Did I happen to mention that I am a recovering Alcoholic…?

In the accepted parlance of the Alcoholic Anonymous recovery community, you are never a recovered Alcoholic, always either a recovering or practicing Alcoholic.

I bring this up with 26 plus years of sobriety behind me because of the stringent no drugs, no alcohol, no smoking or ”no new lungs for you, mister” stance by the Organ Transplant Community.

Though rather harsh, I happen to agree with this edict.

Why should anyone be given the gift of life when there has been no evidence that they are ready to cherish that gift by committing to not continue with behavior that, if not primarily the cause, contributed mightily to their condition?


http://mylungtransplantyears.wordpress.com/about/


The latest post to My Lung Transplant Blog.

This time, it's personal...

on their patients who still smoke because they know those patients will be back within 5 years for a second (and final) surgery.

That the transplant people are refusing livers to alcoholics and lungs to smokers is no surprise. I worked with transplant patients and people who drink and smoke put a lot of stress on their systems and reduce their chances of surviving transplant surgery while reducing the longevity of the transplant. In other words, it's putting them through hell for little benefit.

I hope you and my cousin get your new lungs soon. Transplant is no picnic and the follow up means you'll still always be ill, but you'll be able to go up and down stairs without stopping three times to gasp for breath and that is a great deal.

That being ableto cloimb the stairs again....

It makes no sense to transplant organs into someone who will simply keep on abusing substances that will once again, destroy the organs.

I too am a recovering alcoholic, it will be 25 years this coming Halloween, also my daughters birthday!

If you haven't read the blog, this is the post to read...

I talk about the night I realized I had a drinking problem.

Just kidding. Congrats on such long sobriety. :hi:

It wasn't easy but it does get better...

See you all later...

(Renal/transplant; We care for Liver transplant, Kidney and kidney/pancreas transplant. Heart and Lung transplant come to our floor for dialysis after ICU if needed)

I will say that we don't transplant people who aren't sober for at 6 months, and pass a number of criteria including a psycho-social eval.. As someone who is very familiar with the recovery community, I'll say that personally, I don't think 6 months is long enough. But I've learned not to judge so much.

But in liver failure, for instance, so often you start hitting a window, one that's rapidly closing. I can't count the number of times I've cared for someone who is so very ill, hospitalized and waiting. We know the window is nearly closed, and we can count in days or hours if someone will make it strong enough to survive the table.

We often care for junkies or ex-junkies who have damaged their hearts so bad that only a transplant will save their lives. By the time they realize this, it's way too late; They are not transplantable, for psychological as well as physical reasons. They die.

We've had young people (18 or so)in fulminant liver failure from, say, Vicoden. Not transplantable because their tox screen showed drugs AND alcohol. Polysubstance abuse. They die.

On another floor, the liver failure patients who are not transplantable go, they go with encephalopathy and infections and anascara and misery. They die.

We've given single lungs to 75 year olds with COPD from a smoking history and bilateral lungs to 19 year olds with cystic fibrosis. They live usually,

We've given livers to ex-drug abusers, people who contacted HCV from blood transfusions, people with genetic disorders and Alcoholics (sober ones) Usually they live, but not always.

We've given kidney to diabetics with with a smoking history, diabetics, people with hypertension, people with both diabetics and hypertension with with a history of obesity. Usually they live.

I can't go into detail, but I think we've been challenged in many, if not most ways ethically, those of us who work in transplant. Ultimately, trust me, you are not being harsh-- not at all-- this is the reality of transplant surgery. We lost a young man recently who had liver failure through no fault of his own. I just saw a very successful transplant who shot dope for 20 years then quit for 10. And there was another, who is using dope again. I can't help but be furious, but I have to set it aside.

And congratulations!!! I'm very glad for you and I'm glad you maintain that blog. Transplant is one experience that only another transplant recipient can fully understand

I have had a great experience so far with the transplant folks over at Cleveland Clinic.

Today I found out I have partial blockage in one of the blood vessels around my heart...

The drama continues.

have to be "recovered" before he is able to be considered for a liver transplant? (Generally speaking) I ask because my youngest is a recovering addict, and has just begun chemo/med treatment for Hep C. He has not used drugs for a little over one year now. I know it's too early to be thinking about liver transplant, but I can't help worrying about every eventuality. Thanks.

And it must be somehow documented...

What a harrowing story...

So glad you got through it...

You have much insight here, for anyone who can see it...

Well done.

:thumbsup:

Plavix is yet another drug I have to take.

Here's hoping it won't delay your arrival on the transplant list.

succinctness of your post, but I'm not really feeling the emotion...

Just kidding, I'll check back later. Congratulations on 26 years!

that I am a stupid idiot for smoking.


Very profound :hug: