While I can't say that my family didn't support me (they always did from the beginning), they were unsure about the whole process and were concerned about me. But they could see that I had done my research and was determined to do this if I was okay'd for surgery. My transplant center was far from home so when I met with the docs I took a tape recorder. Then I played it for my mom and sister. I think that gave them a little comfort. But the biggest change to me, and it made me cry, was after surgery. My mom and sister were there and got to meet my recipient and his wife. They got to see how nice these people were (my recipient was a stranger before this whole process) and how much their lives would change because of my gift. My recipient's wife came to visit me the day after surgery and broke down; she was so thankful and her husband's levels were already going back down to normal. It was amazing to see how fast he responded to the transplant and how much better he felt so quickly. After all was said and done, my mom said to me, "at first I wondered why you were doing what you were doing, then when you told me you wanted to help someone I understood. Now that I've met them and seen what this has done for them I think I could do it too!" I couldn't believe she went from concern to actually thinking that she could be a donor too! So it is very possible that your family will end up supporting you in the end. I pray they do! This is a hard road to go down without support-I lost a couple friends because of this and it really hurt me. I don't know what I would have done without the support of other friends and my family. Definitely talk to your social worker about it. And you can always come to this message board-as you have already seen, there are many people here ready to walk the path with you, give you advice, and encouragement.
You are doing a wonderful thing! It takes a lot to put your life on the line for someone else-I know that most of the time donors end up just fine and don't even notice a difference, but there is always a risk. However, like I would tell people when they expressed concern-nothing in life is without risks. Leaving your house in the morning carries a certain risk. So as long as you have researched, asked lots of questions, and feel good about this you can do it knowing that you measured the risks and made an informed decision. Good luck with everything! I hope it goes swimmingly and your family gets on board soon.