It takes a whole lot of courage to deal with kidney disease on a daily basis while doing dialysis, either peritoneal or hemo, and waiting and hoping for a phone call telling you that a match has been found and, yes, it’s your turn.
I can’t imagine what it must be like when the person with kidney disease is your child.
Consider the situation in which Jana Tremblay of Robson, B.C., finds herself as she waits and hopes and searches for a kidney for her son, Zach, who is 16 years of age.
As has been detailed here on previous occasions, Zach has experienced one failed transplant and now, on top of everything else, has anti-body issues that make finding a match a bit more difficult. And then, this weekend, there were more issues.
On Saturday morning, Jana wrote:
“Because life just likes to keep us on our toes, we are currently sitting in Trail Hospital, awaiting air transport to Vancouver. Zach has very high BP, and needs some TLC from his team.
“And just to throw an extra kink into things, weather in Van and Kelowna has our flight on hold . . . that’s a switch. 😜
“Keep good thoughts for our boy.”
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On Sunday morning, Jana greeted us with:
“Mornin’! We are still in Trail, awaiting transport or an update from them . . . gotta love winter in BC.”
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Later Sunday came this:
“Captain’s log — Day3
“We are still in Trail — no big enough windows for us to move (Sunday). Today’s delays brought to you by Mama Nature and winter in the Koots!
“BP is slowly coming down, and he’s a little more like our boy.
“Backup plan for (Monday) is ambulance to Kelowna and hopefully fly from there.
“Join Team Zach and we can promise you it’s never a dull moment!!
“Much love and thanks to you all, for loving and supporting us the way you all do — indescribable and amazing.”
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Then, just before 10 p.m., Jana wrote:
“And JUST like that things change. We are currently on our way to Kelowna via ambulance. Hopefully fly from there tomorrow fingers crossed.”
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There really is nothing like a mother’s love, and the courage they show in times like this is off the charts. . . . Now if only Jana’s phone would ring . . .
When the Canadian government begins to debate private members’ business late next month, the first bill on the agenda will deal with organ donation. . . . Len Webber, a Conservative Member of Parliament from Calgary, won a lottery that gives him the first slot in that debate. He will use the time to revive a bill that that came close to becoming law in 2019. . . . “Webber’s office cites research that suggests that while 90 per cent of Canadians say they support organ donation,” writes Janyce McGregor of CBC News, “only about one in four or five Canadians (has) signed up with their provincial or territorial registries. Without more donors — including donors from diverse ethnic groups — patients die before transplant matches become available. Webber’s bill would make it easier to register by adding the option to the bottom of the federal tax return, similar to the question there now that seeks consent to update Elections Canada’s voters list with the tax filer’s current address.” . . . The bill actually was passed in Parliament late in 2018, but wasn’t able to get through the Senate before the 2019 federal election. . . . “The bill is about giving people who require a life-saving organ a second chance and this drawing has given my bill a second chance of life, too,” Webber told McGregor. “I believe that there’s a God up there, and even more so now.” . . . McGregor’s complete story, including why Webber is so committed to his bill, is right here.
Robin Warshaw of nextavenue.org has written an interesting piece that is headlined: You’re Never Too Old To Be An Organ Donor. . . . That piece is right here.
TAKING NOTE 