Some of you may remember Michael who has previously posted comments on this blog. He donated a few weeks ago and here is his story. I know this isn’t his blog but he hasn’t got one, so this is the next best thing!
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Part 1
What makes a person want to donate a kidney and particularly to make a non-directive donation. I knew there would be psychiatric test and I would have to justify my decision so I explained it this way – if you were passing a river and someone had fallen in you’d jump in to save them even if you could barely swim – it’s not so much that it would be the right thing to do indeed it would probably be foolish much better to call for help. However there is a more selfish motive – could you live with yourself if you didn’t make the attempt? The same could be said of the idea of donating a kidney – I would have found it much more worthy if I had chosen to give up my time to helping down and outs for instance – that’s why I can truthfully say it wasn’t a big deal; the real work was done by the drs and nurses and friends and family who supported me.
I have often said that giving to charity wasn’t morally worth while unless it “hurt” by that I mean we all contribute regularly to charities but not to the extent it would impinge on our lives – giving up a holiday for instance.
So that’s why I say this hasn’t been any effort on my part.
When I was in Hospital I saw people coming in hoping for an organ transplant – they had received “the call” perhaps this time there would be a match. Seeing this was very humbling, even thinking of it now my eyes are filling – how little we think of good health until we lose it.
I’ve mentioned before that none of the pre op test nor the hospital stay itself involved any more discomfort that giving blood.
Here there is a caveat I had my operation by keyhole which I understand is considerably less invasive than the “regular” method.
So how do I feel after nearly a month?
Mine isn’t a typical case as I contracted double pneumonia a matter of hours after the operation. I should 
say that at one point I really thought I wouldn’t make the morning and sent for my family. I seem to remember in this very sick state someone saying “ I think he’s given up” whether this happened or was due to delusion it served to pull me together and start fighting at least mentally.
I went into hospital with sciatica which had come on the previous month and I also had a problem with my right shoulder, neither was serious but they did impact on my recovery. Todate I’ve not walked any distance due to the sciatica however I’v a dr appointment to see about my “creaky” the residue of the pneumonia so I’ll try walking then.
Apart from that how am I? I’m fine though still find having a bath and dressing tires me but generally moving about the house I’m fine – looking forward to cycling again : -)
At least with all these aches and pains I feel I’ve made an effort and done something morally worth while.
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The complication of double pneumonia that Michael got is very rare and the belief is that there would have to have been an underlying reason for this to happen.
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28th April 2010
Part 2
How quick a recovery did I have:
I had the op October 2009 and as mentioned earlier unfortunately contracted pneumonia. Nevertheless I made the first tentative moves on my c2 rowing machine on the 28 October and by 9 November was rowing 10,000 metres – so you can say complete recovery in a month. I am now on tablets for high blood pressure but it was slightly high before the op and it’s a common condition.
Would I do it again:
yes no doubt about that.
What advice would I give?
Be certain in you own mind you accept the risks!
Though the chance of death is slight it is there 1 in 3000 is quoted.
The above will not be such a consideration if you are giving to a specific person but if you are thinking of making a non-directive (altruistic) donation then that emotional factor isn’t there.
I was 60 at the time and by good fortune had been able to retire so there wasn’t the concern of getting back to work and I have no dependents to be provided for. I also had friends and relatives available to help out if required – it wasn’t.
Practical things – have you been in hospital recently? –If not ask to be shown round where you’ll be staying – get an idea of the layout.
Ask if you can use radio with headset or take in an ipod or similar. I was able to plug in my laptop and keep in touch by e-mail. The obvious is to take some books in but you’ll probably be out so quickly you won’t have time for more than a couple.
So I’m back to working on my various researches – family tree –one day I’ll write it up – oh which reminds me when contemplating the operation I decided that I must write up the family history because if the worst happened it would be lost – did I - no –let that be a lesson to you all!
Now back to my work for the bi-centennial of the war of 1812 – never heard of it shame on you.
Best wishes to you all,
Michael
8 Responses to “Michael”
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Well done Michael! I have had my initial assessment and chat with the surgeon. He is prepared to consider diving inside to acquire a kidney despite previous surgical complications!!! Mind you, he probably has a slightly ulterior motive in wanting a kidney!!?? Good thing I will have an independent doctor too, looking after my interests, just in case it might not be a good plan to delve back into my innards! I have been told after only 48 hours that my initial blood tests were all fine, but a long way to go for me yet! I can’t believe you were back rowing so quickly after post-op complications too. Well done!! All the best. Jenny
Michael,
Congratulations to you! I hope that you continue toward a complete recovery. I am donating my kidney to my father June 28th. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Lea,
What an exciting time for you both. Won’t be long now before your father will get his life back and you can all start doing things that have been out of reach. Wonderful! I bet the 28th can’t come quick enough.
