Let me try to clear this up, so all our prayers can be more precise.
HB was a Navy Seal combat medic for 14 years. Combat medics are the ones that run into active fire to attend someone who got wounded and then they get shot too. He's got a bunch of Purple Hearts. I think he has died and been brought back to life at least twice. He's tough!
So, he's missing a few feet of one of his intestines, he has a bullet sitting right next to his heart that's too close for anyone to operate on it, and he has a donor kidney and pancreas from the same individual. Apparently, they go together? Like, he can't get another donor kidney without also getting a new pancreas from the same person.
Of course, that ups the ante. And he's over 50 now. It's pretty unlikely he will be able to get new organs.
And BTW, most of us have two kidneys. For a reason! He's just got the one.
I asked him about this last week, and he said his kidney/pancreas came from an 11-year old boy. So, I guess that's a good one? Better than a 50-year old one?
Most donor kidneys last about 10 years. He's had his for 20 years.
I'm pretty sure when it gives out, he will die. So, let's focus our prayers on keeping the one he still has working!
I believe in miracles. I don't know what the statistics are and it's too morbid for me to look up. But if what he says is true and he's already doubled the average lifespan of donor kidneys, I say let's double it again! It will be The Miracle Kidney. One for the record books. I think he would be happy with that kind of fame. Especially, if he's already dead.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2023-07-25 03:39 am (UTC)HB was a Navy Seal combat medic for 14 years. Combat medics are the ones that run into active fire to attend someone who got wounded and then they get shot too. He's got a bunch of Purple Hearts. I think he has died and been brought back to life at least twice. He's tough!
So, he's missing a few feet of one of his intestines, he has a bullet sitting right next to his heart that's too close for anyone to operate on it, and he has a donor kidney and pancreas from the same individual. Apparently, they go together? Like, he can't get another donor kidney without also getting a new pancreas from the same person.
Of course, that ups the ante. And he's over 50 now. It's pretty unlikely he will be able to get new organs.
And BTW, most of us have two kidneys. For a reason! He's just got the one.
I asked him about this last week, and he said his kidney/pancreas came from an 11-year old boy. So, I guess that's a good one? Better than a 50-year old one?
Most donor kidneys last about 10 years. He's had his for 20 years.
I'm pretty sure when it gives out, he will die. So, let's focus our prayers on keeping the one he still has working!
I believe in miracles. I don't know what the statistics are and it's too morbid for me to look up. But if what he says is true and he's already doubled the average lifespan of donor kidneys, I say let's double it again! It will be The Miracle Kidney. One for the record books. I think he would be happy with that kind of fame. Especially, if he's already dead.
-Slink