The thought of not being around to watch my four grandsons grow up because of kidney disease is a hard pill to swallow. I’m fighting for more time, more games to cheer for, more birthdays to celebrate, more memories to make. Right now, my only chance is finding a kidney donor. If you’ve ever wondered what it means to give the gift of life, this is it. Your decision could mean I’m here to see my grandsons become young men.
My life has been filled with the business we all experience. But most times it was moving so fast there was little chance of enjoying it. Although I thought I would work well in my elder years, my focus began to shift ever more outward, centering on faith, family, and the community. Retirement time came and simultaneously a genetically inherited kidney disease called IgA Nephropathy or Berger’s Disease. Berger’s Disease quickly took control and slowed everything to a crawl. The medication to slow the progression of the disease was as debilitating as the disease itself. Suddenly I came to realize that my life would never be what I dreamed or hoped. After six months my doctors considered me in stable condition. The impacts of the disease began to start taking its toll. Each day became an uncertainty - would I be tired, would I be able to do what I had planned, or would I be useful at all. When you are used to being the provider and working, the weight of not feeling useful is often more than the physical toll. The terrible part of having a kidney disease is you never know if you will finish the project or even be able to start.
My biggest hope for the future is to spend more quality time with those I love. I’ve lost the ability to be a fully participating partner at home with my wife. Then there are the grandchildren - pure joy packed into four boy bodies. Without a kidney transplant, I won’t see any graduate from high school, learn how to drive, pick a career, or frankly, just live their life.
A new kidney would guarantee that these dreams would be fulfilled. It will provide time with my wife and family and the ability to help those who are not as blessed as we are. A new kidney would also allow me to play with and watch my grandsons grow and mature into what I believe will be good, intelligent, healthy adults with important things to do in their future. Without a new live donor kidney, I will only be able to dream about these things.
Being a live kidney donor is a very personal and brave decision to make, essentially giving up a good working body part to save the life of someone else, most likely someone you don’t know. That level of personal sacrifice takes a significant amount of praying and considerable thought to decide if that is something is right for you. Hopefully, that process leads you to donate to save a life.
A live donor kidney lasts, on average, five years longer than a cadaver harvested kidney. The cadaver kidney can take from 3 to 5 years to find a match for any person suffering from kidney disease while a live donated kidney can be in place in 3 to 6 months. The time difference between these two options can save a kidney patient several years of dialysis, which makes the body weaker and more difficult to accept the new cadaver kidney.
If you are interested in donating a kidney, first go to the National Kidney Foundation Website and read about your part in the process and the level of compensation you can receive to make up for lost salary or wages. For a more detailed review of the process, you can contact the Allegheny General Living Donation Team at 412-359-4441 or 412-359-8119, my local transplant center here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Thank you so much for considering a precious donation that will allow me to live a useful and fulfilling life. It takes a special person to do this; I look forward to meeting my special person.
