Tom Adams Call for a Hero Answered
Sonya Newman
The Ashland Beacon
In April of this year, a family sought help in every way they could to find a donor for a man nearly anyone would consider a selfless hero. They used social media, and articles were written in hopes that Tom Adams wouldn’t be relegated to a life of dialysis after so many years surrendered to help others. This family put out a call to find someone who’d step up and be a hero to a hero. They waited, hoped, and prayed and were joined by many others who waited alongside them, hoped for them, and prayed on their behalf that the call would find someone, anyone who could answer it. Rodney Mullannix, a former Lexington firefighter, who now lives in Flatwoods did just that!
Mullannix, who met Adams through his wife during an EMT class she’d taken, explained, “Tom and I have been friends for about 24 years; we became more like family over the years. My wife showed me a post on Facebook saying that Tom needed a kidney. I didn’t hesitate. Tom is a dear friend, and I knew from that moment that if I was a match, I would gladly donate. I contacted UK the next morning and started the process.”
The process would prove to be challenging as the screening includes checking for several medical conditions past and present that could eliminate a potential donor, and requires a blood test, urine screening, CT scans, and X-rays. “I understood the risks involved. They are mostly the same as those for any major surgery, but with some added future risks due to having only one remaining kidney,” Rodney conveyed, noting there was a lot of planning and preparation things to do to ensure there was nothing to interfere with the completion of this mission. “Post-donation was painful for a few days, but after two to three days, that greatly decreased. I am recovering little by little each day with the help from my family and keeping up with Tom. The support from the UK transplant Unit is amazing.” The whole process has left him an even stronger advocate for donation, adding “You can change a life.”
He really did; it was the life of his longtime friend, Tom Adams.
Tom’s journey began with a referral sent by King’s Daughters Dr. Salem to the University of Kentucky transplant department. It took 10 days to get in and was followed by many medical tests to ensure that he was healthy enough to be added to the donor list. It took nearly four weeks from the start to be cleared and listed. “After Rodney went through all the testing, was a confirmed match, and then approved by the committee, the surgery was scheduled two weeks later,” Adams recounted, adding, “At that very first visit, my transplant coordinator talked about the process and my options. She encouraged me to find an advocate that would reach out for a living donor because of my age and the wait time for a deceased donor wait is as much as five to seven years. So, I gave that task to my adult kids. They took to social media, including Facebook.” He took note that was where Rodney and his wife Angie saw the initial plea for a donor, and they called the donor line. Clearing the phone screening requires nearly perfect health, and Adams soon found out that Mullannix had been scheduled to go to UK and begin the testing. “That gave me some hope,” Tom recalled.
“Rodney learned he was a match, and he called me. When he told me, I was driving and had to pull over. The surprise of the feeling of realizing that there is a person willing to go through donating a kidney to save my life was earth-shaking, humbling.”
A major source of gratitude from Adams comes from the amazing work of the UK Transplant team. He describes them as kind, organized, and excellent at what they do. He was also surprised with how quickly after the transplant his health changed, citing normal kidney function the evening of the surgery, with continuous improvement daily.
Adams expressed, “I received a lesson on the meaning of selflessness and to trust God when it’s out of your control. Rodney, myself, and our families met in the waiting room at 5 a.m. the morning of the transplant. Rodney’s hospital room was next door to mine and that allowed us to work through those first few days motivating each other with our recoveries. Four days, including the day of the surgery, we both went home.”
While he still has restrictions on what he can and can’t do, Tom is progressing along to complete recovery and expects the doctors will continue to wipe away restrictions as progress gives way to normal and healthy. There is regular follow-up and testing to look for illness or organ rejection. “All of these things, I hope, help people realize that for many a living donor is the only hope of survival.” Adams elaborated, “By the grace of God and the selfless heart who is now a brother, I have been given a new life.”
Rodney wasn’t the only help for Adams, however. His support system was ever expanding with family, friends, and folks from Holy Family Church, who encouraged and prayed for him. “Everyone still today sends messages, calls, and sends cards. I truly believe that what happened is the direct answer to prayer.”
