Kidney donor

[Boatbabe]

I'm in the process of screening to be a kidney donor and interested in other's experiences? Recovery? Success? Feelings afterward?

[Qdog]

My cousins wife was my son's donor last summer. She is 55, great health and my son was 21. He is doing very well and having a living donor made all the difference. Aside from recovering from the surgery I think she would tell you she would do it all over again. She is feeling great! Her kidney function is normal which is so amazing. She is super busy as she just got a promotion at work but when she settles down she wants to be an advocate for future donors and share her experience. I can tell you the screening process is rigorous simply to insure that the donation WILL not affect your health adversely in any way. She says aside from her scar she would not even think about it. We who have had the experience of the gift of a living donor are so grateful for people such as yourself that even consider this life saving act. My son is able to lead a normal life due to the selfless act of giving. I hope this helps no matter the outcome.

[Boatbabe in reply to Qdog]

This does help immensely, I appreciate it.

[A-A-B-J]

My son wasn’t a match for me but matched someone else. We did a kidney exchange all on the same day last November. He donated to someone rose and I received from someone. He was in quite a bit of pain for several weeks but returned to work as a nail carrier before the end of 6 weeks. He actually has better kidney function after being a donor. He is 36 and I am 66. We are both doing very well. I wish you the best and thank you for giving extended new life to someone.

[Boatbabe in reply to A-A-B-J]

Thanks so much for the input!

[Estrea]

I had a kidney transplant and it literally saved my life. I was only on dialysis for 2 months before it but it was hell for me. I was sick all the time and had to drastically change my diet to food I hated. People told me I looked sick. After the transplant I was able to go back to my normal life. I am so grateful every day to my donor's family for donating their deceased father's kidney.

[Boatbabe in reply to Estrea]

Thank you for sharing your success

[alimesoda]

Hi Boatbabe!You are doing a wonderful thing! My husband has received 2 transplants from living donors - his sister gave 21 yrs ago and I gave 3 yrs ago on 8/16.

His dad was the 1st recipient of a living kidney donation at New York Presbyterian in NYC. All of us donors would do it again if we had another spare!

Besides gas evacuation pain (primarily in my shoulders) from procedure for a day or so, I used no pain meds and had no pain. NYP surgeon is so great I don’t even have a visible scar as it’s in my belly button!

Get out of bed ASAP and Walk — that’s the best thing you can do to improve recovery. Also eat very simple, light, and small for a few wks before and after. I met another wonderful donor randomly before my surgery that offered that advise.

Welcome to the 1 kidney club. I’m happy to answer any other questions/concerns you may have. You are an angel!!!

[Boatbabe in reply to alimesoda]

Alimesoda, thank you for this valuable input and advise. The feedback here is definitely helping me feel more comfortable.

[Bax509]

Hi - thank you for considering kidney donation - what a beautiful gift! My brother in law was my donor in June. He is mid-50s, active and healthy. Never had surgery before and I think was taken aback at how he felt afterward. He had pain at incision site and difficulty pooping for first 2 days or so. But getting up and walking the halls in the hospital and at home after discharge helped with both. Surgery was June 14 this year and he was back to work part-time within a month or so (he's an attorney so not an active job). He went on vacation with his family in the past 2 weeks - where he had to do lots of walking. He lives in Virginia and I live in Oklahoma so it did require lots of time away from home and as you know, extensive testing. Some of that he could do at home, some had to be here. Everyone is different of course but this was our experience. The living donor coordinator should be looking after you to the Nth degree - any problems, questions or concerns - they should be right on top of it.

[Boatbabe in reply to Bax509]

Thank you! I hope you are doing well as a recipient!