I donated a kidney to my wife’s cousin’s husband, David. I’d thought about organ donation before, but only in the context of carrying an organ donor card. I hadn’t considered donating a kidney until David explained what it was like for him living with kidney failure.
He had such a lot to offer, a wife and two young daughters, so much ahead of him; not helping him wasn’t really an option.
I talked it over with Suzann, my wife, and after a short debate as to which one of us should donate, we agreed I would go ahead and start the screening process.
Before you can donate, they screen you very thoroughly, to assess your suitability both physically and mentally. The health professionals involved were incredibly supportive, and appreciative about what I was volunteering for. I discovered I had a heart murmur (a minor one), but aside from that, was reasonably fit.
There were seven of us offering to donate for David, but only I passed the medical. And I guess that was the moment of real pause, when I thought, wow, okay this is going to happen.
The operation itself was okay. I wasn’t in pain afterwards, and just had some discomfort that lasted about two weeks. Suzann described me as being foggy-headed for several months afterwards, but that cleared up. Today I feel as healthy as any man in his mid to late -fifties has any right to. I have stayed pretty fit but am not obsessive about it.
David is doing well – the transplant helped him get back focusing on his family and his business. I know he is very grateful for what I did, and it feels pretty special to know you were able to help save someone’s life. I don’t think I’m special for doing it – it was more a case of being in the right place at the right time. I don’t think many people could have turned away and not offered to help, if they had been aware of the difference it would make.