It's been several days since I've updated the blog for either Kevin or David. 

Both Kevin and David are feeling better every day and the doctors continue to be amazed at how Kevin and David are doing day-by-day.

Kevin and David are still not permitted to return to full-time employment and joined friend and racer, Ron Esau, on a road trip to Lancaster (Calif.) on Friday, November 23 to drop off Ron's race car to be repaired for 2008.   Both complained the day after that their stomachs hurt a bit from the bumpy ride but had a fun time 'bench racing' on the way up and back.

Both are still taking it easy per doctor's orders and looking forward to joining the working force soon.

Kevin continues to give blood (for analysis) each Sunday and Wednesday for his Monday and Thursday clinics at UCSD.  Hoping to get down to one day a week clinics soon.  Kevin is slowly being taken off several medications and seems not to be needing any insulin as of the third week of recovery.  Getting to know several of the patients at clinic and blood lab by face as new faces appear every trip.

Thank you again for your thoughts, cards and guestbook entries for Kevin and David!

Debbie

Thank you again everyone for your continued wishes for a speedy recovery for both Kevin and David.

Kevin and I attended our first clinic (week one of ten weeks) where Kevin will be checked twice a week by one of the transplant doctors...today it was by Dr. Ajai Khanna, M.D. Ph.D.

Dr. Khanna was impressed with Kevin's progress as it is right on track and all looks good.  Kevin is on Prednisone (steriod) plus Prograf (which prevents rejection) and has had to start insulin injections due to a slight high blood sugar reading at this time.  Doctors stress that this is a temporary fix as the Prednisone and Prograf are slowly reduced his blood sugar levels should return back to normal in about 3-6 weeks.

Debbie Clark

David went to get his one-week check up today. The doctor said he is a
"textbook case". His blood shows that his kidney is functioning at 50% right
now, which is to be expected.  Within 6 months this should increase to 85%.
He was cautioned not to lift anything over 10 pounds, but can resume a
normal diet and begin walking.

We REALLY appreciate all of the moral support and well wishes. Each day as
David gets stronger we start to think about how easy it is to make a
difference in someone else's life. Please refer to the Donation section of
this website to hear about opportunities to become a donor.  We also invite
each and every visitor of this site to join the San Diego Blood Bank's "Life
in the Fast Lane" gala on January 19th, 2008.

Best, David and Susan

Kevin was glad to sleep in his own bed last night and boy was his dog, Belle, excited to finally see him. 

He spent some time today reading instructions and literature, organizing his daily 5-time-a-day meds and setting up a required daily log (weight, blood pressure and temp, etc.) for the doctors and clinic he has to attend twice a week for several weeks.  Several of the meds (antibiotics) he will discontinue in the weeks to come.

Kevin even asked Debbie to take him to CSF to stop in and say hi to assure everyone that he was okay.

Tomorrow will be the first lab (trip to UCSD) to see if all the meds and levels are where they should be.  Other than that, Kevin is feeling better every day. 

Kevin was finally released and headed out of the UCSD Hospital doors around 2:30pm today.   Never thought this day would come

After going thru all the medications with Kevin that he will be required to take during the next 30 days (11 bottles total), the nurses didn't want him to leave and asked him to stay another day!

Kevin was glad to be home and realizes he still has a routine to get use to, but looks forward to the days to come. 

Thanks to nurses Yvette, Belle and Agnes for your great care...the best on floor 11!
Plus thanks for the expert care of Dr. Christopher Barry and his assistant Dr. Bazzi.

THANK YOU EVERYONE  for your support and well wishes before, during and after the big surgery for both Kevin and David....it meant a lot to us all.

Debbie and Kevin Clark

According to Kevin's doctor today (Dr. Barry), Kevin is set to come home tomorrow (Monday, Nov. 12).   Kevin can't wait to get home, get adjusted to his new daily medication schedule, sleep in his own bed and eat some home cookin' plus see his dog, Belle. 

Kevin phoned David later today to see how he was doing.  They chatted a bit about each other's condition, and then the conversation quickly turned to racing. 

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers as Kevin looks forward to seeing you all soon.
Debbie

Kevin is counting the days and hours until his anticipated release.  Watching a lot of TV and pacing the halls.   Took a shower today and felt refreshed and still has the bothersome catheter attached.   Dr. Barry stopped by and assured him that all looks great and on track to leave on Monday.
Debbie

David did come home last night and got his "best night's sleep
ever!"  He was up walking around this morning and says he feels pretty good.
The trick will be keeping him down now.  We are so glad the doctors are
saying that the kidney is functioning perfectly in Kevin!!! Thanks again to
our family and friends. Your support has really kept David in good spirits.

Today was a big day for many firsts for both Kevin and David.  Kevin finally received his own 'private' room this evening before I left and very glad to get that.  He will miss his great nurses, Amy and Tara.   Now he might be able to get some much needed sleep after spending time in the 'intermediate care unit' after surgery.

