Hello, New here. (Chris)

[chris0384]

Hello, My name is Chris. I live in Ca. I have a wife, and four children. We like doing things as a family. Fishing, Camping, and maybe just sitting home watching a movie. I am here to learn more about becoming a donor. We have gave this lots of thought, and would like to learn more about moving forward.

[Fr Pat]

Dear Chris,
     Welcome! You can learn a lot by clicking the information sites on the home page, and also by reviewing the past postings. The "experiences of other living donors" sections is especially interesting, I think. The National Kidney Foundation site www.kidney.org also has some good information. I donated 9 years ago, at age 56, and all has gone well. Keep getting well informed about donation and its risks and think things over carefully before deciding.
    best wishes,
   fr. Pat

[sherri]

Chris,

Welcome to the forum. The first place to look is in the information sections. Read all you can about the donation process, what it takes to qualify as a living donor, the medical risks, the financial risks, future health issues, life insurance and health insurance. There is a lot of information on this site and some of it is tucked away in different sections so take your time to read it through.

If you still want to pursue becoming a living donor you can see if a family member or friend is in need of transplant. Often patients do not publicize their need so someone you know may have kidney disease or on dialysis and you may not even be aware. You can contact your nearest transplant center to see if they accept non related donors and they can match you up with someone if you pass the initial medical consultation or you can participate in a donor chain where you donate to someone who has a willing donor but does not match and create a chain donation. There are also sites like matchingdonors.com where recipients post looking for a donor and also on this forum in the "Looking For" section. I recommend being near your home town so that if you do have a problem you are close by. Sometimes donors find it difficult to follow up especially if they have had a complication, if they are far away from home.

If surgery is not the route for you you can become a blood donor, sign up with one of the bone marrow registries and wait to see if you are ever needed. Organ donation is not without risk so if you are the bread winner for your family you may want to consider waiting till your family is not so dependent upon you. As I am sure you are aware, payment for organs is illegal so you need to be financially stable to take time off from work to recuperate and leave room for extra time in case of complications. You may be eligible for some financial assistance but you need to qualify for that and you should have your own health insurance so that you can follow up yearly for screenings to make sure your one kidney is functioning properly (if you choose kidney donation). It is legal for donors to be reimbursed for lost wages and travel expenses related to the surgery. The actual surgery is covered by the recipient's insurance or their Medicare. Most centers will give you a one time follow up and then ask you to send in blood work and labs 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after surgery. After that you are expected to have your own doctor follow your care. You need to maintain a healthy lifestyle, good diet exercise, make sure you do not get high blood pressure or diabetes as this will put an extra burden on your lone kidney.

Ok, so that is just a start. Hope this helps. Best advice, be an educated and informed patient.

Good luck,
Sherri

[ohtobeahayes]

Hi, and Welcome, Chris!
I just wanted to pipe in and say that we too have 4 children. I donated a year ago on the 13th. My kids at the time were 8, 7, 5 and 4. I was working at the time, and needed to take some time off, but was back to work in 2 weeks (just an office job so no big deal) (and of course, everyone heals differently) I donated anonymously, and decided to be matched with someone waiting on the Paired Exchange list (sometimes this can take a little longer, there are fewer people on this list. It didn't take very long though!), and we started a chain. 5 people got kidneys! AWESOME!
If you contact whichever transplant center you'd be using, they will send you a packet of information also (I think!) the packet I received had everything I could want it in, including an entire sheet of names and email addresses/phone numbers of previous donors who are open to being contacted in regards to their donation. I LOVE that list, and I really enjoyed talking to some of the donors.
Of course, this website, and others like it are full of information also!  Happy Researching!!!!!

Can I ask how this has come up for you? I love hearing about that.
Nicki

[chris0384]

Thanks for the replies. I am not very good at this message board thing, but I will try to keep up. I am looking into many different things. The only thing that my family worries about is if I do this and then one day one of my own children needs my kidney. This is just a risk we take. I do feel that God will look out for us, but you never know when something may happen. My family is very healthy and I have no reason to believe this may come up.

Anyway as far as why I thought about being a donor. I had a good old friend that was about 30 years older then me. I made good friends with him and as our friendship came closer I found out he was on dialysis 3 day of the week. I then said I would give him a kidney. He was so touched he started to cry. I was young and didn't realize that I had to see if I was a match. He then said I would have to get tested to see if I could, and no matter what he was thankful for the offer. We went together and I got tested. Sad to say I was not a match. My friend died a year latter.

 During this last year, my wife and I had a child. My friend surprised us with a bassinet for the baby. Our friendship became something pretty great. I was very upset to have lost him. Anyway My wife has been a surrogate mother before, and with that she said it is an amazing feeling to help someone in such a big way. Although I was a big part in helping that family, I still wanted to help someone in a big way. This is my big way. I will look for someone that i can help. I am on the hunt to that right person. I am a young healthy 27 year old white male. I don't do any drugs, drink, or smoke. I don't believe Ill have any problem finding and helping save a life.

