Baylor Scott & White Transplant Patient Stories
Christa Ogden's Story
Hi, my name is Christa, and I’m waiting for a liver transplant at Baylor University Medical Center. If you qualify for living organ donation, your generous gift could save my life. Please read my story below.
My Story
My name is Christa. I’m a single mom with three great kids. In addition to being the full-time parent to my three kids, I work for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma as the Brownfields Program Coordinator in Environmental Protection Services where I identify and try to redevelop blighted areas on the reservation. Almost eighteen years ago, five weeks after having my first baby, my doctor determined that I needed emergency gall bladder surgery and scheduled it for the next day, Friday the 13th of October. Something went very wrong that day which changed my life forever. The surgeon had completely cut my common bile duct in two. After four days in the hospital, the surgeon said he did not know what was wrong and had me transferred by ambulance to a large teaching hospital four hours away, where I began the long journey to have my injury repaired. It took eight weeks to get me stabilized, then I underwent a long, complicated repair surgery. The surgery was successful, but I developed infections, and thus began vicious cycles of antibiotics, procedures, and more infections—which have caused irreparable damage to my liver. Over the past almost 18 years, the original botched surgery has cost me a marriage, my savings, family time, and my health. My kids worry about me all the time. I have developed cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy, a condition where I get very confused at times due to the toxins in my blood. My doctors at BS&W have tried everything and have said that I need a liver transplant now—there is nothing else they can do to prevent the infections in my liver, nothing they can do to fix the damage. I’ve been told a living transplant is my only hope. I don’t know how much longer I will be around because the survival rate for HE complications is statistically not good and I’m getting worse. This is why I am hoping to find a living donor. I want a chance to watch my babies grow up and hold my grandchildren. Please consider helping me!
Why I Need a Transplant
Having a liver transplant is my only hope of getting rid of my Hepatic Encephalopathy and cirrhosis. I will be able to keep up with my kids and not have to rest all the time! They will have me back! I will be able to excel at my job again! Also, I haven’t been able to play our traditional game of Choctaw stickball, ishtaboli, in over five years. This was a big deal to me. I plan, once I’m healed, to be able to play again! I want to be a role model to my kids of what a strong Choctaw woman is! I want to be able to take my kids on hikes like we used to with our dogs! I’ve always been an avid lover of the outdoors and being sick has made it very difficult to take my kids into the outdoors. For 18 years I have been limited and it has been a steady decline. I cannot wait to be healed and have a semblance of health again for my kids! I’ve been strong for so long, fought for my life several times. I plan to take every day as a new day and keep pushing forward! My passion is helping my people, our communities, loving my children, adopted grandchildren, my family, my extended family, and my nieces and nephews. I plan to come back with a vengeance and be the best mother/auntie/sister/cousin/grandma I can be for them! Period. I have so much to do! I look forward to living this beautiful life as it comes!!! My rock has been my mother, over the past 18 years. I really hope that this transplant means she will be able to enjoy her retirement without having to worry about whether or not she will have to finish raising my children. She and my step-dad deserve to be able to jet off whenever they want, lol.
Interested in Becoming a Living Donor?
If you are interested in being a liver donor, start the evaluation process with Baylor Scott & White by completing a confidential online health history questionnaire. Transplant coordinators on the liver transplant team will review your information to determine if you are a potential candidate for liver donation and contact you with next steps.
Living Donor Liver Transplant FAQs
Do living organ donors have to be blood relatives?
No. Donors can be a family member, friend, co-worker, or someone you don’t know. Donors don’t have to be related, have the same blood type, or be of the same race or gender. They simply need to be healthy and willing.
Does living donor organ donation affect life expectancy?
No. Living organ donation does not affect life expectancy, and within approximately six to eight weeks, the donor’s liver will regrow back to full size.
What are the benefits of being a living liver organ donor?
Many donors may experience gratification from potentially improving the health of a friend, loved one, or stranger and extending their life. Donors may also feel a sense of pride and satisfaction that they’ve made it possible for someone on the transplant waiting list to receive a liver much sooner.
What are the requirements to be a living liver organ donor?
The basic requirements include:
- 18 years of age or older. Individuals over 65 years of age will be considered on a case-by-case basis
- Good health with no major medical problems
- Healthy weight
- Not pregnant
- No major psychiatric concerns
- Voluntarily donating (not feeling pressured to donate)
- Routine age-appropriate cancer screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies
What is the evaluation process for donation?
You must first go through an evaluation to determine eligibility to donate, which includes:
- Blood tests to evaluate your general health and liver function
- Imaging such as CT scan and MRI to assess the liver
- Heart and lung tests to assess function and the ability to tolerate surgery
- Transplant surgeon and transplant hepatologist consultations
- Social Work consultation
- Living Donor Advocate consultation
What are some reasons I wouldn’t be able to donate?
You may be disqualified from donating if:
- Your liver is not functioning properly
- You are at high risk of developing liver disease in the future
- You are being coerced into donating/not making the decision willfully
What happens during surgery?
Surgery to remove a portion of the liver is done using general anesthesia, so you will be sedated during the procedure. Most living donor liver surgeries are done with robotic-assisted techniques. This surgical approach leaves only a 3-inch incision along the bikini line to remove the donated portion of the liver and 5 small entry points for robotic access. Robotic surgery results in easier recovery and better outcomes for the donor. The surgery takes around five to seven hours. Immediately following surgery, you will be taken to the ICU.
How long will I be in the hospital?
The transplant team will regularly check on your recovery and monitor for signs of complications. While every donor’s individual recovery rate is different, liver donors typically remain in the hospital around three to five days.
How long is the recovery period for living liver donation?
Every donor’s recovery time is different but donors typically spend two to four weeks recovering at home. The donor’s occupation will determine when they can return to work. The donor should not lift more than 10 lbs. for 12 weeks after liver donation. Importantly, due to the liver's ability to regenerate, donor liver function returns to normal after 6-8 weeks.
What are the costs associated with donating a liver?
The donor’s medical expenses, including the costs of the evaluation, doctor’s fees and hospitalization are covered by the recipient’s health insurance. Verification of the recipient’s insurance coverage will occur before the donor evaluation process starts.
Access Our Guide to Learn More About Living Donor Transplants
Living donor transplants shorten wait times, accelerate recovery time and improve long-term outcomes for patients in need of an organ.
According to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), more than 100,000 people are listed for an organ transplant nationwide. Because wait times for deceased donor transplants can be lengthy, living donor transplantations is the fastest way to transplant for patients who qualify.
Our Living Donor Liver Treatment Guide provides information about the transplantation process, the benefits of living donor organ donation, the evaluation process, and more for those in need of transplants and interested living donors.
Why Choose Baylor Scott & White Health
Baylor Scott & White's liver transplant program is one of the busiest programs in the Southwest with over 35 years of experience. Our dedicated team of medical professionals and transplant surgeons personalize your transplant journey from evaluation, to listing and recovery, including use of living donor, deceased donor, extended criteria organs, split liver or multi-organ transplants. Our goal is to provide the shortest possible wait time and a rapid return to an optimal quality of life.