A little more information

Today is Friday and we have a little more information. We will be spending most of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the hospital, getting to meet an incredible number of people. At this point, we expect that we will both be admitted to the hospital on Thursday morning, the day of our surgeries.

If you are wondering, why Wisconsin?, the answer is that Paula had a kidney-pancreas transplant in 1989 (18 October) which brought 25 years of diabetes to an end. At that time, and still today, the experience and superior results that had been acheived at Univ of Wisconsin were remarkable. It has been over 18 years and the kidney is giving out but the pancreas is still working. Since they need to take out the previously transplanted kidney--it is causing my blood pressure to go through the roof--and I want them to take good care of the pancreas, we are going back to where they did a good job before. I will have my same surgeon and it just feels right to be going back there again.

This time honestly feels so much simpler than the last time--though maybe not for Katie!! In 1989, Katie and her sister Maggie were 4 and 7 years old and I received my transplant from a young man who died in a motorcycle accident, and so had to literally drop everything and go when they called. This time, we have been able to plan the procedure for Katie's Spring break from school. We are hoping that Katie will be able to return to Seattle by April 3 or 4. It is hard to know when Paula will be back, but hopefully by mid-April.

Thank you for looking in on our blog and we look forward to letting you know that we are both through the procedures and doing well.

Love, Paula and Katie