My name is David Meekin, I’m a 48 year old divorced father of 2 grown up children, I live in the city of Kingston upon Hull and I work as an engineer, I’m just a normal person. I’ve been lucky, I’ve been able to work all my life, not really had any time off sick and I’ve been able to spend lots of time with my children as they were growing up. Other people aren’t so lucky.
I’ve given blood for the past 20 years, and then I found out about altruistic kidney donation, for me it was the natural thing for me to do. I’m waiting to be matched, but this is my story so far… I welcome your comments, questions and input.
My Story
Live Kidney Donors Altruistic or To Someone You Know
My name is David I was 47 year old when I started on this journey I did a lot of research before I started this and I wanted to know as much as I could do, but I found that there didn’t seem to be anything that really explained what I would be going through. I decided to write this down as I was going through it, to tell anyone who wants to read, what I went through and a lighter but still serious side of the whole process and things that I found that wasn’t in the literature, these are my own thoughts and opinions, independent to my live donor department or anyone else. I hope that some of it is some use to you, Thanks for reading.
So where do I start, a lot longer ago than you would imagine, when my sister was pregnant, she had kidney problems and it was said she may have had to go on dialysis. It was joked around that she might need a transplant and it was jokingly asked if I would give her one of my kidneys, no problem I said, but I meant it seriously. Of course nothing more was said and after she’d given birth everything else was ok
My fear of needles goes way back to when I was young, I can’t say that I’d had a bad experience with them, but we had a book at home called how your body works, and there was one picture that showed an inoculation. It showed a magnification of the end of a needle with green fuzzy germs coming out of the end of it, all drawn in cartoon. It must have had some sort of affect on me as I started having nightmares about being chased by a giant needle, and the source of my fear has been revealed.
A few years on and she got cancer, after seeing all the crap she went through, I decided to start donating blood, as my fear of needles seemed to be insignificant in comparison to what she was enduring…..
To continue reading my story please click on this .pdf Document link – David’s Story
4 Responses to “David Meekin”
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This is great to read David! I have a meeting tomorrow with the consultant nephrologist who has looked at all my tests and is going to update me with results and thoughts re my donation. I am quite nervous, very committed to my donating but also unnerved at thought of telling my 5 (grown up with families of their own!) children that I am definitely going ahead. I have had very mixed reactions from them initially…..
P. S I am horrified at your account of psychologist assessment
Hi Bev,
Thank you for your feedback, I hope everything went ok with your consultant. I’m sure your family will will come around once you’ve explained how important this is to you and why, any of their questions can be found on this website with independent answers, and previous donor experiences.
The psychologists assessment for me was the only thing that I was worried about, I’ve suffered with depression in the past, and I was worried that this would affect the outcome. The psychologists really need to delve deep into what makes this important enough for you to do, for you to take risks with your health for someone you’ll never know. There are a number of psychological disorders that may be the reason you want to do this, (Munchausen syndrome & multiple personality disorders, and also coercion from others), although I found it tough, it was completely necessary, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
I hope everything goes as you want it too
Thank you David! What stage are you at now? I have my meeting with surgeon beginning of April and HTA meeting a couple of weeks later. Daughter number 3 is still very fed up at the thought but is accepting now…..I hate to upset my kids but know that this is too important not to do. My LDC says that she is probably very like me in fact, very protective of loved ones and empathetic! Best wishes
Bev
I can’t really say what stage I’m at on a public forum due to the confidentiality aspect of donating, if you wanted to email me, you can.
As for your daughter, does she know about the risks being the same as an appendectomy?
The HTA is a really nice relaxed coffee with a friend really, they just want to know that they understand the risks and that you’re not being coerced into donating, it’s a breeze, you just have to wait a week or so after the meeting for approval.
Meeting your surgeon is also great, have a think of lots of questions, and write them down, and don’t be afraid to interrupt him if you think of something whilst he’s talking, The surgeon will want you to go away fully informed of everything.
REMEMBERS (and I firmly believe this, especially in this situation) the only stupid question is the one you didn’t ask. The surgeon won’t make you feel daft or stupid, they understand that this isn’t your speciality
If you want to know more before the meeting, there are lots of kidney removal videos on YouTube
With a bit of luck if all of your meetings go ok you should be on the matching run in July
David