Kdub,
Family dynamics play a big part in the donation process especially between siblings. I don't know how much support you have gotten from your transplant team, but I don't think my team understood these issues. My brother's doctors and mine as well just assumed family is an organ bank for their patients and I felt like I was treated as a spare part. I needed more help in coping with the donation process. I have gotten some professional help to come to terms with the feelings of entitlement and lack of support from those who were supposed to care for me. Thankfully, we are doing well physically which helps also. I'm sorry your parents have pressured you into this, even if you want to do it. I know the feeling. Through the testing process I wish someone would have said, "we are concerned about you and your family, if you don't want to do this please don't feel obligated". I would have donated anyway because I think to some extent we are obligated and responsible for family, but it would have made it easier had my parents and brother and family shown some concern. On the other hand, I have to empathize with him and the desperation he must have been feeling going into acute renal failure. His doctors just said, call your family and get someone to give you a kidney, live donation is best, the surgery is no big deal. I know they down play the surgery for the donors because my brother even asked me if my then 18 and 19 year old daughters would donate. When I said no, they haven't even started their own families and can't make a decision like this he said oh, they can still get pregnant with one kidney (as if I thought one kidney caused infertility). Down playing the surgery, the risks medically, emotionally and financially cheapens the gift and is disrespectful to donors. There needs to be a better balance. Hope you are getting the support you need from your team.
Sherri