Kim Donates to Her Friend

I was friends with the lady I gave my kidney to. We lost contact with each other until one day I saw her son in the Wal-Mart parking lot and asked how she was doing.  That’s when he told me that she was on dialysis for kidney failure.  She became a diabetic 32 years earlier when she was pregnant with him.  I knew that right away I needed to go to see her.

I will never forget the day I showed up at her door.  She did not even know who I was.  She said that when she saw me that there was a bright light around me and she knew I had been sent to save her life.  I was her guardian angel she said.  I told her that I heard she was sick and I wanted to get tested.

We began the test and found out that I was a perfect match for her.  I was scared but I knew that there was going to be nothing that would change my mind.  When you see someone on dialysis and see them get sick all of time it breaks your heart.  I knew I was able to help and that is what I was going to do.

We found out our surgery date and we were so excited.  The night before our big day Johns Hopkins Hospital called and said that they would have to postpone the surgery because the Dr. had a family emergency.  I don’t think that was it at all.  A few hours later we got another call saying another Dr. was going to do the surgery.  I think this was God’s way of letting us know the wrong Dr. was going to be in charge that day so he changed the plans for us and got the right Dr. there instead.  We showed up for the surgery and we got to see each other before the surgery and the only question I had for the Dr. was will I still be able to be a mom someday if I do this.  He told me yes.  That’s all I needed to hear, I was ready.  Things went great.

When I woke up in the recovery room they showed me two pictures.  One was of me on the table waving to the camera and the other was a picture of my kidney in the Dr’s hand.  The pain and the pictures left me know that this was real.  I had really gone through this and it was no longer a dream.  I had actually helped save someone’s life.

My recovery in the hospital was not that long.  I was out in three days.  My kidney (now her’s) was doing it job.  She never had to be on dialysis again after the day of the surgery.  One year after receiving my kidney my friend received a pancreas from a unknown 17 year old cadaver.  I know how hard it must have been for the other family to lose someone they loved to help someone else live.

Things were really great then she could eat what ever she wanted and she felt great every day.  She was very close to her grandson and loved seeing him grow up.  I then got to call her and tell her my good news 5 years later.  The Dr. was right I would be able to be a mom.  I had a son and named him Levi. He is the light of my life.  My friend was there in the waiting room when I came back from a scheduled C-section.  She was now there for me.

Since this, my friend has passed on and I am still having problems dealing with the loss.  But she is now my guardian angel and I now that she watches over me and my family every day.  I miss and love you and I know I will see you again someday,  for now my precious friend I will live on remembering you and never forgetting our great days together.