~DF~
Thanks Jen and Lea – sorry for being so slow in reply – been busy indexing – it’s like typing out a telephone directory! –Yes I am an anorak ?
Jen – I’m sure they won’t go ahead if there is the slightest risk to you – but consider the position very carefully – I was lucky that I was so fit and the nursing of such a high standard that they caught the pneumonia in time.
Lea – that’s wonderful and you’ll be able to see what a difference it will make to him and both share in the joy of his recovery – best wishes
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I can assure you both that I’m exactly as fit as I was before the operation – I’ve felt no difference and that will be a year in October – I’m so fit that on the last check up they didn’t want to see me for 4 months and this week I was allowed to give blood again.
In January I had a note from the person who received the kidney –all anonymous of course, saying what a difference it had made to both him and his family and that, with what I’d seen in hospital, made me see how little indeed no effort on my part can make a difference.
Now to end on a lighter note – for my “fans” there is a clip of me on the Antiques Roadshow from August 2008
http://www.dun.org.uk/Editor.htm bottom of the page
Now back to watering the garden…..
Michael,
Lucky you being on the Antiques Roadshow. I once queued for hours and in the end had to give up the wait due to other committments (had to pick up the wife from mother-in-law – and you cannot be late for that!).
I am curious as to your double pneumonia. Was that directly due to the anaesthetic/operation? I understand that with any operation that involves anaesthetic chest infections can occur.
Even though that happened to you you say you would still donate again if you could. I admire you for that. I am not sure what makes a person want to donate except they must be special indeed. I applaud you.
Clive
I’m so vain Clive that I made sure that I joined the queue some three hours before the doors opened – I would certainly recommend the experience. However be sure the item you take will be of interest – I was lucky as I had intended to take an inscribed pocket watch and only at the last minute did my uncle suggest his picture.
I was convinced the watch was interesting as it had a numbered key for winding, suggesting to me that it was perhaps marking it as a “limited edition” I was soon disabused when the expert being asked about the numbered key he proceeded to empty a bag of keys all numbered –it only indicated the key size!
I didn’t know that there was a link between the anesthetic/operation and chest infections –certainly the hospital were shocked and couldn’t understand how previous tests hadn’t picked it up –but I really can’t remember as I seem to have jumbled days up according to my sister. The only really unpleasant circumstance was the psychosis induced by the drugs –where I was convinced they were trying to kill me to the extent I pulled out all my drips -that was really unpleasant and lasted until my sister came in the next day I think and showed me a printout from the net describing the condition then it vanished as if a light had gone on. Even that had a plus side as I was so convinced I was going to die I think I know how I would react if given such news which in a way is reassuring as I always suspected I’d go in to a frozen panic.
However I don’t want to make it sound more harrowing than it was, mine was an isolated case and the actual operation was, and I know people just don’t believe this, painless even the point where they were draining my chest which I thought –now you are going to get it! Was again painless and I’m a wimp when it comes to pain.
Why would I do it again – if you saw the people coming in hoping this time they would receive a transplant you’d understand why I wouldn’t hesitate.
It’s just a month short of a year and I feel no different if anything it has given me the spur to do jobs I’’ve long put off – I think I’ve done more since the operation than I’ve ever done.
see http://www.1812privateers.org/
With General Anaesthetic because a tube is passed into your lungs via your throat any infection that may be in the throat can also pass down into the lungs. If there is already an infection in the lungs it can be made worse. The infection may be so small as not to be noticed but will be aggaravated by the GA.
That looks to be a very fascinating website you are doing. Do you get many visitors? A lot of research has gone into that so I can see how it keeps you busy.
Clive
Interesting that makes particular sense in my case – I know they carried out tests after I’d recovered to ensure that if I had to have GA again they would be prepared.
Last month there were 599 unique visitors – the traffic will build as 1812 approaches –there is much on there that will be of interest to UK genealogists as well, particularly ADM 26 – but enough of that and out with the hoover….