Page 28 - Seniorstoday September 21
P. 28

combination of drugs and a strict diet - only      liver to his relative. It was only after talking
         2 grams of salt per day, only 1200 ml of           to him, and the recipient, that he decided to
         liquid.                                            give it a thought.
          In spite of the strict regime, his health          Second obstacle, I was in no shape to
         kept deteriorating, till, about a year later,      donate… the parameters for liver donation
         he started complaining of breathing                are very rigid, and I did not fit in. We were
         difficulty and a dry cough, which wouldn’t         advised to ask close relatives if anyone
         settle. An x-ray showed pleural effusion           would come forward, but really, how
         (fluid outside the lungs), which had to be         does one ask a relative to donate a piece of
         aspirated. Unfortunately, it recurred within       themselves??
         a couple of months, requiring repeated
         aspirations.
          At this point, his treating physician
         urged us to meet a hepatologist, for further
         treatment.
          The day before our appointment with the
         hepatologist, he took a turn for the worse
         and had to be admitted in the hospital
         where the hepatologist was an attendee.
          The team of doctors there checked him and
         treated the immediate problem; however,
         we were told that the pleural effusion             A graphic of a typical liver transplantation with the
         would just keep recurring, as the liver            replacement of a diseased liver
         damage was extensive. The tests they ran            We were fast running out of time, his
         showed a completely cirrhotic liver, not           health was going downhill… with no other
         responding to treatment. We were advised           alternative, the team of doctors , and our
         that the best course of treatment was a liver      family, decided that we would go ahead
         transplant, possibly within a month.               with me donating, if I was a match. I was
          We immediately got him registered in the          told to undergo a whole battery of tests, and
         national transplant list, but his MELD score       lose weight…up to 8 kgs in three weeks…
         (used to assess patients) was far too low;         my liver had to be in prime condition.
         he wouldn’t get a liver in the time frame           The next two weeks were a jumble of
         required.                                          consultations with the doctors, the dietician
          The doctors then suggested a live donor,          and the labs, as I underwent blood tests, a
         someone in the family… a close relative.           very long and uncomfortable MRI, and a
         Someone sharing a similar DNA profile, so          painful liver biopsy.
         that it would be a match. Sharing the same          I was also put on a strict diet, about 1000
         Blood group, I volunteered.                        calories a day. Restricted to having half a
          First obstacle, my father wouldn’t hear of        fruit twice a day, half a bowl of rice, plenty
         it… he didn’t want to put me at risk. What         of green tea, no sugar, and, the toughest for
         convinced him was a long conversation              me, no chocolates. And, of course, exercise.
         with an acquaintance… a friend who had,            With no access to a gym (we were at the
         just six months back, donated a part of his        hospital all the time), the hospital staircase


    28
   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33