This is part six of my Kidney Donor story, you can follow my entire journey here. The week after my kidney donor surgery was one of the best weeks of my life, believe it or not. I had no idea what I was in store for having a major surgery. Bob and I were in uncharted territory with him being my caregiver (and me needing one). What would it be like to have such an impact on someone's life? Who would get my kidney and would I find out? What would he or she be like? I learned immediately after surgery that my kidney went to a delightful young woman named Shmeala. More on her later. My … [Read more...]
My Kidney Story — I Gave One Away! The Surgery (Part Five)
It FINALLY happened. I donated my kidney. Here are the details. The Wait I was finally approved for donation in September, 2017. I was informed that I would be contacted when Mayo's Transplant Program had found matches for both Liz and me. It could happen in a week or take up to a year. I was annoyed and frustrated. The process had already taken eight months, and I knew there were thousands of people needing a kidney. I wanted to get it done ASAP. Also, nobody wants to see a RDN, CDE around the holidays so it was a good time to be away from my business. To be fair, I was told it … [Read more...]
My Kidney Donor Story – Will I give one away? (Part One)
Some things in life seem to pop up out of nowhere but just feel right, so you take action. That's what happened to Bob (my husband) and I six months ago. I was presented with an opportunity to possibly donate one of my kidneys to a friend who is on dialysis. I am currently being evaluated at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida to see if I am a living donor candidate. I am sharing my story and what I have learned in order to educate those who may be motivated to help those in desperate need of a kidney but don't act out of fear or ignorance. It has been quite an adventure so let's start at … [Read more...]