Theatrical Thursdays
Here I will just be rambling about life spilling some tea and honestly just mildly trauma dumping you.
My Liver Transplant
Let’s start this story by going down the slippery slopes of nearly 23 years ago.
(I want to be clear that I do not have some unhinged memory all the info of this story is built through documents that were kept, stories that were told and trauma that’s been shared.)
So, I was born with Biliary Atresia which is the absence or narrowing of the bile ducts. If we are being real, I only found out what exactly is biliary atresia recently.
But anyway, so when I was 5 weeks old, I started looking like a vintage minion. I had jaundice… My parents took me to the doctor and this man told them. “I had a slow liver and that I will heal soon.”
A few weeks after that doctor’s visit, my parents took me to get a second opinion. After they ran more tests, they found out that I have biliary atresia. When diagnosed with biliary atresia. The chances of staying alive until you are an adult is quite slim. So I desperately needed a liver transplant.
My liver was not able to remove the toxins from my body.
The train of surgeries started here. I had my gall bladder, bile ducts and a portion of my liver removed.
The next procedure I had was to connect my small intestine to my liver. In the hope that my liver will drain directly into my small intestines. As the success rate of this surgery was low.
I required a liver transplant…The doctors told my parents I only have until the 25th of December to live. Time was waiting for no man.
Just to add a little bit more spice to the mix. The only hospital that was able to do the liver transplant was the red cross children’s hospital that is a 2-hour flight from where I stayed. Once my parents received the call I had to be on a flight to cape town within an hour.
Thanks to an angel my parents got the call, and I had my transplant on the 9th of December 2003.
My parents did not have any money just laying around so they held a bunch of fundraisers. Thanks to all of the donations and sponsors all the needed things happened. We could pay for all the medical expenses and needed things were paid. We could stay near by the hospital for my check-ups. (I wish I could say thank you to everyone personally, but where do you even start. Things were a lot different way back when and technology wasn’t so advanced.)
But who I can say thank you to is two of the strongest people in my life. That they never gave up on me and on each other as something so intense can strain a relationship drastically with having one sick kid and another kid that just has to flow with everything. And still having to juggle work and their relationship with each other. They set one unbelievable example for relationships to me and my sister while still knowing that they are still just humans learning as they go and I am so proud to call them my parents.
But regarding my transplant the sad reality is that I am one the fortunate few that made it because of an organ donor. There is such a big lack of organ doners in south Africa and due to that so many people young and old do not get the second chance at life. I’m going to be for real I can’t remember where I saw it but only 2% of SA are organ doners and that is not even a drop in the bucket of what could be if there was more awareness. Awareness is the Key. Even if it’s something that seems silly like telling a friend and inspiring them to be a part of something bigger. It could mean something so small to you but could be more than money could buy to someone desperately in need.
If you feel inspired or you are just considering it, I highly recommend you register to be an organ doner.
Follow the link below to Register:
https://odf.org.za/
I’m not a doctor so I’m not going to throw with drastic research and stats, my 2% stat is all I’ll give. But if you are scared, I encourage you to do some research/ talk to a doctor or you can even send me a mail, and we can have a little chat.
“Four or five moments—that’s all it takes. To be a hero. … Over a lifetime, there are only four or five moments that really matter. Moments when you’re offered a choice – to make a sacrifice, conquer a flaw, save a friend, spare an enemy”. ~ Colossus (Deadpool)
