Johnny Blair
UF surgeon puts patient back on a divine mission
Johnny Blair has always considered himself healthy. After all, you have to be when you're a third-degree black belt.
In mid 2004, he went to see his primary care physician in Waycross, Ga., and was told there was a problem with his kidneys. Blair's doctor ordered lab tests that indicated abnormal creatinine levels in his blood. Creatinine is a by-product of normal muscle contractions and is removed from the blood through the kidneys. When the kidneys malfunction for any reason, creatinine levels in the blood rise. High levels of creatinine warn of possible kidney failure.
"We've always followed through with our healthcare providers," said Ethel, his wife of 35 years. "So when we learned that Johnny had kidney failure, we were in shock."
The two most common causes of kidney failure are high blood pressure and diabetes. In Blair's case, it was high blood pressure.
The wait
Shortly thereafter, Blair began dialysis—three days a week, three hours a day for five years. Eventually, his name was placed on an organ donor waiting list along with hundreds of others in need of a kidney transplant. In the meantime, the retired CSX sheet metal worker continued to lead his congregation at First African Missionary Baptist Church where he has been the pastor for 15 years.
"I preached on Sundays and taught bible study on Wednesday nights," said the 72-year-old minister. He would also spend time fishing and working on the church's newsletter.
Thomas Peters, MD, a University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville professor of surgery, said kidney transplant operations are very common in the United States.
"There will be 15,000 to 20,000 kidney transplants in America this year," Peters said. "The problem is we don't have enough kidneys. We have about 250 patients at Shands Jacksonville waiting for kidneys so that they can have the very operation Mr. Blair had."
The good news
On March 9, 2010, Blair's wait for a kidney was over. A nurse with the Shands Jacksonville Transplant Center informed him that a matching kidney was found and that he needed to prepare for surgery immediately. Peters performed the two-hour operation the next day.
During the operation, the new kidney is placed in the patient's lower abdomen and its blood vessels are attached to arteries and veins, which allows the blood to flow through the kidney again. The final step is connecting the ureters (muscular tubes) that push urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. Shortly thereafter, the kidney should start producing urine.
Risks involved with transplant procedures include blood clots, rejection of the organ and urinary leaks.
A pain-free recovery
Following the procedure, Blair said he was pleasantly surprised by not experiencing any pain. Peters said his patients experience less pain because he uses a long-acting anesthetic that lasts 24 to 48 hours. It is injected into the area as the site is closed.
"Usually after 48 hours, most patients have less pain because the body begins the healing process on its own," Peters said.
Blair will continue to follow up with Peters indefinitely to make sure the kidney is functioning properly. Peters said that so far Blair's recovery is progressing nicely.
"We haven't had any surprises yet but Mr. Blair came to us in pretty good shape, which helps with transplant operations," Peters said.
Just another mission
When Blair reflects on this chapter of his life, he describes it as another mission from God. "I would spend much of my time on dialysis encouraging others who were also receiving treatments," Blair said. "I know that the God sent us to Dr. Peters because he was excellent and he guided us throughout the entire process."
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