Thanks to this forum

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

May 29, 2014 10:06:45 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

Nope, SWAN is out but they will put something else in for the drug. The milrinone. Plus another drug. Brain fart what that one is called.

Are they putting in a PICC line to deliver drug?  If so, they'll probably set him up with home health.  It is quite a seamless process, and keeps you out of needing to go in for treatment.

I had a line that delivered my IV antibiotics for 6 months.  The biggest pain was finding room in the fridge for the drugs and needing to remember to take them when we left the house to go for doctor appts in Seattle.

[zibazinski]

Yes to all of that. The drug is called digoxin.

[NancysSummerSip]

May 29, 2014 10:52:47 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

I went to the first Jewish education class and the Rabbi was adamant about it. 

Depending on the rabbi's degree of orthodoxy (Reform, Conservative or Orthodox/Hasidic), there will be differences of opinion. The post I provided with the explanation does not apply to all Jewish divisions. We cannot change Jewish law or doctrine, but over time, it has adapted to modern times. Years ago, organ donations were forbidden by all groups. But as the need has increased, things have changed.

[zibazinski]

He's Reform. Still adamant.

[NancysSummerSip]

May 29, 2014 11:32:25 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

He's Reform. Still adamant.

I figured. But as my post showed, the issue is very problematic. I would expect a good number of rabbis to want to err on the side of caution and just give a blanket "NO' to the idea. It makes their philosophy easier, I guess, when there is no debate.

[NoNamePerson]

May 29, 2014 9:34:13 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

May 29, 2014 9:16:48 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

That's pretty much my take too Zib.  But not everyone feels that way so while I think everyone should be donors, I do get that some people have issues (squeamish and/or religious are the top ones that spring to my mind)

Some people who are donors wind up with no ability to donate due to age or disease. And some family members will go against the donor's wishes and not allow it.

And yes, some religions, including mine, forbid it. I am a donor anyway. I figure I can explain it to God when I get there.

Maybe this has been asked and answered but if your religion forbids being a donor does it forbid receiving a donated heart, etc. Not to hijack the thread but just curious.

Sorry you and DF are going thu this.  

[zibazinski]

I'm not sure. It's not my religion but I would think that preserving a life, especially a Jewish one, would be over rule a religious issue. I don't think DF cares if the Rabbi is against heart transplants either. 

[wvugurl26]

They have a few hospitals around here that adhere to the no blood products thing. I had a training instructor who was Orthodox and her family only went to a certain hospital for procedures because of that. Ironically some of her in laws lived in my old neighborhood that was a Hasidic area.

My boss is Jewish although not Orthodox and as he says they don't even like him because he's not ultra observant.

Saying no is probably the easy way out.

[Deleted]

So...when your DF gets this heart and it's all settled in and he has a good long life and gets hit by a bus at the age of 112 and he's in the hospital brain dead...can he donate the heart again? How many times can the same organ be regifted?

[tloonya]

I have totally missed what happened but wish you the best, zib.

[NancysSummerSip]

May 29, 2014 11:38:12 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

May 29, 2014 9:34:13 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Some people who are donors wind up with no ability to donate due to age or disease. And some family members will go against the donor's wishes and not allow it.

And yes, some religions, including mine, forbid it. I am a donor anyway. I figure I can explain it to God when I get there.

Maybe this has been asked and answered but if your religion forbids being a donor does it forbid receiving a donated heart, etc. Not to hijack the thread but just curious.

Sorry you and DF are going thu this.  

No, it is not forbidden to be a recipient. And as Zib stated, it is of the highest moral order to donate to someone who needs it. The issue is determining when a donor individual is deceased (brain vs. heart function), thus allowing the donation of organs from a donor.

Live tissue donation, such as a kidney, has no such issues. Blood donation is considered a live donation, and it's OK.

[zibazinski]

May 29, 2014 11:44:09 GMT -5 laterbloomer said:

So...when your DF gets this heart and it's all settled in and he has a good long life and gets hit by a bus at the age of 112 and he's in the hospital brain dead...can he donate the heart again? How many times can the same organ be regifted?

Darned if I know but I can't donate his heart, even a transplanted one.

[Deleted]

I think it's one and done. Can you imagine how beat up the blood vessels would get being sewn over and over again?

[NancysSummerSip]

Some organs can and have be reused, most notably kidneys. And an organ rejected by one person could theoretically be used for another person, but the issues would be 1) keeping the donated organ viable until the next transplant recipient is found, and 2) finding another compatible recipient.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

May 29, 2014 11:50:03 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Some organs can and have be reused, most notably kidneys. And an organ rejected by one person could theoretically be used for another person, but the issues would be 1) keeping the donated organ viable until the next transplant recipient is found, and 2) finding another compatible recipient. 

I wonder how this happens?  This means that you are dealing with not just 2 potential rejection issues (the host can reject the graft and the graft can reject the host), but 3.  This has to be an incredible balancing act.

 

[NancysSummerSip]

May 29, 2014 12:01:13 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

May 29, 2014 11:50:03 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Some organs can and have be reused, most notably kidneys. And an organ rejected by one person could theoretically be used for another person, but the issues would be 1) keeping the donated organ viable until the next transplant recipient is found, and 2) finding another compatible recipient. 

I wonder how this happens?  This means that you are dealing with not just 2 potential rejection issues (the host can reject the graft and the graft can reject the host), but 3.  This has to be an incredible balancing act.

 

From what I've read, it is. And as pointed out, the donated organ has already been through the ringer. Plus the recipient was likely on anti-rejection drugs right away. Both of those things affect the organ itself. It is not done often, for those reasons.

[Deleted]

Prayers to you and your fiancée.

[zibazinski]

Thank you.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

[Blonde Granny]

It's time for an update Zib....

[Jaguar]

May 29, 2014 15:28:41 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

It's time for an update Zib....

I'm a wee worried.

[zibazinski]

We'll, we are getting out today but WOW. Lots of stuff to do and DF is a human drip pan!

[Jaguar]

Oh geez what did they do to him ?

[dannylion]

So sorry your DF (and you) are going through this.  Sending good thoughts for a positive outcome and a long and happy life together.  

[Blonde Granny]

Thx sib, post updates when you can

[cael]

Just caught up on this, hope all goes well Zib and sorry you all are going through this to begin with!

[Nazgul Girl]

   Thanks, Zib, you and DF are in my prayers.   I hope that all goes well.  

[Deleted]

[zibazinski]

Okay. We are home and I fed him. Right now he's reading his discharge papers and telling me when his doctor appts are. The process of getting on transplant list is 4-6 weeks before it goes to committee. He's got a battery pack and a bag full of milrinone in what looks like a fanny pack. I have to clean the tubes daily. With saline and something else. Heparin. It's our new normal and it buys him time.

[Jaguar]

We are all here for you Zib.