the family has to carry a bleeper with them so that they are contactable at all times. There is a shortage of donor organs and it is not uncommon to have to wait longer than a year. Even if a patient is called to the hospital, it is still possible that one or more of the donor organs may be damaged or unsuitable and the operation may have to be cancelled.

The operation

The surgery generally takes about five hours, during which time the patient will be on a heart-lung by-pass machine to do the work normally done by the heart and lungs. Afterwards they will be in intensive care on the ventilator and in hospital for weeks before being fit for discharge home. Once at home, there are frequent visits to clinic, which might be a long distance away.

Afterwards

Everyone reacts differently to transplantation but there may be side effects to the drugs which can be distressing:
Drugs need to be taken regularly for the rest of life to prevent rejection and this also requires blood tests to check levels, although these may only be every 6-12 weeks after the first 3 months.  There will be regular check ups and tests at the transplant centre to check bloods, heart and lung function and drug levels. These drugs help to prevent the body rejecting the new organs by suppressing the immune system. This can make the patients more vulnerable to infections, cause long term damage to kidneys and there is a small increased risk of developing a tumour.

Things you might want to think about
(published with permission in writing from:http://www.dhg.org.uk)




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