Paired Donation

[wants2help]

HI!  Just curious if anyone here has done the "Paired Donation"?  From what I've read, both donors need to be on the surgery table at the same time, so noone backs out.  This makes sense, but if the surgery is in another town, or state, you wouldn't be with your loved one who needed you, or have family or friends there to support you.  Just curious.  Right now my husband has to lose 20 pounds before he will qualify for surgery, and they won't test donors until then- so not sure if any of us will be a match or will have to go the paired route.  Just want to get any info now ahead of time.  THANKS

[lawphi]

Different centers have different rules.  Most centers will ship the donor kidneys to the recipient, allowing you to be at the same hospital.  The surgeries may take place several hours apart.

I was able to donate two months after my husband received his kidney. My kidney was not needed to complete his chain that day.

[PaulaHalvo]

I am doing a paired donation.  It is going to be an eight way swap, with 16 people involved.  My neighbor got her kidney on February 2.  My surgery will be February 14th and my kidney is going to California.  They do like to keep the surgeries close together, but sometimes they can't because of peoples schedules.  I'm the sixth in the series, and it started in January, so not everyone is getting as soon as they give.  Hope that helps.

[Fr Pat]

     If I understand it right, they seem to have learned from experience that the danger of one donor backing out (that is, not donating after their relative had received a kidney in a part of a "swap") is less than they have feared, so some hospitals are less stringent in demanding simultaneous surgeries. Also since the technology in keeping a donated kidney in excellent condition for a much longer time has improved so much that letting each donor stay in a hospital close to home and then flying the kidneys from place to place has become more common.
   best wishes,
       Fr. Pat

[ohtobeahayes]

The chain I started took a week to complete, and the day before my surgery some one in the chain did back out, but their space was filled and it allowed for yet another match to be made. 
Congratulations and thanks for your beautiful gift!
Nicki

[james]

I was involved in a 13 pair chain. My recipient received his kidney 5 days before I donated. I remember my coordinator calling me just after my recipient got the kidney to check if I was still willing to go through with it. I sensed some nervousness from her.

[wants2help]

It really is amazing what they can do!  I am a type O blood, not sure what other matches I would or wouldn't be for my husband, but the paired donation sure opens up alot more doors! 

[treehugger]

...but the paired donation sure opens up alot more doors! 

Yes, paired exchanges and chains really do open a lot more doors, and this is wonderful. Like others have said, it really depends on your centers' rules about the timing of both operations, so you should ask them these questions (even though you can't start testing yet) to be sure.

I donated in the late afternoon on a Thursday and my kidney was flown to PA (from CA) overnight for transplant Friday morning. My husband received his kidney the next day. His donor was in the next OR from him, but her husband had received *his* kidney many months before.

I will admit that my only pre-donation nervousness centered around both of us having major surgey at the same time, and how would we handle all the life details afterwards. Most of my worrying turned out to be unfounded (although being prepared helped greatly), and we definitely had help from friends and family.

Kara