Going through the Donating Process in Southern CA

[Crocheting-Cricket]

I went through two solid days of tests and seeing medical people from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at USC (in LA) for the kidney donor program (I flew into LA for the 2 days since I'm from out of town), and it will be two weeks before we know if they will accept me for a match for my brother. The process is incredibly intensive - 35 vials of blood; talk with 14 different specialists; have every chamber and square inch of my heart looked at, scans, radiation, warm dye.... It was quite an amazing experience and probably the best checkup I've had in my life! And the place is so huge, I was always running between different buildings and floors. Very interesting and honestly the worst part was a headache I couldn't shake because of caffeine withdrawal! No caffeine for 48 hours. By 4:30 yesterday, I can't begin to tell you how much that cup of coffee helped!

PS - For those who think the 35 vials of blood would put them over the edge, I HATE getting my blood drawn, but honestly, this wasn't bad at all! I just didn't watch!

[EchoMax1012]

Good job!!!!!! I know there is a lot of steps to the donation process, but in retrospect, I did find it reassuring that they looked at my body in every way possible before allowing me to donate, instead of rushing me into the operating room the very moment I made my intention to donate clear.

[marcyc NKF Ambassador NKF Peer Mentor]

I donated at Ohio State and I felt very safe knowing that they would leave no stone unturned to assure I was healthy enough to safely donate. Thank you for becoming a donor. Welcome to the very exclusive club! Speedy recovery for you both.

[Crocheting-Cricket in reply to marcyc]

Thanks so much! I'd be honored to join the One Kidney Club! Do we have T-shirts?

[marcyc NKF Ambassador NKF Peer Mentor in reply to Crocheting-Cricket]

Lol OSU did give me a t-shirt. I still wear it proudly! Opens up a lot of opportunities to promote donation.

[vegiedonor in reply to Crocheting-Cricket]

On the day of my surgery my wife surprised me with t-shirts for me and my recipient and her spouse. Made a great photo which made it into the local paper. Living organ donor tees can be found and customized either on google or amazon. I received a pin from Cornell/NYP which I wear proudly at events. Welcome to the group!

[Crocheting-Cricket in reply to vegiedonor]

Fantastic! Just what I was looking for!

[Worrylady in reply to vegiedonor]

Bless your hearth!

[alimesoda]

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the one kidney club! I donated to my husband in NY last year at NY Presbyterian and went though the same screening. It definitely was the best physical I have ever had! You are doing a great thing and your brother is very lucky! Enjoy the journey!

[Crocheting-Cricket in reply to alimesoda]

Still have another week or so before I hear but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[alimesoda in reply to Crocheting-Cricket]

It’s exciting right up to day of surgery! Good luck!

[DSKdonor NKF Ambassador]

I think we're all pulling for you! It's obvious to me that you know what you're doing, looking forward to doing it and will be GREAT after you hear that you are able to donate! The rest is actually the easy part - at least from my perspective. I donated to my Dad in 2007 - I'd NEVER been in the hospital before; I had NO idea what to expect from any surgery and it didn't matter to me! All that mattered was that I was ABLE to donate and the rest was in the doctors hands! I can ONLY wish all the same for you! Keep us posted on your progress please! Fingers crossed.

-debi

[Crocheting-Cricket]

Thank you SO much for this! This is exactly how I feel about my brother. All the medical staff are completely negative - telling you everything that could go wrong. I asked every single person I had contact with (surgeon, nephralogist, psychiatrist, social worker) whether ANYONE had come back and said "Gee, I wish I hadn't done that" and they said NO! I will be so happy just to see my brother be able to drink more water afterwards!

[DanDisimile]

You are an Angel 👼 All the best to you and you brother.

[Crocheting-Cricket]

Thanks so much! I am on pins and needles waiting for the results. Today our case goes before the Review Board. We should know next week....

[GreenHawaii in reply to Crocheting-Cricket]

Aloha. How did it all go? Were you able to donate to your brother? I want to be a living donor to my brother also.

Can you let me know how it all went and how you're both doing?

Thank you very much❤

[Crocheting-Cricket in reply to GreenHawaii]

I think I just replied to this. If you don't see it, I'll post again. We had the surgery June 30th.

[GreenHawaii in reply to Crocheting-Cricket]

Thank you for replying. Sorry, I didn't see your post.

How did it go? Are you and brother doing better? I hope so. I want to do the same as you and donate to my older brother. He lives in Redlands, CA and his doctors are at Loma Linda Hospital. I'm way out here in Hawaii. Right now it seems like an impossible task but, like you, I will do anything. You are Amazing! You never gave up!

Can we stay in touch?

[Crocheting-Cricket in reply to GreenHawaii]

I don't know what happened to that first reply! Anyway, we had the surgery on June 30th at UCLA after waited almost 2 years to have this done. Even so, they were thinking of waiting a few more months because of COVID but we convinced them that the time was NOW because we were both completely healthy and virus-free! I have to say we were so relieved to finally have this done. After 4 weeks, I felt like I had never had surgery in the first place! And my brother is like a whole new person! He was really depressed after so many false starts and now you'd think he won the lottery! There are TONS of tests, but the closest you can be as a good match for your brother, the better it will be. My brother, after 2 months, hasn't had ANY problems, and they've already started reducing his anti-rejection drugs. Go for it!

[GreenHawaii in reply to Crocheting-Cricket]

You Rock! Thank you! My spirit is high and ready to get things going🥰.

[Crocheting-Cricket in reply to GreenHawaii]

Oh, you can absolutely stay in touch with me!