Liver Transplant

Happy Transplant Anniversary!!
I share your joy and your respect for the transplant surgeons, and the entire transplant staff at Mayo. I am about to celebrate my 3rd transplant anniversary.
I, too was unable to be active prior to transplant, but I found that the further out I moved from the surgery, the stronger I became. This continued even after my 1st year.
Sounds like you have been through a lot in addition to your transplant. But now are home!! WOW! Now you can start to actually plan to have future...Do something special to celebrate your transplant anniversary!

Congrats!!! As someone newly diagnosed with the need for a transplant, I look forward to the day that I'll have my one year anniversary, too. Blessings to you.

Yea for you! I too was at the Mayo for months after my liver transplant. Transplanted May 24, 2008. Went home at the end of August. Unfortunately, I was so sick at the time of my transplant I was in the hospital for 2 months before the transplant. Meld score of 43. (The additional 3 points were given because of hepital -renal syndrome - my liver caused my kidneys to fail. )
I had to rehab for a month to walk again and then was treated for the kidney failure.
I am back to most of my old activities again. I work a full day and have started singing in a mixed chorus to raise money for various charitable organizations.
I still have chronic kidney failure, not bad, not on dialysis, and doesn't interfere with anything I want to do!

So how serious was your case, what stage were you? How long we're you waiting on the transplant list for?

The reason I ask is because I am a college student and my father has had liver cancer for over 7 years stage 4. On the transplant list and doesn't know what will happen next. The doctors can never make any promises. It's nice to know some people that have stories

It did not take very long for Mayo to find a liver for me, just a couple of months. That said I was willing to accept different options. My donor liver was involved in a criminal activity that made it a high risk liver. There are other reasons a donor liver can be considered high risk. I was also willing to do several different types of transplants. Mayo can explain better than me what those are, I would liked to have done a partial transplant but all my siblings were just a year or so to old. I was very lucky it happened so fast, it is usually a longer wait. I was stage 4.

Oh....good luck to your Dad! I know he will be just find under the remarkable teams at Mayo.

Thank you so much for your information. It's hard to understand at this age. My dad kinda acts like there's nothing they can do anymore so it can be discouraging. But I appreciate your words of wisdom. Hope you are doing well

You are welcome. There is a point where there is not a lot medication can do. I was diagnosed with end stage liver disease in 1997. I kept on going for almost 14 years thanks to great medicine and great care. Starting in late 2010 my liver began to quickly fail. I was going to mayo ever week for paracentesis. My Meld score was increasing. Mayo usually waits to one reaches a particular Meld score before activitily seeking a transplant. If your dad has talked to Mayo transplant surgeons he should know all this and you should too. I know they will do every thing they can for him.

Waiting, being sick, and facing uncertainty are physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausting. Know that I will pray for strength for your dad and for you as you make this journey.
Rosemary