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Family means giving everything of one's self |
By Laurent
Bonczijk, Newberg Graphic reporter
E-mail Laurent at
bonczijk@eaglenewspapers.com
|
A Newberg resident and his
sister became Oregon Health & Science University Hospital’s 5,000th
organ transplant in April when surgeons transplanted a kidney from
Justin Riedl, 33, to his sister Alicia Soine, 29.
Three months later the siblings are doing fine. They have both
returned to work and have resumed normal lives — well, nearly normal
in the case of Soine.
Soine had
known since the premature birth of her son eight years ago that her
kidneys were slowly failing. At the time Riedl recalled that he had
been asked if he would donate one of his kidneys if it became
necessary. “Of course I would do it,” was his reply.
“About one year ago, I got a call from my mom,” saying “Alicia’s
kidneys are failing,” Reidl said. He remained ready to donate, but
“her kidneys had to drop below 20 percent (capacity) before her
insurance would kick in,” and pay for him and other potential donors
to be tested.
It turned out that Riedl was almost a perfect match for his sister,
his organ being 1 percent away. Their father was tested also and was
a close match. They first thought that he should donate, because
most donated kidneys only last 18 to 20 years, and that afterwards
Riedl could donate his. But the doctors decided it would be more
prudent to go with the closest match.
To determine if he was a match Riedl had to donate eight to nine
vials of blood. After it was determined that the pair were
compatible he was tested for a whole series of diseases, including
HIV and hepatitis, to ensure he wouldn’t infecting his sister. His
chest and bladder were scrutinized for possible malfunctions.
“That was the thing I feared the most,” he said. “My biggest fear
was that I wasn’t going to be able to help my little sister. As a
big brother that’s kind of what you’re put on this earth to do.”
Eventually Riedl, who plays on men’s tennis and basketball teams,
was deemed healthy. His kidney was removed through a six-inch
incision below his belly button through a procedure called a
laparoscopy. The surgeon used a camera to see while executing the
operation, rendering the intervention less invasive.
Soine didn’t have that luxury; she has “about an eight inch scar on
my abdomen where they went in,” she said. She added that because the
surgeon was actually placing the organ inside of her and having to
attach it, he needed more room to maneuver.
The recovery time for Riedl was four to six weeks. But, “I was back
at work in three and a half weeks,” as the head manager of a
McMenamins pub in Oregon City. He occasionally felt some abdominal
pains where his muscle had been cut, but that was the extent of the
after effects.
Soine didn’t recover so quickly. It took her a full six weeks off
before she was able to start working part-time as an office manager.
She didn’t return to full-time until June.
She said that what helped her and her brother recover was “we don’t
like to be holed up at home or at the hospital.” The full recovery
will take longer, “up to a year,” Reidl said, but “It’s been pretty
simple. In my mind I don’t even think about it anymore.”
After the three-month follow-up visit the message from his doctor
was “have a nice life.” All he has to do was exercise a bit and eat
healthy: “It’s pretty common sense.”
Soine, on the other hand, will never be allowed to eat sushi again,
or sprouts, or grapefruit. The grapefruit could interact with her
the immunosuppressant medication to prevent a rejection, and the
sushi isn’t allowed because she cannot eat anything raw.
And about that big brother being placed on earth for their little
sister? “I wouldn’t be doing as well without him,” she said. |
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From July 7, 2007,
Newberg Graphic
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