THERE are gifts for which a simple thank you is gratitude enough and there are others that leave us speechless.
Collette Kinsey, 35, has spent the past six months struggling to find the words that will adequately convey her appreciation for the gift of life.
Just 10 years ago, she was grappling with a hopeless prognosis given her by doctors in Britain: blindness, a wheelchair and dialysis.
Today she is the grateful beneficiary of a kidney/pancreas transplant and is planning to return to work next month at Cork University Hospital (CUH) and to her role of recovery theatre nurse.
Collette’s health difficulties began after a course of steroids at age 10 to address a blood-clotting problem. By age 11, she had developed the more serious form of diabetes.
As a student nurse in Britain, she did her best to control the disease but began experiencing serious eye problems to the point where her retinas detached. Her doctors said the outlook was not good and at that point delivered the grim prognosis.
"Basically, they told me to make preparations for where I wanted to end up," Collette said. She returned to Ireland with her husband, lost the sight in her second eye and had further surgery during which problems with kidney function were identified. At that point, she came in contact with Dr Liam Plant, consultant nephrologist at CUH, and national clinical director of the Health Service Executive (HSE) National Renal Office. He arranged for Collette to be placed on the transplant list, where she remained for almost five years. In the interim, she continued to work. Three times a week, after a 10-hour shift, she would undergo five hours of dialysis. "I needed to work," she said "I was afraid if I stopped the illness would take over."
Collette finally underwent a transplant operation at Beaumont Hospital last October and the improvement in her health was ‘almost instantaneous’.
Her quality of life has improved enormously. And six months post-transplant, she is trying to compose the perfect thank you letter for the family who unanimously agreed to donate their loved one’s organs for the chance of saving a live.
"It is such a difficult decision for families to make and I respect the fact that many are fearful. But if the donor has told their family that they are carrying a card and what his/her wishes are, it makes a very difficult decision a little bit easier. I would encourage everyone to discuss with family if they would like to donate," Collette said.
* For more information about donor cards, log on to www.ika.ie
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, March 12, 2010
