Virtual Kidney Support Group

[Kbressler]

Kidneysolutions.org has a free virtual kidney transplant support group on Monday nights at 6:00 CDT. The group supports anyone who is looking for a living kidney donor or who has had s kidney transplant. Go to kidneysolutions.org to sign up. It is free no fees. It is moderated by Kent Bressler MA RN and I have had my brothers kidney for almost 35 years. Come join me and fellow kidney warriors James Myers, Armand Halter and Shannon Mulroy. Can’t wait to see you.

[Kbressler]

Have no idea what this is.

[TaffyTwoshoes27]

Thanks for the invite! I sent your podcast invite to a church-related friend who very recently got put on Hemo.

I just got my transplant Jan 2022.

I cannot attend this Monday (May 1), but maybe another time. Since your post is a year old, you may not be doing the podcast or support group anymore, but the real reason I replied was this:

When I was in my early to mid 50s, somehow, a discussion came up with my oldest sister (born 1952), who used to be a lawyer in FL and then went to Seminary and now has an MDiv (10 yrs of college). She promised that it she would donate to me if I ever needed a kidney because she had a “dromedary” kidney and would be a good candidate for donation. I had never been diagnosed with it, nor had any family history or knew I had kidney problems. In about 2012, I lost over 60 pounds without trying, and when I finally was tested, I was already in CKD Stage 4. [I had had a couple of kidney infections when I was about 10 years old.]

My sister, who by 2015 was a chaplain at a local hospital here in Atlanta, waited over two years after I was diagnosed with CKD and had stayed off of dialysis, to tell me, by phone, that she didn’t think that it was fair to her quasi-new husband, married, about four years, that she donate her kidney to me. He was an ex-army veteran, who fought in the Gulf War. He had a constant migraines. However, about 10 minutes after she said that, she called back and made another excuse. I believe her husband told her not to blame it on him, so she called back and said she read things about donating a kidney and she didn’t think it was safe.

I told her that my Medicare would cover her expenses for the operation. I think then she said she was scared, she was probably in her mid 60s at the time. The odd thing about it was that she was a Chaplain at a local hospital and part of her job duties included talking to the families of dying patients and trying to get their organs donated before the patient was taken off life support. After work, she would eat dinner with me and our parents and sometimes she would complain and get very upset that the family refused to donate the organs. What a paradox!

When I read your story, I was very happy that your brother donated o you. I think it is a sign of true love. I recently had a written conversation with my sister about how many times I had helped her move when she lived in Atlanta (7) and how hurt I was that she did not donate or even get tested when she lied to me and said she did and had promised so many years ago to donate her kidney.

In essence, on April 24, I broke off our relationship totally. I was trying to forgive her and her harsh attitude for years, but it wasn’t realized. She has always been confrontational and sarcastic.

I had waited just short of three years (post-diagnosis) with CKD; I did 7 years on PD dialysis at home; and I was transplanted January 2022 at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. [During those 11 years, my second oldest sister died of cancer in 2015. She said that she would donate to me (she was A- blood type — universal blood type , and then, as I got sicker, she said she wanted to be the first sibling to die. She was soon diagnosed with cancer: blood, brain, bone, breast, etc. and died. A year from the diagnosis, at the age of 62, she died.]

I look forward to meeting you through the camera on Zoom or checking out your website. Thanks for all you give to kidney transplant patients!