The Waiting Game

Kidney Donation Update.....we're still waiting. I called last week and the nurse coordinator said that one of my doctors had to sign a report and that she needed a note from my dad's hematologist. Later that day my dad talked to her and gave her a contact name at the hematologist's office. She said she should have everything by the end of last week so I called again today (hoping to have an updated to post). She got the signature, but not the note. So she said she'd be calling the hematologist again today and she'd call me as soon as she gets it.

I'm going to get a little candid here. I have mixed feelings about this. I don't want to be unreasonable. I only call her maybe once a week and when I do I just ask for an update, not chew her out for not calling me yet. I don't know if it's just her normal tone, but I feel like she's sort of annoyed whenever I call. Also, I cannot think of a time that she has called me without me soliciting her to do so. Usually I have to call and leave a message or two before I actually have her on the phone. She hasn't been very proactive in other words.

I realize that as a coordinator, (I am one too, just for programs instead of kidneys) a lot of your job is dependant on other people. Other people can make you seem unresponsive when the truth is, it is them you are waiting on. At the same time, though, this can be an easy scapegoat. If you feel guilty you're not being as responsive as you should be, you can always say someone else is holding things up. There's a lot involved in this very serious process. I don't want things rushed that should have more attention (ie. interpreting tests, etc.), however, I do want to feel like our case is being handled with a sense of urgency. I know that every case should have urgency in this field of work and it must be hard to keep up with that. Even still, I can't help but get a little agitated that we're not to the point of scheduling the surgery yet. Until it's scheduled I won't feel like it's official and getting that "stamp" of approval would help relieve some of my anxiety. I don't have enough insight to be able to pass a detailed judgement on how the process is going for us, but based on my instincts, I'm not thrilled with where we are.

I'm glad I'm keeping this record because I have to wonder if other donors and recipients go through this same thing. None of these types of details were in the donor experiences I read. Is this normal or did we draw the short straw? Hopefully my experience will help other people down the road.

Want to know what I've been up to while waiting? Have look here!