15 Years ago today

9am Oct4th 1995 I was going under the knife for a minimum of 5 hours to have my fathers kidney removed from him, and put into me. I don't remember being all that nervous the night before, but I do remember that I was given medication to help me relax. I'm sure because of it that is why I slept. In the morning to get to the OR I was taken down by gurney which is basically a stretcher.

Between my father and I, I'd say I had it easy. In order for a kidney to be removed, at least back then the rib above it had to be cut and removed. All that I had to do was have an incision made from just above my pelvic bone down to slightly above my crotch. There was no bone cutting. I don't remember a whole lot for the few hours after waking up, I was in the ICU and that really it.

After being moved from the ICU I was taken to what would be room for the next few weeks. It was right in front of the nurses station and because my immune system was being suppressed so much, great caution was taken. I was in isolation. This means anybody that came into my room would have to wear a mask and gown to not transmit any germs to me.

So now hopefully in the next year or so I'll get a call and I will get to go through the above again. Here is hoping for sooner rather than later.

Owen