State-of-the-art

"We connect vein to vein, artery to artery. Any questions?" quipped my surgeon. "[Transplanting] kidneys are easy!", waved their hand another, "I like liver for its challenge". While organ transplants are truly a miracle, the transplant know-how is hardly a mystery. The transplant surgery and immunosuppressive protocols are the same around the world. The only difference between performing transplant in Nigeria and England is hot weather or that it is raining outside.

And the technology getting even better. The hospital stays are just 3 days. The kidney transplant surgery is 3 hours. Immunosuppressive drugs become less toxic, new protocols make immunosuppressants regime easier. Desensitization therapies benefit formerly untransplantable patients with high antibodies and can be administered out-patiently anytime.

The irony is stark: our transplantation techniques are state of the art; the trouble is, we are running out of the donors that make the transplant possible and the doctors who carry out the procedure. Most Americans could not become a living donor even if they wanted to, Dr Anthony Bleyer study concluded. The shortage of kidney doctors and declining interest in nephrology as a career has also became a concern in the recent years.

As transplantation medicine progresses, transplant recipients make speedier recovery. While you feel being subjected to a harachiri with a subsequent salt sprinkled on your wound for a couple of days after your transplant, you head suddenly becomes incredibly clear. You no longer feel being in a smoky bar. You no longer worry about your future. You no longer worry about the problem that has been bothering you for years. Not today. And hopefully not in a near future. If you are out-of-town, most commercial health insurances even cover your stay and a flight on a private jet to the transplant center on a short notice (Medicare does not). Most transplant centers have agreements with nearby hotels that allow for cheaper rate. Perhaps, you are on FMLA and getting compensated with a percentage of your salary. This transplant recovery is almost getting lucrative! If you travelled to get your transplant, you will fall in love with your new home away from home. That's the city you are born again.