Dad was very very against Grandma going for artificial transplant. He felt that it was too dangerous given its slim success rate.

Dad: Why can’t you get her some drug treatment, and let her forgo the pain?

Dr Leevur: Drugs will not work for hyperacute rejection. It will be only effective on the other rejections.

Grandma please stay strong!

It’s been 2 weeks after the transplantation. On my side, the pain from the operation is subsiding. However Grandma didn’t have such a smooth sailing process. She faced hyper acute renal transplantation rejection straight after the transplantation.



Kuby, Janis (1992). Immunology. Transplantation Immunology (pp. 492). USA: Freeman



Kuby, Janis (1992). Immunology. Transplantation Immunology (pp. 494). USA: Freeman


Dr Leevur explained that it is due to activation of T cells (white blood cells), which, in turn, stimulate specific antibodies against the graft. Various clinical syndromes of rejection can be correlated with the length of time after transplantation. He said that the transplant needed to remove immediately so as to prevent a severe systemic inflammatory response.

His words left us feeling as we were back to square one. ):

My interest on the rejection grew as I really wanted to know what’s going on in Grandma’s body. He went on to show me diagrams summarising the four different types of rejections:

1) Hyperacute rejection – occurs immediately in the operation room
2) Acute rejection- occurs both 10days after transplantation
3) Late acute rejection- occurs approximately 6 months after transplantation
4) Chronic rejection- occurs more than 1 year after transplantation

Dr Leevur said that Grandma was suffering from Hyperacute rejection. It could be avoided if tissue typing and ABO blood group typing are performed prior to transplantation. These pre-existing antibodies can be detected and graft that will result in hyperacute rejection can be avoided. He added that due to time constraint, he did not perform this typing for us. Thus, the transplant must be immediately removed. The doctor recommended Grandma undergoes a artificial kidney transplant.

To make things worse, Dr Leevur said that artificial kidney transplant is not a very established treatment. He warned us of the many complications and hopes we will consider over the weekends.

This is totally a snowball effect; problem is just getting bigger and bigger.

Sigh

Kuby, Janis (1992). Immunology. Transplantation Immunology (pp. 489). USA: Freeman

I found this diagram to help better understand about what happens to the blood vessel on acceptance and rejection. Click on the picture to get a clearer picture!

Dr. Leevur called us again with good news, he told us that we better go down to the Mount Temasek Specialist Center (MTSC) later.

True enough, I can donate my kidney to grandma. He advised that we do the transplant asap, and it would be best to do it tomorrow. I was not really mentally prepared for it to come so quick, but my grandma's life was at stake! I agreed to do the transplant and was given endless papers to sign!

On a lighter note, while doing some research on my kidney transplant operation I discovered a lake named: Kidney Lake! Apparently it is in a shape of a kidney and located in Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario. Maybe after Grandma and I have fully recovered in about 6-12 months we can visit this beautiful place :)


http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/onblack.php?id=2933478314&size=large

Dr Leevur called us, telling us he had important news to tell us and we need to go down to the hospital later. He especially mentioned that I should be there. I was puzzled at first, and then I remembered signing up as a kidney donor.
Once we reached his office, he told us he had found us a suitable donor. We were all elated and thankful. He went on to mention that the donor is ME! At first, Dad and Mom were a little hesitant to let me donate my organ but Dr Leevur assured that there is an 80% of success rate and he is an extremely experienced doctor with over 30 kidney tranplant operations under his belt.

I didn’t have anything in mind except saving Grandma. It really hurts to see her lying on the bed, feeling so weak and frail.

What hurt the most was I couldn’t bear to see so many tubes poking into her skin and watching her weaken day by day.

Dr Leevur briefed me of the procedures I have to undertake. I have to go for a screening for transmissible infectious agents like HIV, Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E and human T-cell Lymphotropic virus type 1, herpesvirus (cytomegalovirus [CMV], herpes simplex virus [HSV] and Epstein-Barr virus [EBV]).

Oh my God, SO MANY!!? But for grandma, I wíll do it.

Wish me luck!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/morgspace/423622783/

We hope God will send angels to help us.

Xoxo