July 5th, 2010 | 
Author: Evaluation process to be a Living Kidney Donor – finding a recipient – laparascopic surgery to remove kidney – my recovery
Having donated a kidney – even though the process was not without its frustrations and last minute blips – I would not hesitate to donate a kidney all over again if I could.
For anyone considering donating a kidney, whether to a relative or friend or to a stranger, the majority of this blog would apply. I have been as honest as I can and not just put a glossy cover on it all. The events are as they happened and my feelings and thoughts at the time. I hope this blog will enlighten some people as to the process of donating a kidney. It has been a great learning experience for myself as well. Spending so much time with people who have kidney problems and speaking to patients on dialysis or just having had a transplant, and speaking with their families ….. it has opened my eyes even more to the fact more organ donors are needed. There was nothing in my evaluation or the operation or recovery process that put me off having donated.
I also want to praise everyone working at the transplant unit. Everyone was great and made this whole experience good. There was always a smile and more than that, everyone had time for me. I was never made to feel rushed. When it came time for the operation itself I was made to feel very relaxed and the after care was brilliant. Nothing was too much for the nurses to do to help. The catering staff also could not have been more obliging and friendly and the food was really very enjoyable. The NHS is the very best health system in the world and all the staff are truly wonderfull caring people. I have nothing but praise and thanks to everyone I met. I know a lot went on behind the scenes that involved people I never met and perhaps they don’t get to be thanked as often as they should. So to them, I very much thank them for all they do for the Living Donor Programme and for their part in my donation.
Please scroll down to read my account of being a kidney donor. The first posts are at the bottom of the blog, the latest just below this posting.
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3 Responses to “Summary of Living Kidney Donor evaluation and kidney donation”
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Hello,
I have spent a long time reading through every post in this website. It is the most comprehensive account of donating a kidney that I have come across. I feel a bit guilty that I do not want to donate one of my kidneys while alive but I am on donor register and I also donate blood.
Hi Theresa,
Thank you for taking the time to read through my blog, I really appreciate it. I know when I was considering becoming a donor I found certain information lacking in my research. I would have loved to have spoken to a donor to really understand how it was from their point of view but I could not find anyone or any accounts that filled in all the gaps. So that is why I decided to do this blog and not gloss over anything but tell it as it was. I hope it encourages people to become living donors.
Theresa … Please do not feel guilty. Listen .. there are many things we can do to help other people. Lots of people spend a great length of time training and running marathons to raise thousands of pounds. People run charity events continually. Volunteers help out at hospitals and other places. People donate blood – just think what would happen if noone donated blood? Think of the thousands that would die. Each time YOU donate blood you help save a life – how wonderful is that. You should feel very proud of yourself. Also being on the donor register you could save up to 9 people’s lives and give two back their sight. You are already doing amazing things by donating your blood and signing the register. Depending on your age you could also look into bone marrow donation?
The main thing is just helping people. It is not so much what we do but the fact that we do.
All the best
~DF~
I also wanted to congratulate you on a most comprehensive blog on being a living kidney donor. I too read through the whole blog, something I have not done before on anyone’s blog. It did take me a few days in spare time to do but very well worth it. Firstly let me applaud you on what you have done. You are an exceptional person. Wanting to do something like donating is one thing. Actually going under the knife is something else.
You are an inspiration to many people and you seem to continue to inspire by helping other people the way you do. I had not thought about bone marrow donation and will look into it.
I would like to know what do you think makes one person want to donate an organ and not another? I cannot say I would do this. Thinking about donating a kidney while I am alive fills me with horror to be frank. I would do it for my wife or son or family member but only because they are family but I cannot say I would enjoy doing it.
Good luck to you in the future.
Clive