A New Liver & A New Friend-For Life

liver411

GoUpstateNews/Wed Dec 5 07:49:00 PST 2001



Liver transplant a success; both local women fine

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By SUELLEN DEAN

Staff Writer



Karen Randall of Spartanburg has a new liver and a new friend -- for life.



By 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Randall and retired schoolteacher Kathy Hodge, who donated more than half of her liver to Randall, were recovering from the all-day transplant surgery at Emory University Hospital.



"Karen's doctor says he's pleased with the surgery. Her new liver is working fine," Hodge's husband, Phil, said in a telephone call from the waiting room -- five minutes after Randall's surgery was completed.



At 6:15 a.m., Kathy Hodge went into surgery first and Dr. Tom Heffron removed about 65 percent of her liver. Seven hours later, she was recovering and shortly after 6 p.m. she was moved to the intensive care unit, where she saw her family again.



"When she woke up, the first thing she asked was, 'How's Karen doing?' And when we told her Karen was out of surgery, her eyes lit up and she said, 'That's why I've been waiting to hear,' " Phil Hodge said.



"Kathy is doing well and is in good spirits. She should be in ICU for one to two days and be discharged from the hospital by the end of the week, if all goes well," he said.



The Hodges will remain on the Emory University campus and live in a house that is used by donor families and recipients.



As for Randall, whose transplant surgery began about 3 p.m. Tuesday, she is expected to remain in the recovery room until close to midnight before being moved to ICU, Phil Hodge said. During the day, he sent messages to about 110 people on his e-mail list - friends, family members and others.



The women have been receiving calls, letters and e-mails from across the state and country from people who have learned of their special story. They have even received e-mails from organ recipients and people waiting on livers.



Randall, who is on medical leave from her job as head of communications for Advantica, was diagnosed with a rare liver disease six years ago. In January, her name was placed on the waiting list. But three months ago, Hodge volunteered to be her donor and ended up being a perfect match for the transplant.



"Seeing them has made me feel that there wasn't much I could say in Sunday School. Kathy is living a Sunday School lesson of true, sacrificial love," said Terri Dees, who teaches Kathy Hodge's Sunday School class at Trinity United Methodist Church in Converse Heights.



Hodge and Randall met at church and were on a visitation team together.



From 7 a.m. Tuesday until midnight, members of their Sunday School classes went to the church alter to pray for them.



Members who couldn't come to the alter had a separate vigil, taking 30-minute shifts on their jobs to pray.



"We just wanted them to know we are supporting them. We want them to feel our concern," said Dees, who went to church to pray at 11 p.m. Tuesday.





Suellen E. Dean can be reached at 582-4511, Ext. 7229, or [email protected].