Kidney Transplant foiled by Gov't silliness.

[guest]

I feel for this little girl and her family. Sometimes the rules need to be flexible.

Grace teBoekhorst (http://iaff4449.org/news/2010/5/22/grace.html)

There is not enough time to explain the pain and suffering that the teBoekhorst family has gone through with Grace’s heart-rending situation. Our hopes are that you will understand enough of the frustration the family is going through and assist by sending your comments to the Ministry of Health Services via MLA Kevin Falcon.


Grace teBoekhorst is a courageous five-year old girl fighting a rare kidney disorder that has left her requiring a transplant. Hearing the story of the pain and suffering that Grace has gone through and continues as she battles this is one of the most devastating stories; that is until you hear how the medical system is going to fail her causing her to live her life in more pain and agony than any person should have to, especially an innocent five-year little old girl.


Currently, Grace is required to have a Hemo-Dialysis tube surgically inserted directly to her heart to allow her body to function; this tube is required until her transplant takes place. This process requires Grace to be taken to BC Children’s Hospital four to five times per week to get the required treatment and will continue this until she receives her new kidney.


The medical system has assisted Grace with getting to where she is today but unfortunately, the same system has created a major road-block that is putting Grace in unnecessary pain and could possibly cost her life: Grace’s ideal living donor, her dad, is unable to get the required workup appointment and surgery date within the specs that Grace’s doctors have asked for.


Unfortunately, the financial cuts in the medical system only allow two workup appointments per week. The consequences of such a prolonged wait is already being felt today by the teBoekhorst family, the Hemo-Dialysis tube can fail requiring Grace to undergo yet another unsafe surgery; worse yet, failing to get the proper dialysis will cost Grace her life. On top of this, the transplant must be performed at least three months before the cold and flu season begins so Grace has enough time to heal, and the earlier the procedure is performed, the better. If the delays in testing Grace’s father push the surgery date past July, Grace would have to wait until next year for the transplant.


This five-year old little girl has been fighting this battle for several years. So many potential childhood memories replaced by tests, surgeries, needles, trips to Children’s Hospital are just the beginning of some of the struggles she has had to overcome. Her family and friends have been praying that this ten hour surgery will be the last hurdle she will have to conquer before she can begin living her life as any child should, but now have to adjust their prayers that she can get the transplant in time.


This glitch that is not allowing Grace’s father to get his surgery prioritized needs to be fixed. The system has helped Grace thus far and with the end in sight, we need to come together and request to Kevin Falcon, the man with the power to fix this problem, to find a solution that will get Grace’s father into surgery as soon as possible.

[ab_chic25]

Ok I know there MUST be more to this story then your writing. I made my phone call the start of januray, it is now almost June and still not done the testing to give my father a kidney. Its not just as easy as making the call, then getting all the tests done right away. There are waiting lists, doctor visits, blood work ups, urine tests, C.A.T scans, ultra sounds, social worker visits. It takes time to get in to do these tests and to get them done. I am sad that this family is going threw it but honestly whats the difference between a sick 5yr and a ill 57yr old? Other then age NOTHING!!! Its a long and exausting deal to be running to and from doctors offices and hospitals, plus the extra time spent waiting to actually have the tests done. I am lucky that my testing is almost done, just have to re-do yet another test. Thats another thing, having to re-do tests. Nothing makes you wonder wtf is up, then hearing "well there was something that showed up, so we just want to re-do this". This test I have to re-do took me almost a MONTH to get in to get it done the first time, still waiting to hear when I can go re-do it.

You can say all you want to me but really what makes this one case of a kidney transplant so different from the THOUSANDS of people waiting for one? What about the people that die waiting for one?? It happens its life, and everything takes time. The doctors not only are making sure the kid is healthy enough to get a kidney but that the kidney is healthy enough to be given. My dad is lucky, he isnt on the machines, YET. But he is at about 10% left of working kidneys. We were not told about "making sure it is before old and flu season". The sad thing about it all is it can be the day of transplant but if anyone of them has even a slight cough, or fever. Thats it, wont happen then. Its just something you have to deal with.

Its hard and long but well worth it in the end. The doctors have their way of doing things so everyone is as healthy as can be and come out that way as well.