Gary Williams
 Liver Recipient December 27, 2005
The call came at 8:20 PM, December 26, 2005. How soon could I be at the hospital? Suddenly my world went into overdrive. My ride was unavailable at the time, so I drove myself. Mario Andretti would have been proud!
When I got in a room, the nurse came and began preparing me for surgery. I changed into the gown and he put some air bladders on my legs to keep the blood flowing. Misty came in and talked to me, (I thought, "she's gotta be an angel"). I signed up to be in a study they were doing. Nurses came and went. I signed a bunch of papers. Dr. Merhav and the transplant team came in to see me. They were waiting for the liver to arrive. The anesthesiologist came in and asked a lot of questions and answered a few. Then it seems like a blur. Rolling to surgery, moving onto the table, getting hooked up to the equipment and then... I woke up! Drowsy, I could barely move. I had equipment in my mouth and down my throat. Tubes, wires and beeping noises. I realized then what was going on. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my mom and sister. And then I felt... pain. Oh man, it HURT. I had expected it to hurt, but this was a new experience for me. Later I figured out that I must have a high resistance to pain medication. In other words, It doesn't help much. 18 days in the hospital and then I was home. Soon it was time to have my staples out. 96 staples. Woo hoo... want to see my scar, he he. I had some complications over the next year and a half. But they took good care of me. Before the transplant I figured I had about 3 to 6 months more. Now I feel like I was never sick. I hope all the nurses, attendants, doctors and all the rest have a special place of honor reserved for them in heaven. I have one more thing to say... Thank You!
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