Earlier this yr, I donated my kidney to somebody with whom I’ve by no means met.
People usually ask me, “Why on earth would you donate your kidney to a stranger?” I usually reply with, “Why wouldn’t I?”
I’m the proper candidate for organ donation. I don’t have children. I’m not a runner, so I don’t thoughts taking relaxation for a few weeks. Plus, I’ve a extremely understanding and versatile employer.
Learning About Altruistic Kidney Donations
I stored seeing signal after signal stating that so-and-so wants a kidney. And I assumed, there’s no cause for me to not assist another person who’s in dire want. So I Googled altruistic kidney donations to be taught extra. It was then that I noticed how tough dialysis could be, and this basically sealed my determination to do it. Dialysis is the remedy for kidney failure, which removes waste from the physique and filters the blood. It could be life saving for some youngsters, nevertheless it can be grueling. I couldn’t think about how onerous it will be for a child to undergo that.
During my Googling, I noticed that Cincinnati Children’s has a program that accepts residing kidney donations. They may even assist households in the event that they wish to take part in a paired kidney trade. This signifies that if in case you have somebody in thoughts with whom you wish to donate an organ to, however you’re not a match, you possibly can donate to another person whom may be a match for the individual you wish to assist. I used to be amazed by this.
I didn’t have anybody in thoughts, I simply knew that I wished to assist. So I reached out to Laura, the residing donor coordinator. What adopted was a 3-4 month course of to meet every kind of testing and counseling to guarantee that I used to be the proper match.
The Testing & Matching Process
This course of included a 24-hour urine check, a CT scan of my stomach, an EKG, stress check, LOTS of blood work, a psychology analysis, and counseling to verify I understood the monetary issues. While the recipient’s insurance coverage covers the medical prices, I wouldn’t be capable of work for a few weeks. I additionally met with the surgeon who defined the method intimately, and a dietitian who made certain that my diet was acceptable. Overall, it took about 3-4 months to finish all the steps. I’m certain if there was an emergent scenario, it may very well be executed sooner. But Laura and the transplant group actually labored round my schedule in order that it wasn’t too burdensome.
The process
They deemed that my kidney was an excellent one and recognized a affected person who was an excellent match for it. On the day of the process, I went into the OR at 7:30 a.m. and was out by 1 p.m. While I didn’t know who my kidney went to, I did hear that the process was profitable for each of us.
Recovery from Transplant
Recovery was impressively straightforward. I had some nausea whereas I used to be within the hospital and was in a really minor quantity of ache. That’s it. I used to be discharged after three days, was capable of drive my automobile per week after I obtained dwelling, and was again to work inside two weeks. Sure, I slept lots the primary week, however I felt extra awake after I ended taking the ache remedy.
As for the implications to my on a regular basis life, there are solely three. The first is that I’m not capable of take NSAIDS – solely Tylenol for ache aid. With solely a single kidney, it’s essential to keep away from NSAIDS since they’ll trigger an acute kidney harm. The second is that I want to remain hydrated. If I don’t, I’ll get a headache and likewise dehydration may injure my remaining single kidney. So I simply be sure that to all the time have a water bottle with me. The third, and the least impactful to me, is that I’ve scars – three tiny incisions and one kidney-sized line round my pants line. But I don’t thoughts. In truth, I type of like them. They’re a reminder that we’re all able to doing issues which might be greater than ourselves.
If I had one other kidney to provide, I’d do it once more. It’s so well worth the minor inconvenience to avoid wasting another person’s life.
Our Kidney Transplant Program supplies companies to coordinate a residing donor analysis for candidates who categorical curiosity in donating their kidney. To be taught extra, contact our group at 513-636-7201 or txlivingdonor@cchmc.org.