My wife Pam was diagnosed with liver disease about 10 years ago--non-alcoholic cirrhosis, an autoimmune disease. She was diagnosed with liver cancer on our last visit in December. She has been seeing a specialist during this time at the Mayo Clinic Rochester. The symptoms of the disease have been quite difficult, and greatly lessen her quality of life. Two years ago, she finally had to resign her position as a project analyst at U.S. Bank, so it's been hard on her. Having two grandkids, Kylie 11 and Zachary 15, and having them tell her they wished she could do stuff with them is heartbreaking for her.
Pam was diagnosed with liver cancer during our last trip to Mayo in mid-December. She was placed on the transplant list a couple years ago. Deceased donor transplants are most common, but she did not qualify for that. So, she had to try to find a donor herself. By a miracle, my son Jonny, Pam's stepson, graciously volunteered to be screened a year and a half ago. He passed most things on the list, but was told it wasn't a good time. He rescreened this fall and was approved as a match just in November! The first person being screened being a match is almost impossible odds. Like a million to one. Mayo had told us liver patients hardly ever find a living donor. About 65-70% of the living donor's liver is taken for transplant. Amazingly, the liver grows back to its full size within 4-6 weeks! We see this as a miracle, and believe it is meant to be, and is the way He has planned it to be. We are told it is a good time to go ahead with the transplant. Surgery has been scheduled for January 30th, just a few short weeks away. Please pray for Pam and Jonny and the family during this process.
Naturally, it is both an exciting as well as anxious time. We are thrilled that after suffering for years with this disease, that Pam will get her life back, feel better almost instantly, and be able to finally enjoy the simple things in life, such as going on a bike ride or going swimming with the grandchildren. She will be in the hospital about a week, Jonny about 3-4 days. She stays in Rochester about a month to be tested and take meds to monitor the results. Jonny goes back home after a week or so after surgery and will be out of work about 6 weeks.
I've not done a page like this before but I'll do my best.
A GoFundMe page has been setup at:
https://www.gofundme.com/pam-molls-liver-transplantDO NOT donate on the Caring Bridge site. Donations here go to support Caring Bridge and not Pam Moll.
You may also give via PayPal by sending it to the email address: greg.moll@rollaramp.com
Thank you,
Greg Moll