Local woman gets new lease on life with donated kidney

C. Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Colleen Cyr and Pat Walsh
C. Davis photo

Colleen Cyr faced a life-threatening situation when she was told last July that her kidneys were operating at 7% and a transplant would be necessary for her survival.  Cyr owns and operates the Bloomin' Inn, a bed-and-breakfast just east of Pincher Creek, with her husband Fran.  She is also the President of the Pincher Creek and District Historical Society, which operates the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village (KBPV).

Enter Pat Walsh, a local businessman.  Walsh owns an eavestroughing business. He was in attendance at the KBPV party celebrating Curator Farley S. Wuth's 15 years at the museum and fell into a conversation with Colleen.



"I said 'You don't look well, something is up," explained Pat.  "She told me that her kidneys were malfunctioning and I jokingly told her that I would give one of mine, but then she would be smarter than me, and I cant have that.  Then we got to talking. I said 'I'm serious, I will talk to Heidi (Heidi Walsh, Pat's wife) tonight.  If she's okay with it, we will see what happens'." According to Heidi she said "I have no problem with it all.  Who would?  It's your kidney, buddy."  Pat had some hesitation because Heidi also has kidney problems. If he donated one now, he would not be able to donate to Heidi if she ever required a transplant herself.  He asked his wife what if you ever need one?  "That doesn't mean that I can get it from you," explained Heidi. "I stood behind him one hundred per cent."

Colleen had already known her kidneys were compromised for years.  "All of a sudden when they were a problem, and boom.  There was Pat," she said.

"As soon as I did the blood work at the hospital here, they phoned the next day and said it seems that you're a match," continued Pat.  "That was the first test," added Colleen.  "This was in November they got a questionnaire and a requisition form.  It was a detailed questionnaire that he had to fill out and send back."  After that Pat had to go for blood work to see if they were a blood match.
Any step in the testing process can eliminate a potential donor, including hereditary issues, past diseases, compatibility, and current health.  "The testing process is mind blowing.  Every test that you go through is a test to eliminate them, or a continuation," explained Heidi.

"They didn't want Pat to be at risk for needing a kidney, so they wanted to make sure he is totally healthy and can live without it," said Colleen.  "The same for me.  They didn't want me to go through this again.  You only get two chances in your lifetime to get a kidney.  They don't take the old ones out, but I won't likely ever need another one."

The transplant was performed at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary on February 28, 2012. It took 4.5 hour to remove the kidney from Pat and seal him up again. Colleen's surgery took 2.5 hours.  "Up until the minute they opened Pat up he had the opportunity to say no," said Colleen.   "Also, there could have been something unanticipated once he is is opened up that means it couldn't go through."

"They had just put you (Pat) into recovery when they took Colleen into surgery," said Heidi.  "I think that I got my head around it when the mask went on my face, and I could smell the gas," Colleen continued.  "I realized it was going to happen and it is too late to back out."

When asked about the after-affects of the operation Pat said "30 years ago, when you wake up, you feel like a bag of... Like someone ran you over.  Now you feel like you woke up from a wonderful sleep."

Colleen was in hospital for 6 days, even though she was supposed to stay for 15 days.  "I told the nurse I would do my own blood pressure at home on the weekend,  and she asked if I had my own cuff.  Then she said 'Wait, you are going home for the weekend?' I said yes, and she said 'We never let the patients go home this early'." I told her that we were not leaving till this afternoon. 'There is probably nothing I can do about it, you are probably going to go anyway'.  I told her yes, my suitcase was already packed.  I still have a little bit of pressure.  I'm still swollen, and will be for a while. The time passes fast.  They put you in the day before, then it is operation day, then two days to get over the drugs, one day to relax, and then I was saying can I go home now.  The nurses were awesome.  What I said to them when I checked in was I am just here for a holiday.  Give me my food, I want to watch tv.  Watch tv all day , and just lay around."

"I was out in five days," said Pat. "Would you do it again, Pat?" I asked.  "If I could grow another kidney, I would."

Fran Cyr explained what would happen to Colleen's original kidney.  "Once the old one stops working, the body decides they aren't needed anymore, so the body will absorb them."

"While Pats kidney that's left is now going to double in size," elaborated Heidi.

"I will always feel it (the new kidney), because I am too scrawny," said Colleen.  That is the word they used 'scrawny'.  So there will always be a little puff right there (indicating her lower right side).  I have a hundred staples right there.  They kept promising me at the hospital that I would have tons more energy, better memory, stronger appetite.  I am now operating at ninety-six per cent."

Pat is an avid skier.  "I can't work on windy days," he said, which gives him plenty of opportunities to hit the slopes.  This season he has already been on the ski hill 42 days.

Pat  "legs of iron" Walsh is 57 years old, turning 58 this summer. Colleen is 55.  They both wanted to emphasize that you don't have to be young to be.  You can be any age if you're healthy.  Kidney transplants have a high success rate.  Approximately 27,000 successful kidney transplant operations are performed worldwide every year.

Colleen also wanted to emphasize how wonderful it is to receive flowers in the hospital.

The Canadian Transplant Association will be holding the the 6th annual Canadian Transplant Games in Calgary, Alberta during the week of July 16 to 22, 2012.  This is an event that brings transplant recipients together for some friendly awareness-raising competition and bonding.


Relevant links:
www.kidney.ca
Museum celebrates Curator's vibrant 15 years
National Transplant Games (to be held in Calgary this year)