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>> Once the call comes in, the transplant coordinator has one hour to reach you
and to accept the organ that has been offered for you.
There are many steps to coordinate this process that must occur within that hour.
It is imperative that the coordinator knows how to reach you.
Please keep your contact information up to date.
It is helpful to have developed your own plan for how you will get
to the hospital when the call comes.
In life, not everything goes as planned so it is important to have a backup plan
in case your first choice is not possible.
As you think through what will need to occur when you get the call to come to the hospital,
don't forget to plan for childcare, pet care, temporary lodging and meals
for your family during and after your transplant.
Don't forget to plan for added expenses such as the cost of parking at the hospital.
Consider whether you will have a loss of income during this time
and plan for how to manage your expenses.
It is important to think through what will happen when the call comes
and to have made plans for handling the specific details.
Be prepared.
Review your plan periodically and make changes as necessary to stay prepared.
The call to offer you a donated organ can come at any time but it often comes in the middle
of night, the coordinator works in collaboration
with the transplant surgeon to coordinate the offer.
The coordinator has only one hour to complete the process to find you
and to accept or decline the offer.
It is important to always answer your phone even
when you do not recognize the caller's telephone number.
Since the call can come at any time, the coordinator may be calling you
from any location they are at, not just from the hospital.
Be sure to keep your transplant coordinator informed of your current contact information.
If you are away from home, be sure others know how to reach you.
If the coordinator cannot reach you,
you will miss the opportunity to receive that donated organ.
Do not rush to the hospital, while the coordinator has only one hour to accept
or decline the organ offer, they will give you plenty of time to arrive at the hospital.
The donated organ will be packed in cold storage and will remain viable for up to 24 hours.
We prefer to perform surgery as soon as possible and to have you at the hospital 6
to 8 hours before the surgery; even so, you will have plenty of time to get to the hospital.
Drive carefully and wear your seatbelt.
Be sure to bring the essentials you have packed for this trip,
including telephone numbers you may need and money for parking.
Please bring your patient education guide as that will be used after your surgery
to teach you about the medications you will take and how to care for yourself when you go home.
When you arrive at the hospital, proceed to the area of the hospital as instructed
by the transplant coordinator who called you.
A clinical trial, also called a research study,
is a study that helps test whether a new treatment or medication is safe and effective
or whether older treatments produce the best results.
In organ transplants, previous studies have been very important
in finding the best way to care for your new organ.
Clinical trials have been found to be the best way to make sure new drugs,
devices and procedures are safe and effective.
Prior to surgery, you may be asked to participate in one of these studies.
You are not required to join; you must volunteer in order to be able
to take part in a clinical trial.
A decision should be made after you have full knowledge of what is involved.
Taking part in a clinical trial may or may not improve your health, you may be one of the first
to try a promising new drug or you might receive the standard or regular therapy.
All clinical trials are reviewed and approved by a safety
and ethics board before any patients can be enrolled in a study.
Patients will meet with a member of the clinical research team who will explain the studies
and answer questions before the patient makes a decision.
Many studies provide free medications after transplant.
Each patient enrolled in a clinical trial is monitored very closely while participating
in the study.
Whether you choose to join a study or not, you will be cared for by the transplant center team
of dedicated professionals who are interested in your health.
One of the most important reasons for joining a clinical trial is a desire
to help advance what is known about new treatments.