Who Should Get The Transplant?
This was a BBC televison documentary focusing on the stories of patients requiring liver transplants and how doctors decide which patients will receive them.
I wanted to watch it to learn how decisions about liver transplants are made within the NHS, how priority ratings are decided, how the systems work and what is involved in the transplant operation.
I found it very moving and distressing to watch. I was moved to tears in several places - when the family of a donor consider their decision to support the donation of their loved one’s organs, and seeing a young girl whose breathing is deteriorating as a result of her liver condition.
But mainly I was moved to tears as I faced the possibility that it could be me waiting for a transplant someday. If this treatment is not successful I could be given another course of treatment again. But if the virus is not eradicated from my blood stream, my liver will continue to deteriorate, become cirrhotic and a transplant is then the only course. I could also die waiting for a transplant. It would appear that only patients close to this point are given priority staus on the waiting lists. And, just as disturbingly, the new transplanted liver would also continue to be attacked by the virus and also become infected.
A painful, but useful, programme which strengthens my resolve to remain as positive as I can about this treatment and to ensure I do whatever is necessary to support the treatment and my liver.
January 24th, 2005 at 2:24 pm
Ron: I know the feeeling concerning the possibility of a liver transplant. However, consider this from “Living With Hepatitis C: A Survivor’s Guide,” by Dr. Gregory Everson and Hedy Weinberg, herself a HCV survivor: “While it’s true that one-third of patients with chronic hepatitis C may develop cirrhosis (scarring of the liver, tow-thirds may not. One of five peoiple with cirrhosis may also get hpatocellular carcinoma, a form of liver cancer, but four out of five will not.” Particularly since it is early in my treatment (beginning of Week 3), and I have no idea whether I will be a responder, I find I must concentrate on the possibility that, regardless, I may be in the positive percentile.:)
Grace and peace,
Buzz
March 17th, 2005 at 10:49 am
haemophiliacs should be given priority because they did not choose to self abuse their bodies the governmentt did that for them, by purchasing infected plasma from the united States and continue to put them at risk by refusing to fund safer treatment that is free from virus risk!
December 23rd, 2005 at 8:29 pm
Hi Colette,
I have been diagnosed with a sick liver, and the doctors are not coming up with any answers. Perhaps, you would contact me and shed some light on the situation. I do not think, that although I am your twin brother, I have the same problems that you are experiencing at present.
Kind regards,
Gerard
July 29th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
While you have a right to express your opinions regarding the stereotypical idea that people who have caused their own disease are somewhat lower on the scale of humanity, but it doesn’t do a bit of good for people who made a mistake decades ago who are fighting guilt as well as a dreadful disease.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Hi Larry
At first I thought your comment was a spam - now I just think you haven’t read much of my writing. I’m well known for taking the view that no one deserves to have Hepatitis C regardless of how we got it. Check out this page on the NHS HepC Awareness website in which I talk about tackling the stigma of HepC.
http://www.hepc.nhs.uk/photographytour/ron.html
This is part of a national exhibition. So I think I have done my bit to support people who cope with guilt as well as the disease.
Ron