Meet the Team

Kidney Transplantation is a complex, long-term process. Mariama and I started our journey on September 25th at a birthday party. 2 weeks later I was at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston Ma giving blood. A week after that results were in..COMPATIBLE. Nancy, my donor coordinator has been with me from the start.    

After all the testing and results I was given a greenlight to proceed. I then met with the Psyciatrist James Rodrigue to make sure I wasn't a total nutcase. The funniest question from him was..."what is your ethnicity?" Of course I told him "I'm Irish, can't you see!?"

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Martha Pavlakis, MD

Then came Martha Pavlakis the Kidney specialist. Who wondered if I always made such spontaneous decisions. Doesn't everyone?

Thursday Dec 9th we were back down to meet with Scott Johnson, the Surgeon. I went in for my weigh in and blood pressure check. Both are higher than I'd like. LOL! Nancy the Coodinator came in shortly after. We reviewed the results of the 24 hour blood pressure test. Although my blood pressure was high on this day, the 24 hour test was PERFECT! She left me in the room to wait for Dr. Scott. 45 minutes later and still no surgeon. I walked out to see what was happening and it appeared as if everyone had left for the evening. "Scott has left. Maybe he was called into emergency surgery," Nancy said. Then she remembered there was another



Amy R. Evenson, MD

Dr. available, Amy Evenson, and I met with her briefly. But half way through our meeting, Dr. Scott appeared. He was apologetic for being called into a another meeting. I asked him a few questions about his experience. He has conducted over 1,000 transplant surgeries. That was good enough for me. His biggest fear is with the hot instruments they use, there is a chance of burning something that shouldn't be burned. Or a microscopic accidental incision that could cause bleeding after I'd left the hosptial. OOPPSSS! But all in all he felt that since I had been through surgery before, it would be a breeze! He was a bit confused because he thought we were scheduled to have the surgery NEXT WEEK! But at second glance at my file, it hadn't been scheduled at all.


Mariama and I discussed it and we both agree that after the New Year would be the best time for the surgery. Surgeries are conducted on Tuesday's so January 4th, 11th, 18th or 25th. (I like the number 11). 1/11/2011 has a certain ring to it. So we'll both enjoy our families for the Holiday's and start 2011 in grand style.