LIVING KIDNEY DONOR STORIES

I decided to donate my kidney to my mom. I love her so much and I wanted her to live to see so many more moments with us. 

The process wasn’t difficult. We worked with a social worker/care coordinator and she scheduled tests for me to take which included a physical, Pap smear, x-ray, mammogram, psych eval, blood work, and urine and stool evaluation. They do all of that to make sure that the donor is very healthy and lives a lifestyle that is conducive to one kidney after donation. We talked through risks and what I wanted to do with my life, and whether I planned on being in any sports that were highly physical or any other activities that could put my one kidney (after donation) in danger. After being declared healthy enough and passing all tests we waited for the type matching to come through. After that it was determined that I matched enough markers for us to be compatible. From there we scheduled a surgery date. I think the entire process took a few months. 

Recovery was fine. I was mostly sore and felt most comfortable with a pillow cradling me around the side of where I donated my kidney. My surgery was laparoscopic which is minimally invasive. My incision is at my bikini line in a horizontal line. I was on Tylenol only after I left the hospital. They kept me in the hospital for about 4 days or so after the surgery. Recovery could take up to 6 weeks but I felt back to my old self with minimal soreness after 3 weeks. I was 24 years old when I donated my kidney and went on to have 4 health pregnancies with no issues with my kidney. 

Having donated my kidney not a whole lot has changed. I have a couple scars from the surgery, and I can’t take any NSAIDS for pain medication. I need to lead a relatively healthy lifestyle to do my best to do right by my remaining kidney. I have to get special clearance from the doc to donate plasma and there are certain things I have to clear with my doctor if I want to engage in a specific type of activity to make sure my kidney won’t be harmed. Other than that, I try to be proactive by asking my doctor to run tests every year to gauge my kidney function and do all I can to take good care of myself as a whole. 

I would 10000% do it again. My mother means everything to me. Even if it wasn’t my mom I would have done it. Because every person who needs this gift is someone’s “person”. Someone loves this person deeply and needs them to be alive. It could be any of us at any given time that need someone to love us that much. 

I would say that it doesn’t hurt to start the process while researching it for yourself. I would say think about how special it is to actually save someone’s life. Think about how precious life is and how our sweet Rahwa is counting on you to love her as much as you love the closest person to you. Be the gift.

Donating a kidney was the best decision I have ever made. I got the idea after I saw a co-worker donate her kidney to her friend's husband. She said it changed her life for the best and there wasn't a better feeling. I was on the bone marrow registry for many years and never got a call and decided then I would try donating a kidney. I did not know my recipient until the day of the surgery. 

The testing was fairly simple and I knew that I was in good health after it was completed. I was nervous at first, because I hate needles, but the only thing that I was nervous about was when they drew the blood. Other than that it was scans and meetings with the doctors. I was in the hospital one night and discharged the next day. I never felt better. The first few days it felt like I did sit-ups at the gym after not going for many years but that was the extent of the pain I felt. I was back doing my normal activities after 2 weeks. It has become my mission in life to help others find their donors.

Donors also receive a kidney voucher in case in the future either they or somebody in their family needs a kidney, they go to the top of the list. There is no cost for a donor and the testing can be done locally to make it more convenient