift to the family that received the liver and the other organs. And you have given us hope that a liver will come our way. To everyone reading this: Social media works. Please forward this website.
We need a donor URGENTLY!
Mark's abdomen gets severely distended due to the build-up of fluid (ascites). This causes severe pain, and he cannot eat leading to further weight loss and weakness. He requires weekly draining of this fluid by a procedure called paracentesis.
This is the fluid that is drained from his abdomen during a paracentesis. Every week they typically drain between 8 to 10 litres of fluid from his abdomen or the equivalent of 5 large bottles of soda.
He always feels much better after the drainage, but within days, the fluid builds up again, leaving him nauseous, unable to eat, and very weak. He will continue with the weekly procedure, while awaiting the next step.