AFTER living with renal failure for 16 years, Mount Gambier woman Danielle Horton finally became eligible for the kidney transplant waiting list last month, only to be taken off days later.
Falling ill enough to start dialysis in January meant Ms Horton’s name was finally added on the transplant waiting list on March 17, alongside hundreds of others in need of major medical intervention.
However, as the COVID-19 pandemic started to impact Australia and the nation’s health system, restrictions imposed on elective surgery meant there would be no life-changing phone call for the foreseeable future.
“Those restrictions meant I would definitely be on dialysis for another six months and there was no chance of getting a phone call,” Ms Horton said.
“I understand though, because it is a big risk to go in and have a transplant and be placed on immunosuppressants when there’s a chance you could contract COVID-19.”
In a positive boost for Australians like Ms Horton, Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday announced the temporary coronavirus restrictions on elective surgeries would start to be lifted after the Anzac Day weekend.
“This will not mean an immediate return to normal with elective surgery, but a gradual restart, subject of course to capacity and other constraints that may exist in each jurisdiction,” Mr Morrison said.
“But we will be easing the restrictions on the following areas.
“That is all Category 2 or equivalent procedures in the private sector and selected Category 3 and other procedures, which includes all IVF, all screening programs, where they have ceased.”
Ms Horton said with the dialysis treatment option still available, she was unsure what it would mean for her.
“There is still the risk associated with the virus – of course you want to get off dialysis, but what is six months when you have got a lifetime,” she said.
“I really feel for those people with other conditions, such as heart disease, that do not have that option and are required to take that risk and have life-saving surgery.”
She also felt for the families who lost loved ones during this time and could not have their organ donation wish granted.
“It’s really tricky at the moment because vital organs from people are not going to be used as often with this pandemic going on,” she said.
“That would be really difficult for families who have lost loved ones who normally get some closure knowing their organs helped someone else.”
Having only completed a few months of dialysis, Ms Horton admitted the treatment was “full-on”.
“It’s four times a day, seven days a week, so it does not really stop, but there people who are a lot worse off than me,” Ms Horton said.
Considered high-risk by her treating doctors, Ms Horton admitted coronavirus had made her health situation slightly more stressful.
“I was not too bad to start with, but I have been a little bit stressed particularly the other day when I went to get groceries and there were quite a lot of people around,” she said.
“My dialysis team keep reminding me to stay at home and stay isolated, so I just try to do the right thing and not worry too much about it.”
In a press conference yesterday, Mr Morrison also said further easing of restrictions would be reconsidered after a four-week period if key requirements were met.
“We said there needed to be an effective rate of transmission less than the score of one,” he said.
“We said we need to get in place over these four weeks that we’re now in – almost one week down in that timetable – of testing, tracing and a response capability on the ground.
“National Cabinet will continue to look at those areas that may be able to be eased at the end of that period when we look at those issues, but they are the clear markers.”
