Table 4 Patients’ experiences
From: How is organ transplantation depicted in internal medicine and transplantation journals
Positive feelings | "We jumped to answer each phone call, and our pager became the beeper of hope" [62]. |
"Physically I was amazed at how well I held out. I felt really strong. My heart seemed to respond so well" [69]. | |
"With an organ transplantation, there is often a rebirth—a renewed awareness of the quality of life . . . It is not uncommon to see people pursue some dream which was put on a backburner because they were too busy or it was considered out of reach" [69]. | |
Negative feelings | "At one point during the year and a half, I experienced a deep depression, thinking 'Why me’" [70]? |
"Not surprisingly, this can lead to anguish and acts of desperation for those who wait" [65]. | |
"Among the psychological variables it is above all anxiety, anger/hostility, and denial that may cause compliance problems. High level of anxiety was reported to be consistently the most important predictor" [67]. | |
"Most patients will not divulge nonadherence, not only because of shame and embarrassment, but also because admitting to nonadherence may make them less desirable candidates for retransplantation" [68]. | |
Mixed feelings | "The past year has been painful and unforgettable. Our faith in God has been our greatest resource: we discovered strength in weakness, hope in despair, wholeness in brokenness and life in potential death" [62]. |