Could you be a lifesaver?
THOUGH used to bringing readers news of dramatic events, being at the centre of his own medical crisis was a situation journalist Colin Hume found hard to take in.
Last summer, within weeks of becoming unwell, he was told by doctors his only chance of survival was a liver transplant.
The news shocked him, his family, friends and colleagues.
There was also the sudden realisation of the seriousness of his condition when transplant co-ordinators said he had immediately been put to the top of the list to wait for a suitable donor.
But within four days, he had had the major surgery and five months later has made a remarkable recovery, returning to work as editor of
The Falkirk Herald, a sister title of the Motherwell Times and Bellshill Speaker, and determined to live life to the full.
Next month he celebrates his 40th birthday and in July his 10th wedding anniversary with wife Pauline, two events that, just a short time ago, he feared he might never see.
Although he will be on medication, including anti-rejection drugs, for the rest of his life, Colin believes it is a small price to pay.
He has a clear understanding that he is only alive today because someone else died and their liver was donated.
"It's not something I tend to dwell on,'' he admitted frankly. ''I'd carried a donor card myself for over 20 years and had always believed it was the right thing to do.
"But now I firmly back the initiative to adopt the 'opt out' rather than 'opt in' choice for people."
The issue of organ donation is emotive and one that the community is divided on. Every day three people a day die while on the waiting list for a transplant with demand rapidly outstripping supply.
Around one-third of families refuse to give consent for organ retrieval — even if their relative had carried a donor card.
There are 9600 people currently on the waiting list, but last year only 3100 operations took place.
Many health professionals and members of the public back the introduction of a system of 'opting out' or 'presumed consent'.
If it were adopted, every person in the country is considered to have given their consent to organ donation unless they have given a written notice they don't want their organs used.
The issue of presumed consent is currently being looked at by a UK-wide organ donation taskforce which is due to report this summer. A spokeswoman said the Scottish Government was waiting to see its findings before making any decisions.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has already indicated she is personally sympathetic to the presumed consent system.
But the spokeswoman added: "She has gone on the record as saying she doesn't want any potential changes to be decided by a health minister. It has to be based on evidence and have full support."
Colin's transplant drama began unexpectedly when he was out for an anniversary meal with Pauline on July 18 last year.
He recalled: "She said I looked a bit yellow and should get it checked out."
A visit to his GP suggested jaundice and, when he later had a blood test, he was told to return in three days for the results.
But the same day he received a phone call telling him to go straight back because of a high liver count and was immediately admitted to hospital.
After two nights in Stirling Royal, he was transferred by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary's liver transplant unit.
A scan had already ruled out cancer, which was a huge relief.
"I was still feeling very tired but able to walk about and not feeling particularly ill," Colin explained. "At that stage I didn't realise how serious it was. I was moved into the high dependency unit but tests ruled out hepatitis A, B or C. Then they came to me saying my liver was badly damaged but they couldn't pinpoint the cause. They said there were two options - a massive dose of steroids or a transplant. I got the steroids and, although it helped a bit, it wasn't a cure."
At this stage he was still being allowed back to his home in Dunipace, returning for daily blood tests, but he was gradually becoming weaker and eventually was rushed back to hospital where he was told that he would have to go on the transplant list.
However, doctors then gave him the shattering news that he wasn't well enough yet to undergo a transplant.
He also had to face the stark statistics that 20 per cent of people die while waiting for an organ and a further 10 per cent during the operation.
"My father had come across from his home in Spain to visit me and what I didn't know at that time was when he flew back, he was convinced that he wouldn't see me again.
''But things gradually got better and they came to me on the morning of Thursday, September 6, to say I would go on the list at two o'clock that day," said Colin.
"It was pretty scary and quite emotional. We knew that weekends are the most likely time for an organ to become available because that's when most car accidents happen and suitable donors become available.
''That sounds really morbid but you had to divorce yourself from thinking about someone dying to give you your operation."
Around midnight on the Sunday came the news that a possible organ had become available and he should be prepared for the operation the following day.
Pauline received the same news in a phone call at 6 a.m. and, together with his mum, rushed to his bedside.
The transplant eventually got under way around 10 a.m. and lasted nine hours.
Just 19 days later he was allowed home and on January 7 returned to work.
The family of the person whose liver he received will have been told he is making a good recovery and Colin has the opportunity to write to them. "I've not done that yet,'' he said. ''It's not the sort of letter that I could dash off, it needs a lot of thought and I don't think that I'm ready to write it yet.
''But I have to admit it has changed me: I don't allow myself to get as worked up about things as before. I also don't think about how long this liver will last.
When Colin was in hospital the sister of a friend the same age as him died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage, leaving two young children.
Several of her organs were donated and he knows that her family has taken comfort from the fact she has helped others.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Motherwell, Scotland
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Light sleet showers
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 4 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
