My Glofil test was Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at Dallas Nephrology in the Baylor All Saints Professional Building. The beginning of the test did not start off so well. Hayden came with me, so I would not have to sit for 3.5 hours by myself, but when the male nurse came to call me back he told Hayden to stay in the waiting room. I asked the nurse if Hayden could come back with me and the nurse was a little rude about it, so I had to go do the test alone. I am one of those people who freaks out when plans change. I am definitely not a go-with-the-flow type of person. This threw me off and I got very upset. I was going to start crying but instead I just shut down and sat quietly until the nurse started the test.
I was not completely alone during the test fortunately. There was a man named Javier that had to complete the test also, but more on him later.
If you want the complete details of what a Glofil test is go here http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/35412.htm.
To start the test, you have to do a urine catch so that they can see how hydrated you are. The more hydrated you are the less water I have to drink during the test. I am so glad I drank about 120 oz of water Monday and Tuesday. I did not have to drink near as much as the man I was with. Then I had to drink a non-radioactive substance mixed in Coke Zero, but unfortunately the Coke Zero did not mask the horrible taste. Then, I was given the radioactive iodine in the back of my left arm. After that, I pretty much just went to the restroom, drank water, went to the restroom, and had my blood taken. It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Leave it to me to be super dramatic and think it was going to be horrible.
Now back to Javier. Javier was a 57 year old man who had a kidney transplant a year ago. When you get a kidney transplant you have to do a Glofil test every few months to check the function of your new kidney. The nurse told me he never sees people who are giving a kidney doing a Glofil test. I started to think God had a part in this! I thought to myself, “Very funny God. I am sitting in a room with a man who is my dad’s age and just got a kidney transplant."
We started to talk, and Javier asked me if my dad was on dialysis. I did not want to answer because when most people hear that I am giving my dad a kidney and he is not on dialysis they are a little judgmental. Javier said he was happy that my dad was not on dialysis because it is horrible. He said you feel so sick the day you have dialysis, and that you spend the whole next day recuperating before you have to start all over again the following day. You have to do it three days a week. Then he told me something shocking. He said he saw more than one person die in the dialysis clinic, and that some of them were sitting in the chair next to him. They die of heart attacks apparently.
I asked him how he felt now with his new kidney. He said that he feels like a new person, and thanks God everyday he got a kidney when he did because he was ready to quit dialysis. Then this complete stranger told me I was a great person for doing this for my dad, and that I must love him very much to go through all of this for him. I don't feel like I am any different than other daughters out there. I think that if anyone was put in a situation like this, they would do it. I do love him very much and this is nothing compared to what he has done for me the last 24 years. He has provided for me, sat through countless volleyball games, lol, listened to me when I cried, hugged me when I was sad, and supported me in every decision I have ever made. He is the best dad.
I feel much more at peace with my decision to do this since the Glofil test. I wouldn’t have had to do the test if I would have done the urine catch correctly, so I am thankful that I did it wrong. I was able to have insight into exactly what my dad would have had to go through without my kidney, and I don’t want that for him. I don’t want him to feel even sicker than he feels now, and I don’t want to be scared that he will have a possible heart attack in the chair. This is the right decision, I know that now. Thanks Javier J
May 11, 2012 is the big day, so stay tuned.
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