Kevin also had his vital monitoring connections disconnected along with devoring a plate of solid foods today (no more jello and broth).

He also walked the hospital corridors today without any pain.

David also surprised Kevin when he walked in the door of Kevin's ICU room earlier today and told Kevin that he had planned a 'pizza and beer' party at 7pm in his room upstairs.

Well overall, today was a great day....the doctors were happy with all the progress, David was feeling MUCH better, Kevin got his own room and rumor has it that David might even head home tomorrow.

Thanks again for all the great guestbooks entries!
Debbie

Kevin is doing fine this morning.  He said he is not in any pain and therefore not requiring any morphine. Asked if he got any sleep last night, he replied that there was too much going on in his room with the three other patients also requiring round the clock supervision, etc.  We are awaiting Dr. Barry's visit this am to check Kevin's status so that he can hopefully be moved to his private room and also start eating something...not liquid. 

Everything so far has been very positive and we thank you all for your concerned e-mails and guestbook entries...thank you.  We are also glad that David is feeling a bit better this am.
Debbie

Wow...I still can't believe this day finally arrived and that the surgery has now been completed.  What a long day.

Our day started out about 6am when we arrived at the hospital and David and Susan Beat arrived shortly thereafter.  Then we all headed to a room where they took last minute vitals and installed the IVs for David and Kevin.  Then David and Kevin were rolled away in separate wheelchairs to their specialized surgery rooms.

Dr. Hart did the planned procedure on David to remove the kidney, which required about 4-5 small incisions in a surgery that took a couple of hours.  All went well per Dr. Hart and then Dr. Barry started on Kevin.

The kidney was placed in Kevin, AND THE KIDNEY STARTED TO WORK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, not even waiting for the final connections to be completed.   Kevin's procedure took about 3 hours, then off to recovery.

Beds were at a minimum today at the hospital ... so it took a bit more time to get both David and Kevin to the next step - Kevin to the intermediate care area and David to his room.  By the evening hours around 5:30pm when Susan and I left for the day, David and Kevin were settled in their rooms for the night. 

Dr. Barry stated that Kevin was alert after the surgery and Kevin and David even passed each other in their rolling beds after surgery and were able to say hi to each other. 

This whole day has been a long day, but a special day we will remember for ever...the day that our friend, David Beat, gave Kevin a "generous" gift...a new kidney. 

Thanks Marge, Bob, Jim, Bobbi, Connie, Tarah, Kim, Becky and Rosie for making the day go by a little faster today. 

We hope and pray that both Kevin and David feel better every day.

THANKS DAVID!!

Love, Debbie and Kevin

Glad the day is over!  We are so thankful that the procedure worked for Kevin.  Dr. Hart came out just before 11am to say that everything went well with David.  I started to get concerned when it took 4 hours for him to wake completely up.

David is in major pain right now and trying to get some rest.   David asked why he was in so much pain so the night nurse did some research and found out that he was not receiving the maximum amount of pain medication (via the instant pain button pushed by David) so that amount was adjusted for the evening and hopefully David would relax better and get some sleep for the night.

I would like to thank our moral support crew at the hospital today: Marge (David's Mom), Bob (Susan's Dad), Tarah, Kim, Becky, Rosie, Jim (David's Dad), Bobbi and Connie.  You are all awesome.

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to let you all know that UCSD has contacted us to let us know that the scheduled surgery is still on for Wednesday, November 7...but moved back an hour to 9am (instead of 8am). 

Wow ... thank you for all the support, comments and prayers in the guestbook. Both the Kevin Clark and David Beat families are over whelmed by the guestbook comments and are grateful to know and have such genuine family and friends. Yes, it will be a big day Wednesday (November 7) and realize that the team of UCSD-SD transplant doctors are specialized and experienced in their chosen careers of transplantations, that David has made a generous sacrifice in donating a kidney to his friend, Kevin, and that Kevin will be on the road to feeling much better soon with a new kidney.
 
Thank you again for your gracious support as it means a lot to us all,
Debbie and Susan

David, Susan, Kevin and Debbie had an early morning apt at UCSD starting at 8:30am today.

Both David and Kevin had to give..yes...more blood...and David beat Kevin to the finish line first.  Then it was off to the UCSD Medical Center to go thru consulatations separately with the social worker, transplant coordinator and doctors to explain the entire procedure and answer any questions that we all had.

After the couple hour evaluation, it was off to the anesthesia apt.   Kevin was then required to get a final chest xray and EKG.  And with all the forms completed and questions answered for the anesthesia apt, we all headed to the pre-admissions department to get that taken care of so we didn't have to do any of that the day of the transplant at 6:00am.

Finally done for the day...but glad all that was taken care of and Kevin and David are good to go for the kidney transplant. 

We all have to be at the hospital at 6:00am Wednesday, November 7 for the scheduled 8:00am surgery start time.  Anticipated surgery time for both Kevin and donor, David, should be about 1-1/2 hours for actual surgery time.