A friend needs a kidney. Please read and share. (Donors can be from anywhere; she is in South Africa. Can my South African friends please share with your networks there?) I NEED A KIDNEY (PLEASE READ THIS WHOLE POST BEFORE YOU RESPOND!) I had all of about 4 hours to celebrate getting off the Social Work Masters crazy-train, when I received my boarding pass for the next crazy-train. Next stop: complete kidney failure. I’ve had the threat of kidney failure hanging over me for four years now, but it was still a shock to hear my doctor say that it’s time now to start planning for kidney replacement. I’m exhausted and I’ve had a mild nausea, but otherwise I feel okay and I’m not in pain, so in some ways it’s been hard to believe this is what’s happening. We’re not sure how long it will take for my kidneys to completely give up, but I’ve reached the point of no return and, since the process of planning kidney replacement can take 3 to 9 months, we need to get started on a plan for kidney replacement. There are 3 options for kidney replacement: 1.) dialysis 2.) transplanting a kidney from a cadaver, or 3.) transplanting a kidney from a living donor. It’s a no-brainer which option is best. Transplant from a cadaver almost certainly involves a period on dialysis because of the length of the waiting list for a cadaver kidney. Aside from dialysis being very unpleasant, the survival of the transplanted kidney and my overall life expectancy post-transplant would both be significantly better if I could skip dialysis and receive a living donor kidney transplant. Andy offered me one of his kidneys. So on Friday we sat together, took deep breaths, and called in to find out the results of the blood tests that would determine whether we’re a match. We are not. I have trouble letting people buy me lunch, and now I have to figure out how to receive a kidney from someone. I don’t know how to do this, and yet it’s clear that if I want to live a long and rich life with the energy to be the wife, parent, sister, daughter, friend, and social worker I want to be, then I’ve got to figure out a way. And, more than anything I’ve ever done in my life, I can’t do this alone. I need your help. These are some of the things you probably need to know, to help me find this special person who can change the course of my life… A potential donor needs to meet the following initial criteria: * have two healthy kidneys. * be over 18 years of age. * have no past or current chronic illness or hereditary illness. * have a BMI under 33. * be NOT planning any future pregnancies, if female. * be O-type blood group, in order to be a match for me. If these initial criteria are met then extensive medical tests would be done to ensure that the donor kidney a good match for my body. These criteria and medical tests are also designed to ensure that any potential living donor whose health and longevity might be compromised are excluded. Though a South African donor would be logistically easier and probably quicker, potential donors living outside of South Africa would not be excluded. They will be able to undertake the tests in their own city, and travel to South Africa for the surgery. My medical aid and I would be responsible for all of the donor’s medical and travel costs. I have a friend who is a living donor and is willing to talk with anyone who would like to ask her about the experience, and of course my transplant team will also be happy to answer your questions. I’m sure you understand that this is all very unknown, scary territory - all with big implications. While I am happy to talk generally about this, and you’ll likely see me post relevant links here as I am reading and learning about it all, I’m feeling quite overwhelmed. I don’t want to be involved in fielding specific questions about donating a kidney or initial requests to be assessed as a donor. In fact, I don’t want to know who has offered and would prefer to be brought into the conversation once a viable match has been established. And anyone who is considering this deserves the space to ask their questions, explore if this is something they really want to do, and know they can change their mind without me ever knowing. So, IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW MEETS THESE INITIAL CRITERIA AND WANTS TO BE EVALUATED AS A LIVING DONOR FOR ME,THEN PLEASE CONTACT ANDY ([email protected]) AND HE WILL CONNECT YOU WITH OUR TRANSPLANT FACILITATION TEAM FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS. As always, thank you for your support. This is hard, vulnerable stuff, its stretching me for sure, and yet I am also hopeful about the future, and I hold onto the knowledge that I have a lot of love and support in my life, and I can do hard things.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 17:51:37 +0000
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