Transplant patient from N.W.T. 'looking forward to the future'

Roy Dahl said he's still a bit sore but "looking forward to the future" after getting a long-awaited kidney transplant in Edmonton last month.  

Dahl, a long-time Yellowknife journalist who is the current host of CKLB Radio's morning show, Denendeh Sunrise, got the "magic call" on the morning of March 27, after waiting for over seven years.  

"I feel very thankful," Dahl said, his voice breaking with emotion.  "It's given me a new lease on life and I feel very blessed." 

The surgery happened shortly after he arrived in Edmonton in late March and Dahl said everything went smoothly.

"There was no sign of infection … no hints of rejection," he said.

Dahl said his morning diet now includes 22 pills to reduce the chance his body will reject the donated kidney, and while that number will go down over time he said there will be some "essential drugs" he will always be taking.

"I certainly feel very blessed with the amount of emotional support that we've received along the way."

Dahl says he's also moved by the financial support they've received, because the trip south was not without it's own turbulence.

That's because Dahl's wife Katheleen was initially denied the chance to travel, until after his surgery.

"My wife was considered a non-medical personnel. So therefore she would not be … treated as an escort until I was released from hospital." 

Dahl said that would have been another 10 days after his surgery and he couldn't accept that decision. 

"I told them that, in previous incidents, where it was non-life threatening for example, or even for the consultation process she was fully allowed to come down as an escort for me," he said.  

"But here it was major surgery and she was not allowed to come down."

Dahl said they brought the problem to their MLA, Richard Edjericon, who paid her flight down so his wife could be there in time for the surgery Monday evening.