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A transplant to replace diseased liver
In 2002, Madam Ho May Mui, then 53, felt extremely lethargic and suffered from persistent itching. Luckily, she did not ignore what seemed like harmless symptoms. She consulted her family doctor and discovered that her liver was the problem. “At first, my doctor could not say why I was itching so much. But on my third visit, he noticed that the whites of my eyes had turned yellow. He said it could be liver disease, and referred me to Singapore General Hospital immediately.”
The discolouration of Madam Ho’s eyeballs was an obvious and common tell-tale sign of a damaged liver. Jaundice, which may also cause the skin to turn yellow, usually shows up at a later stage after non-specific symptoms of extreme tiredness and itchiness.
Within a month, Madam Ho was diagnosed with autoimmune cholangiopathy, an uncommon liver condition. This disease causes the body to attack and destroy its own liver bile ducts. The end result is liver failure. In December 2005, despite medication to control her failing liver, the administrative clerk’s condition worsened. Madam Ho used ice packs to cope with the itching, and often took lunchtime naps in the office because she was so exhausted. Her thighs and forearms were swollen, and her jaundice became worse. “My eyes were really yellow, and my skin turned from yellow to black,” she said.
Waiting list for transplant
 Then, in January 2006, Madam Ho was told she might die without a new liver. “I felt weak, but apart from my itchiness and fatigue, I really didn’t think then that I was that sick.” After some persuasion from her doctor and loved ones, Madam Ho put herself on the liver transplant waiting list. “To be honest, my hopes were not high about getting a new liver, because I knew getting an organ wasn’t easy. I’ve heard of patients waiting for 10 years just to get a kidney.”
Yes, some have lost their lives while waiting for a liver. A successful liver transplant depended on many factors. The most important factor is being able to find a donor whose organ is a suitable match to the recipient’s blood type and size. Living donors or people who donate part of their organs to loved ones, face their own set of risks too.
Finally, on 9 May 2006 as Madam Ho was about to go to bed, she received unexpected news. She said, “At 9pm, I received a call from the hospital, saying there was a liver for me. I couldn’t believe it.” The call was from the SGH liver transplant coordinator. A cadaveric liver was available for Madam Ho and the transplant team was ready to operate on her. Madam Ho recalled, “We reached SGH an hour later. After some tests, they said I was fit for surgery. At around midnight, they asked me to prepare to sleep”.
While she was under anaesthesia, six surgeons worked through the night to complete the life-saving transplant. “When I regained consciousness, the first person I saw was my attending doctor, who told me the surgery went well. I didn’t feel exceptionally happy then, probably because the truth had yet to sink in,” she recalled with a laugh.
A week later, Madam Ho finally had something to smile about. “My doctor told me, ‘Your children may seem very calm in front of you, but behind your back, they were calling and asking us when you could have a liver transplant. They may not show it, but they’re very filial children.’” Madam Ho now has resumed her normal routine and is thankful that she has been given a new lease of life. “Before my surgery, I was tired, sleepy and my complexion was very sallow. Now my skin looks better than it has for a long time. And I’m really enjoying life with my granddaughter.”
Ref: Y07 |
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