A Woodridge, Manitoba man is looking for a new liver and to spread the word about organ donation.
Riley Nault, 34, was diagnosed with an auto immune disease in 2012 called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.
The disease attacks Nault’s liver. He had been living with it for four years without complications.
But in December, Nault said something changed.
"Christmas Eve I couldn't take it anymore. My belly was huge, my legs were so swollen I couldn't stand up," he said Wednesday.
Nault said he went to the doctor where he found he gained more than 30 lb in two weeks in fluid. To bring the swelling down, he was put on new medication.
Come New Year’s Day, Nault married his longtime girlfriend Robyn. But when the pictures came back he said he noticed he didn’t look right.
“It was bright outside, snow on the ground and me beside my brother, my kids, and Robyn. I saw my colour and that was a big eye opener and I was like, ‘whoa there is something wrong.’"
Eight days later doctors told Nault he had cirrhosis and had less than 20 per cent of his liver function left.
He is now on the transplant list, but because of his blood type finding a matching donor may take longer than normal.
"I'm O positive. So it's still the wait for an O to come in and if that O is sufficient for me."
Nault and his wife Robyn have had to stay home from work to go to appointments and get prepared for the transplant.
They have had their bags packed and ready to go for six weeks and still haven’t received the call from doctors in Toronto to say they’ve found a match.
The couple, who has two sons ages 14 and 10, is now looking for someone to volunteer to be a living donor for Nault.
The Nault’s also hope their story will get more Manitobans talking about organ donation.
“It’s just getting that word out there for people to stop and think,” said Robyn. “Would you want to help somebody if you could save a life? Save a few lives if possible?”
Manitobans interested in being living liver donors can visit UHN Multi-Organ Transplant.
To be an organ donor, people can sign up on the Sign Up for Life website.