On April 12th, 2023, two phone calls changed everything. I awoke and began the day with a couple of cups of coffee and a drive to get my teeth cleaned. It was stressful since I wound up receiving a blood transfusion due to loss of blood following my last trip to the dentist.
Call Number One: April 12th 3 pm
However.at about three o'clock, a call came that changed my life forever, Vanderbilt's Nurse Jen called and gave the news about being placed on the transplant list. After getting my wife on the phone, Nurse Jen began explaining about the upcoming process.and told us what to expect She also explained the housing post-transplant and how to prepare. The last thing before hanging up, Nurse Jen answered my wife's question about a possible timeline. She said that it could be a few weeks, a few months, but not to get in a big rush...just begin to prepare.
After months of treatments, hospitalizations, and the looming reality of a failing liver, I was finally on the list. The fight for life was real, and the understanding that someone else's passing could be my salvation brought with it a profound mix of hope and sorrow. This is my story, a testament to the incredible gift of organ donation.
Our Reaction to the Call:
My journey to the transplant list was filled with challenge. From mid-20 MELD to over 30, the numbers were a stark reminder of my deteriorating health. That first call on that day, while ending with the uncertainty of "six weeks, six months or longer," ignited a spark of hope.
On the List: Now what?
I had a fighting chance, but the moral dilemma lingered: for me to live, someone else had to die. It was a strugglef a heavy truth to carry. The wait would be gruelling,
Call Number Two: April 12th 7 pm
After the first call, we had to call everyone and let them know what was happening. Everyone had the same question, "how long will it take get one? We just repeated what Nurse Jen had told us earlier in the day. Connie and I decided that we would make a list after we ate dinner. Surprise..S urprise...Surprise It was seven o'clock and Connie was getting me some soup. The phone rang (it had been ringing a lot since word got out about me making the List), but this was different. I looked to see the name of the caller and it was Vanderbilt. Jokingly yelled out to be quiet, that it was "Vanderbilt and they found me a liver." I truly had no serious thought that they were calling me for that reason. The voice on the other end (I never got his name) asked if I could be at the hospital my 9 pm because that had a liver match. I said that it would be tough because we were two hours away. We hadn't included the time change so it was a perfect time. Load up, call family and leave.
24 hours and a totally new Life
A grateful recipient, advocating for life
The irreplaceable bond with my donor family
The fact that my survival depended on someone else's passing truly haunted me. That's why meeting Tom's family was so crucial. The bond we share is indescribable. Every member I've met has expressed their happiness that Tom's liver gave me life. To see his wife, children and sister sitting by my side, knowing Tom lived on through me—that moment, I wish everyone on the fence about organ donation could experience. It transforms loss into a legacy of life.