Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Given a life

I can't remember if I've share this story before on my blog, I can't seem to find it so I'm going to take the opportunity to share it here.  
My mom rec'd a  kidney transplant in August 1987. Mom had been on the transplant list and receiving dialysis for almost a year.

 I was taking some classes during a Summer semester to finish up pre-req’s for nursing school and had some finals coming up. I had a day off from work and had stayed at school late to get some studying done, but made it home in time for dinner. Mom and I had just barely sat down for dinner and we rec’d a call from the hospital. I answered the phone, and was told that there was a kidney available for my mom, but I had to get her to the hospital with the next two hours. We were there in 20 minutes 
My brother was at work and my father was also working, he was a bus driver for Trailways and had left that morning for Reno.I sat with my mom until they took her back to the operating room. She made me go home so I would be fresh for school and finals the next day. I called the my dad’s dispatcher to see if they could get word to my dad, called my brother and went home.
The next day before school. I went to see her at the hospital, she was still in recovery wide a wake and very excited. Her new kidney was working!




That was just over 25years ago. She still has the same borrowed kidney working for her.

It is amazing to me how the human body works, how one diseased organ can effect the rest of the body systems.  Mom was incredibly ill and weak from the dialysis by the time she received her transplant.  Post- transplant we had to be so careful with her meds and health. She has often said that it was something she would never go through it all again , but the improved quality of life with the transplant.  She was there for my wedding and be there for my four children.  There has been much joy that that she has been apart of because of this transplant. 

I am grateful for the family and the person who donated the kidney for my mom.  It makes me sad that they died but ever so grateful for their generosity.