George Best in Hospital

[Earlybird]

Lead story on the news tonight is that he is in hospital in intensive care. I'm finding it hard to understand that this is considered a big story, especially as he's been in this sort of shape many times before. His glory days were such a long time ago, and in the intervening years he's been a shambolic mess - even to those inclined to view his situation sympathetically.

Does anyone really care? Do you feel sorry for him?

I don't think alcoholism is an illness people just contract without blame. If an alcoholic and someone with cancer were washed up on a desert island, after two weeks what would the situation be? The alcoholic would be dry and the cancer sufferer would still have cancer. The alcoholic would then have a choice about whether to have another drink.

£1.7billion a year is spent on alcohol related health care and 20% of beds in hospitals are occupied by people with drink related conditions. I have no sympathy for George Best or any other alcoholic who has been offered support and counselling for whatever demons they are dealing with, and refused to accept it. My mother and FIl included.

He's a HAS BEEN footballer and an alcoholic beat up his ex-wife - why is it still making the headlines?

What's worse is that we live in Belfast and all the papers will carry it as a front page item - poor old George etc etc

I don't wish him dead however because that would just make him a martyr here - a sort genius whose tragic life was cut short SNORT

When I was ill before my 1st transplant my parents were frantic with worry and asked the doctors if going private would have made a difference According to them at that time I could have had pre and post operative care privately but the actual op itself would be done in an nhs hospital by their surgeons.

Fio, no, they are still not told. But, relative dies. They die under the right cicumstances to donate. They wanted to donate, or the family think they would, and the family agree to donate. The liver is judged viable for donation. Then, bam! GB is all over the news getting a new liver. I'm not saying that there is only one person who all this applies too. What I am saying is that there are a few people out there who may be upset and worried that their relatives liver is being pickled.

Also, IIRC, a letter is sent stating, such and such was used and successfully donated to a 57 yr old male for example. Pretty sure that the family would have a strong inkling.

Rosie, I think the problem all too often with all sorts of major operations that people just don't understand how big a deal it can be. Lots of people go through major, major, painful surgery just to give them a couple more years. I've often asked myself if it is fair and right, really. But I think people can all too often think it will be better than it is.

Anyone know what are the 'rules' on alcoholics getting liver transplants?

I honestly don't know what they are.

It does seem a bit daft to give a liver to someone who has a high probability of drinking it to death a second time, when there are people needing livers with hepatitis, say.

Is it quite difficult to match up a liver though? Not simply a question of other people needing one, but they need to be compatible as well?

ahh flossam, i understand now what you are getting at. Agree with your last post too. My sister had a heart and lung transplant and unluckily only had less than 3 years after op. Bloody awful gruelling time aswell. In her whole life she only had 9 normal months of health and that was following her transplant. Would she have still had the transplant for those 9 monthjs of normality? in her words yes. Those three years she had, she changed so much and gave life her all. the only cruelty is that she had to prepare to sie twice, not a nice feat for a 21 year old

and hmb i imagine they try not to discriminate tbh, there are lots of people at papworth who are heavy smokers who have heart and lung transplants. i dont think we are to judge iof they are any more or less deserving

prepare to die twice,m sorry i have done so many typos, I blame it on my son wittering in my earole

That's very sad about your sister. I didn't know about her. Must have been so hard for you all. I'm glad she found it to be worth it. Must be some consolation.

That sounds really trite, dosen't it? I'm sorry I don't mean it to be. I really am very sorry to hear about it Fio .

IIRC (and I am happy to be corrected on this) I have read that livers are more 'forgiving' of a less than exact match and can be quite 'robust' in a slightly mismatched person.

didnt sound trite at all, I miss her loads. it is still very hard 3 1/2 years on. People really think it is a cure though. With heart and lung something like 40% die on the waiting list then of the remainder 60% die during the op and and the 40%, 50% die in the first year. When you look at the figures, really makes you wonder why people do go ahead with it. But for my sister she was 18 and had 6 months expected life left, everything could have been fine after a transplant if she was one of the very very lucky ones. Weall hope for that dont we?

And sorry if I put it badly, I don't think that people should be excluded from transplants due to 'self harming' behaviors, rather that it seems strange to give an organ to a person who is high risk at killing it off IYSWIM

GB's infection was caused by the lowered immunity and meds wasnt it?

transplants are risky as hell, i know we are pinning our hopes on peter getting one, and we know the risks of going through the op and the risks afterwards, but we have to give it a chance. without one peter will die, at least this way we will be giving him a chance of a life.

Absolutely Misdee. There are always the exceptions to the rule the other (good) way too. Sometimes people can have more than one transplant too.

I think you are right about the liver HMB. It is an amazing organ. It regrows too.

I think you always have to hope I have had 2 transplants and am on my 21st year with them and although my doctors say that I am on holiday from dialysis I think you have to really believe it is a 'cure'whilst it is still working as that is what makes life normal.Things advance all the time and the doctors believe that the new meds could keep this transplant working forever for me.I agree though that if someone is so ill that the surgery and recovery are too traumatic it is cruel sometimes to put them through it but sometimes it is worth the risk.I think the liver can be cut into lobes aswell which means 2 people can have a transplant from one and they regrow in the new person MIRACLE!!

heard that GB ended up in intensive care because he left it so long to get help re: the infection because he feels embarrassed about going to see his doctors after he's let them down so badly..

fio, I knew a girl who died on the transplant waiting list (she was asian so likelihood of organ becoming available was even more remote) and i will never forget how frightened she was when i visited her at the brompton, where they assessed her for suitability. it's a terrible thing for everyone involved..

it is, its life on a knife edge there was a girl who recieved a transplant when my sister was having hers and she died very shortly after (maybe a few months) she was 18 the same as my sister. life is bloody cruel to some people. The most wicked thing is people openly tell you they dont agree with transplants, TO YOUR FACE after you have been and are going through hell. it makes me so angry

what you mean like JW's? or other people?

oh no, i dont want to get into a religious debate, I mean people in general

my own uncle said to my sister she shouldnt have it and why did she persist on wearing a vest when he scar was so big and people commented she wouldnt be the same as she had a different heart fgs

no, i wasn't going for a religious debate either, sorry. just thought you mean people who objected on that kind of grounds. that's even more shocking, saying she wouldn't be "her" any more. which world are these people living in?

I dont know bundle