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FAQ
Your transplant coordinator will be with you from day one. He or she will be at your service day and night. Your coordinator will handle everything related to your medical care and your personal needs as well. Your coordinator is here to ensure that you are not only as comfortable as possible, but that you are able to enjoy yourself. Coordinators can make dinner reservations, get you into sold out shows, arrange shopping trips and sight seeing tours, etc.
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| We offer an all inclusive package for $85,000.00 USD. Please see "Cost page" for full details. |
| WHY IS A TRANSPLANT NECESSARY? |
End-stage kidney disease occurs when the kidneys no longer removes waste and excess fluids, and manage electrolytes (such as sodium and potassium) and minerals. They also no longer make hormones that keep your bones strong and your blood healthy.
As a result, harmful wastes build up in your body. Your blood pressure may rise, and your body may hold on to excess fluid and not make enough red blood cells.
The most common cause of end-stage kidney disease in the U.S. is diabetes. However, there are many other causes of chronic renal failure and end-stage kidney disease.
A kidney transplant may NOT be recommended if you have:
• Certain infections, such as TB or osteomyelitis
• Difficulty taking medications several times each day for the rest of your life
• Heart, lung, or liver disease
• Other life-threatening diseases
• Infections such as hepatitis that are considered to be active
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Rejection is one of the most important concerns for renal transplant recipients. Acute rejection most commonly occurs within the first three months after transplantation, but it can also occur many months or years after transplantation. You must understand that despite efforts to prevent rejection, it may still occur. Generally, rejection is treatable with medication and usually does not lead to loss of the kidney. However, for some patients, one or more rejection episodes or complete failure of a transplanted kidney can occur. It helps to understand just why your body might want to reject a transplanted kidney. Your body's immune system protects you from infection by recognizing certain foreign bodies, like bacteria and viruses, and destroying them. Unfortunately, the immune system sees your new kidney as a foreign substance also. To prevent rejection, you must take anti-rejection medications, as prescribed, for the rest of your kidney's life.
In spite of all precautions, rejection can occur. Up to 20% of all kidney transplant patients will have at least one rejection episode, most of which can be successfully controlled with changes in immunosuppressive medications. |
| WHAT ARE IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE MEDICATIONS? |
After your transplant, you will be required to take a combination of drugs designed to suppress your immune system and prevent rejection of your new kidney. Some of the most frequently prescribed are:
• OKT3
• Thymoglobulin
• Prenisone
• Imuran
• Cyclosporine
• Mycophenolate
• Tacrolimus
• Sirolimus
The transplant nephrologist will determine the particular combination of drugs you will take after your transplant and discuss the side effects of each.
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| WHERE DOES THE OPERATION TAKE PLACE? |
| All operations take place at licensed hospitals. Operations are preformed by licensed and board certified surgeons who specialize in renal transplant surgery. |
| HOW LONG IS THE WAIT FOR THE SURGERY? |
| On average, it takes us 2-6 weeks to properly pair patients with a donor. Once paired with a donor and all cost having been paid in full. Patients are scheduled for surgery. Depending on the patient's circumstances, the whole process and operation can be completed in as little as 30 days. |
| HOW LONG IS THE OPERATION? |
The whole operation takes on average between 3-4 hours. |
| DOES THE SURGERY HAVE ANY RISKS? |
Yes, all operations have risks. The risks associated with this procedure are listed on our "Surgery details" page and provided below.
Risks
The risks for any anesthesia are:
• Problems breathing
• Reactions to medications
The risks for any surgery are:
• Bleeding
• Infection
Other risks related to the procedure include:
• Blood clots (deep venous thrombosis)
• Heart attack or stroke
• Wound infections
• Side effects from medications used to prevent transplant rejection, including:
- Increased risk for infections
- Damage to your liver or other organs
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| ARE DONORS ALIVE OR DEAD? |
We only pair our patients with living donors. We never use dead (cadaver donors).
Living donor transplants have a much higher rate of success and fewer patients need temporary dialysis after the operation with a living donor verses cadaver.
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We locate donors through a network of faith based organizations. Donors choose to give the "gift of life" freely, without compensation or pressure of any kind.
Donors are reimbursed for lost wages from work, travel expenses, etc. The cost of the surgery, testing, and follow up care is paid by Donatedlife.org
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| CAN I MEET AND THANK MY DONOR PERSONALLY? |
Absolutely, patients are given the opportunity to meet their donors in person. This decision is entirely up to the patient and is not required.
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| I WOULD LIKE TO DO IT, WHERE DO WE START? |
All interested parties are asked to complete the contact us form. Once the form is completed you will be contact by one of our representatives who will act as your coordinator throughout the entire process.
You will then be asked forward us your medical records and a $1,000.00 usd application fee. This fee is non-refundable and will be used to pay for initial donor/patient pairing tests.
Once we have found you a donor match, you will be required to post a deposit in the amount of $ 30,000.00 usd. You and your coordinator will then select an available date to schedule surgery.
The balance owed is due before surgery.
Please Note: This deposit is 100% refundable up to 5 days before your scheduled surgery, if you no longer wish to have the operation.
Both the transplant team and patient(s) have the right to re-schedule the surgery for any reason. |
| IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO DO WHILE I WAIT FOR YOU TO FIND MY DONOR? |
YES, the following list is necessary for you to follow while waiting for your donor match.
Most, but not all patients waiting for a kidney transplant are on dialysis. While you are waiting for a kidney, Please follow these steps:
• Follow any diet your transplant team recommends.
• Do not drink alcohol.
• Do not smoke.
• Keep your weight in the range that has been recommended. Follow any recommended exercise program.
• Take all medicines as they have been prescribed for you. Report changes in your medications and any new or worsening medical problems to the transplant team.
• Follow up with your regular doctor and transplant team on any appointments that have been made.
• Make sure the transplant team has the correct phone numbers so they can contact you immediately when a kidney match is found. Make sure, no matter where you are going, that you can be contacted quickly and easily.
• Have everything ready in advance to go to the hospital.
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