Hi Friends! It is once again time to talk kidneys. I am forever grateful for the deceased donor kidney transplant I received in 2021, and was so excited for a future of good health. Unfortunately, as a result of multiple infections, the transplant is now failing, and I am once again actively searching for a living kidney donor.
These past four years were so precious when I think of all the time I was given to be with family, make new friends, go for walks, hikes and ocean swims, learn Pilates, volunteer at my local library learning how to mend books, be on a National Kidney Foundation podcast to share my experiences, watch my children grow up to become amazing, kind, and thoughtful adults, appreciate my home and caring loving husband, and have the freedom to just go out for a cup of coffee!
I am most grateful I did not have to be on dialysis when my first transplant stopped working in 2021, after 21 years of a long and appreciated kidney transplant life.
I feel like I have been given so much extra life with these two transplants, and wherever this new journey leads me I am hopeful, and excited to continue to experience the simple and wonderful moments that life has to offer.
Right now, my two treatment options are dialysis or another transplant. Dialysis can be incredibly tough - it often leaves you sick, weak, and exhausted. It keeps you alive, but at the same time, you feel disconnected - like it’s pulling you away from truly living. The stress of dialysis wears down all of your organs.
The other option, a living kidney donor, would give me the best chance for a healthy and active life. Did you know that while we have two kidneys, we only need one kidney to live a healthy life? In fact, living kidney donors tend to have a longer life expectancy than the average person. Thus, the slogan: Share Your Spare!
Deciding to be a living kidney donor is a big decision. Living donors are very special people who understand that being a donor is one human saving the life of another human. It can be an empowering and life-changing experience for one person to have that kind of impact on another person.
I am asking for your help. Please share my story with friends and family. Or post it on your social media. The more people that read my story, the more chance I have of finding my kidney angel.
If you want to learn more about being a living donor, please go to the Donor Information.
If you or someone you know is considering being my donor, you can fill out a questionnaire at: Donor Questionnaire.