[Scott337]

Chris,

Thanks for sharing with us here.  Your story resonates with many of us regarding our wanting to be part of something bigger than ourselves and our own lives.  I think I speak for probably most of the people on the forum when I say, it is a very special and humbling experience to give of yourself to someone else in this way.  It is life changing in so many ways.  Just be certain you want to do this, that your family is supportive of your decision, that you are well informed prior to making your final decision and pray you can be someone's hero.   Bless your unselfish heart for wanting to provide the gift of life for someone in need.  Good luck my friend and God bless you.


Scott   

[ohtobeahayes]

That was so awesome to read, I can't keep grinning!
There's another surrogate on the board somewhere too.  Surrogacy is so much fun (generally speaking).

Here is my thinking re: kids needing a kidney.  I'm not saying that I'm right- AT ALL. I am, in general, far too laid back about this (probably, or comparitively). Just wanted you to know where I"m coming from when I say this.  Most people in the world die with their own two (most people have 2) kidneys. I figured that my husband is available to help them should that need arise (and he matches) as well as others who watched our kidney journey and were touched in some way by it.

That is just me.   You, of course, should keep right on researching every little bit of info you can (including the not so good stories because you need to be fully informed).  If you're like most of us, the more you read, the more certain you'll feel. Can't wait to watch and hear about your journey!

Did you find the section on here with the stories of donors? It was one of my favorite places to visit in researching.

Thank you for even considering doing this!!!!!!!!
Nicki

[chris0384]

That was so awesome to read, I can't keep grinning!
There's another surrogate on the board somewhere too.  Surrogacy is so much fun (generally speaking).

Here is my thinking re: kids needing a kidney.  I'm not saying that I'm right- AT ALL. I am, in general, far too laid back about this (probably, or comparitively). Just wanted you to know where I"m coming from when I say this.  Most people in the world die with their own two (most people have 2) kidneys. I figured that my husband is available to help them should that need arise (and he matches) as well as others who watched our kidney journey and were touched in some way by it.

That is just me.   You, of course, should keep right on researching every little bit of info you can (including the not so good stories because you need to be fully informed).  If you're like most of us, the more you read, the more certain you'll feel. Can't wait to watch and hear about your journey!

Did you find the section on here with the stories of donors? It was one of my favorite places to visit in researching.

Thank you for even considering doing this!!!!!!!!
Nicki

Thank you! 

I will keep reading, and I will do my best to post updates. Can anyone post some links for me of a few good and bad stories? Im not good at finding the info without my wife's help.. (smiling!)

[shelley]

Hi Chris, here's my favorite story:  http://flotsamandjetpacks.com/the-kidney-thing/  I read it over and over.

[Fr Pat]

www.transweb.org is another site that has some donor stories. If you are a "Simpsons" cartoon fan and want to see a very unscientific but rather funny story of Homer Simpson's kidney donation to Grampa Simson, it is in the collection of Season 10, titled "Homer Simpson in Kidney Trouble".
   Fr. Pat

[sherri]

There is a lot out there if you google. One website that is dedicated to "telling it like it is" is http://livingdonor101.com/. The information pages in this forum are very helpful. If you click on experiences on top you can read lots of personal stories. You can also click on donor buddy and go thru the information and see if there is someone who matches up with you, whether it be the hospital where you donate, your family status, non directed donor etc.

Your hospital should be able to give you names of donors who are willing to be contacted and share their experiences. You can speak with the living donor advocate (different from the transplant coordinator) and get some feedback from him/her. Ask for patients who had experiences with no complications as well as some who had complications and see how it was resolved.

Try www.unos.org and optn.org and national kidney foundation ( I think www.kidney.org). They have a Living Donor Council which was recently started to address issues related to donors.

Speak with your own family physician if you have a close relationship and get their feedback. You can also go to get an opinion from a nephrologist outside the hospital to get an outside opinion about donation surgery as it relates to you.

Contact your insurance company to see if there is anything about elective surgery like this that would effect your policy. Look into your life insurance policies as well.

If you are so inclined, speak with your clergy to get some guidance in that area.

Lots to research. Take your time. You are not pressured as no one is waiting on you. So take it slow and keep us posted.

Best of luck,

Sherri

[Michael]

Can anyone post some links for me of a few good and bad stories? Im not good at finding the info without my wife's help.. (smiling!)

Look up towards the top of this page for "Links to the Living Donor Online web site" and click on the Experiences text. You'll be linked to many living donor stories--some positive, some negative.

[lawphi]

In regards to life insurance, I was told that I would still be insurable with one kidney given my age and lack of surgical complications. 

I would apply for any insurance coverages immediately that you feel you may need before starting the process. 

I took out a disability policy a month before my procedure.  My policy will have to be in effect for six months before they will cover any disability as a result of organ donation.  I am still covered for organ donation after the policy ages six months.  If the policy was already six months old, they would pay subject to the terms. 

[sherri]

I also did not have trouble increasing my life insurance post donation. I did about 10 months after surgery and got preferred premium rate. I wanted to do it before I aged and wouldn't get the preferred rate. The issue that some donors have, is that after donation surgery some donor's creatinine goes up which may not indicate kidney disease but actuaries go strictly by the numbers. So it is really is not whether you will get life insurance but will you be able to get a good rate.