Several years ago, Stacey and I watched a movie.
A terrible movie, really.
One of Will Ferrell’s lesser known movies, Winter Passing.
(I don’t really recommend it).
But the movie? Well, it made me cry.
Because a year after watching the movie I was in the hospital with Stacey, and my Mom. Stacey was being wheeled off to surgery and her last words to me?
“Well, I’ve gotta go rock.”
The one and only amusing quote from that terrible movie- made me cry.
But rock, she did.
That day was September 13, 2007 and Stacey was being wheeled off to have her left kidney removed from her body – so that it could be placed in my Mother’s body.
It’s been over four years since that day, and I have yet to write about the experience. For no reason. For many reasons. What should have been only a wonderful experience was marred by incompetent doctors, bedside vigals, and a 25th birthday that was marked with my Mother in a coma and my father so stressed that he forgot all about it.
As my 29th birthday rolls around, the news that my Uncle Jeff has been diagnosed with kidney failure has found us. He has 30 percent kidney function right now – which means a transplant is a few years out for him (hopefully). And I’m helpless. Helpless because I have Stage 2 kidney failure myself. Helpless because we have so little family that literally no one in my immediate family can even be tested as a match. Helpless against a disease that has killed my Grandmother, nearly my Mother, and has affected myself, my great aunts, and now my uncle. For no good reason. No one has diabetes. Everyone is fairly healthy otherwise. And there’s nothing any of us can do, but watch. Watch the decline in him. Watch the decline in me. And hope – when the time comes, that a donor can be found in time. Living donors make all the difference.
Stacey’s kidney has brought my Mom into the range of normal kidney function! And because she was a living donor – the kidney has a longer lifespan – meaning hopefully my Mom will not need another kidney transplant (chronic kidney disease sufferers often have multiple transplants in their lifetime). And our story is unusual with its multiple complications after the procedure (my Mom doesn’t like to do anything the easy way!) Typically living donor surgeries result in a recipient that is up and functioning normally within 4-6 weeks. The donor typically has very few risks (outside of those of any surgery, of course). 4 years later, Stacey and my Mom are perfectly healthy! It is a true miracle. A miracle to witness, and to be a part of.
I encourage everyone to check out http://www.donatelife.net/ and read about the stories of donation. Update your organ donor card – and if you’re interested in learning more about kidney diease and how you can help – check out http://www.kidney.org/. Donate money, donate time, increase your knowledge.
I’m working on our donation story to submit to Donate Life. To continue the stories of hope and life. I’ll be sure to post it when I’m done.
Thanks for reading!
