I don't need to give all the details but how does the process go? Can the donor say hey I only want to donate to this one person? I know they can't force someone but there's the moral wrestling over knowing one could donate to a stranger but not wanting to do so. Recovery period? Long term issues?
Here's what i do know.
You can absolutely choose who your kidney goes to, as long as you're alive. I know when my dad was killed he was an organ donor (and they couldn't do a TON.... he was a mess. Wear a helmet) and it was just "his E36 M3 went here" but if you're fixin' to give one away you get to choose who.
Mndsm said:Here's what i do know.
You can absolutely choose who your kidney goes to, as long as you're alive. I know when my dad was killed he was an organ donor (and they couldn't do a TON.... he was a mess. Wear a helmet) and it was just "his E36 M3 went here" but if you're fixin' to give one away you get to choose who.
I'll add in that assuming you're alive, you can absolutely get into a "donation chain." Let's say you (being alive) want to donate to person X, but, you're not compatible. They maintain lists of compatible donors and can set up a chain where you donate to person A, A had a donor B whom now donates to C, and C donates to X. End result is X gets the organ, not directly from you, but because of you.
https://www.kidneyregistry.com/for-donors/kidney-donation-blog/what-is-a-kidney-donation-chain/
Probably will be gone over by the doctor's, but then again I've met some really berkeleying stupid doctors in my life.
But before you donate, if you're cleared and compatible and everything, make damn sure the disease or reason the person needs a kidney won't come back or affect the new one, because you can't do it twice.
I'm not talking about organ rejection either. There are kidney diseases that will attack rather than reject the new organ and the receiver can wind up in the same spot if not worse very quickly. They're rare, but they're out there, my dad had one of them.
I've known a couple of people who have had kidneys donated to them. One interesting things: Apparently, if you need a kidney and you know someone willing to donate but is not a match, by getting them to donate it, it may move you up in line for a donor kidney.
My buddy donated a kidney to his buddy.
The one that gave the kidney had about 12 months of recovery.
Not sure if that is rare, or normal.
Good luck in your quest!
I was expecting that you found something you like and funds are tight right now.
I'm about 15 months post donation at HCA in Largo, FL and happy to share my experience. You can definitely specify the individual you are willing to donate to. As was hinted at earlier, you can also find groups that work to coordinate matches among multiple parties to help find a donor for your recipient.
General process: It starts with a blood screen to see if you're a match. Once a match is confirmed, you have a number of blood tests/cancer screening/social screening to see if you are capable of living a healthy life post-donation. Once you meet those requirements they will schedule the surgery. You will have a healthcare worker that is your point of contact and separate from the recipient's contact. They help you through the process and are your advocate if anything needs to be addressed.,
Recovery for me was 1 night in the hospital and I went home late the following day. You need to be up and walking and capable of using the bathroom before you leave. They were more than happy to let me stay longer but I wanted to GTFO. I was off of work for 3ish weeks, and work a fairly sedentary remote desk job. I was 70% productive for the first couple of weeks because I needed lots of rest.
8-10 weeks of light lifting (<10 pounds) and minimal exercise. I walked a LOT which I think helped my recovery. I live a very active lifestyle and frankly my overall physical condition dropped a noticeable amount. The heat kicks my ass more than ever. I was an avid runner and I still run a few times a month. I am slower than I was and that is something I needed to come to terms with.
Post surgery blood tests at 2 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and (hopefully) 2 years to monitor the recovery and make sure your kidney is up to the task on it's own.
In hindsight I have zero regrets about donating. It is also not for everyone so if you choose to start the process take full advantage of the resources they give you to make the right choice for you.
I'm happy to post here or chat privately if you have any specific questions.
In reply to rollinchicane :
Thanks everyone and especially your first hand experience. Lots to ponder.
Definitely a lot to digest!
Also, GRM delivers with people with real life experience!
I've been working transplant for awhile, but at the heart/lung side which is completely different.
Most of the larger centers will have pretty good pages about living donation to give you an overview, and I think National Kidney foundation has alot of info as well.
Not to harp on risks, but be aware it's not risk free to the donor. If you look at https://www.srtr.org/ ,it breaks down outcomes by organ and center . They should discuss when you do your initial visit to discuss process with the coordinator.
That said, very noble act to give, and good on you for considering it!!
If you have ever had a kidney stone in either, you are ineligible to donate.
I have a close friend who at 56 years old decided to offer a kidney for a good cause. I thought she was nuts, but she went ahead with it about three months ago. She and the recipient were anonymous. She has no ill effects at all and is happy to have done it.
Seems to me like you should get a tax write-off or something if you're donating one (as compared to selling one)...
My Mom has my Dad's Kidney. She is a lifelong type one diabetic and her kidneys failed. Because they are both type o - blood he was able to donate to here. True love!
My Mom was on dialysis prior, looked and felt terrible. A few days after the transplant she was almost uncontrollable with energy. My Father on the other hand was wiped out for a few weeks and it took him month to get back to normal. Both of them are fine now.
It is a pretty great thing to do for someone.
In reply to OjaiM5 :
I'm O+ so a universal blood donor but not sure what that means for kidneys.
My understanding is that blood type is the first factor they look at in determining if there's a potential match. Blood type alone doesn't determine if your kidney will be compatible. Blood type and those other factors are checked in that initial blood screen.
The algorithm fed this to me last night and I think it's a good general overview of the process.
My uncle needs one - I'm ineligible to donate because my father died of kidney failure before the age of 70. If anyone in the Southeast is interested, you will have the chance to be effectively a member of our family.
rollinchicane said:My understanding is that blood type is the first factor they look at in determining if there's a potential match. Blood type alone doesn't determine if your kidney will be compatible. Blood type and those other factors are checked in that initial blood screen.
The algorithm fed this to me last night and I think it's a good general overview of the process.
Correct, blood type is step 1 and must match. However, we also look at HLA or Human Leukocyte Antigens, which you can think of as tissue type.
If donor and recipient have incompatible tissue type, the transplant is more likely to reject. Compounding this, women who have given birth multiple times, people who have had blood products, and ppl on dialysis tend to be more 'sensitized' . Back when I was a donor coordinator 20ish years ago, there were people on the local kidney list who functionally couldn't get a transplant because they were so sensitized and the chance of a compatible donor was so small.
This was one of the factors that paired donation helps to improve, along with wait times just on the basis of number of donors available.
Also I should note, rejection doesn't mean 'my kidney stops working and I die'; it can be managed.
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