Organ transplant patients are at risk from covid. But some donors and recipients are fighting vaccination requirements. [A kidney transplant was canceled because the donor has not been vaccinated for COVID-19]

Washington Post ^ | November 28, 2021 | Brittany Shammas

[grundle]

When hospital officials canceled his kidney transplant, Mike Ganim’s surgery date was just five days away.

He had already undergone a preoperative appointment and taken medical leave from work for the long-awaited, lifesaving operation. His close-knit family had created videos for him and for the woman who was giving him her kidney, stitching together tearful well-wishes and thank-yous from dozens of loved ones.

But on Oct. 8, the Cleveland Clinic phoned Ganim to say a newly enacted policy required organ transplant donors and recipients be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The Eastlake, Ohio, man had gotten the vaccine — as a transplant patient, he is at risk of developing severe covid-19. But his donor hadn’t. Although she was willing to give up an organ, she did not want to get the shot.

Ganim, a 52-year-old father of two who has been living with polycystic kidney disease for more than two decades, would need to find someone else.

“He was shocked — kind of speechless. He didn’t know what to say,” said his wife, Debi Ganim, who stressed that he has always received excellent care. “I asked him repeatedly, like, ‘That’s it?’”

She added: “We waited so long. He waited so long.”

[mn-bush-man]

I have a friend whose dad received a double lung transplant a couple of years ago. He got WuFlu and was in ICU for 45 days. Tough old bugger survived it.

[Cold Heart]

Germany can top that. Germany won’t euthanize someone who has not been vaxxinated.

[sitetest]

Received my brother’s extracorporeal kidney in 2016. Got the ‘ro in July of this year. Unvaxxed. 25 days in hospital, but almost back to normal.

The problem is, at least the mRNA vaxxes do little to protect transplant recipients who take a common immunosuppressant. Which I take twice a day.

[KYGrandma]

Getting the jabs was the only reason I got them. The transplant team urged me to get them. Felt I had no other choice but to get them.

[wastedyears]

Getting the jabs was the only reason I got them. The transplant team urged me to get them. Felt I had no other choice but to get them.

That is coercion and is against international law.

[ryderann]

And here I was thinking that we need to set up a list of “Pure Bloods” for when we need a transfusion.

[telescope115]

The day I went in for mine, they asked me if I was vaxxed ( at the time I had two shots) and did the nasal swab for a quick test. After a short wait, they wheeled me into surgery.
This was in May, and at no time since the pandemic started did anyone say being vaccinated was a requirement for transplant. Since my donor was deceased, no one told me if that person was vaccinated or not. I’m thinking not, since the only information we were given at the time was that my donor was a teen.

[freespirit2012]

Just got letter yesterday, they are requiring it by January. I am very disappointed that the people I am trusting with my life, are science illiterates.

[GailA]

BTT