Jackie,
I just wanted to tell you that I sympathize with your weight-related situation and the time senstive challenges you are facing. I just got approved and have a surgery date as of last week. However, I have a family history of high blood pressure and although I knew I would need to loose a little bit of weight, I ended up dropping over 50 lbs. I was the last person in our family to get tested and the only person who made it past the the intial set of health questions/blood tests. And, my receipent who is a family member that was raised as my brother had one kidney from a previous donation that is shutting down. It was (and is) a lot of pressure. It takes a lot of time and commitment.
The one item that I would stress for you is that it isn't just about the journey and struggle up front including dropping the weight. In order to stay healthy after donation you have to be committed to keeping it off. I have gone up and down on my weight previously and was committed to getting back into shape even before I was tested. The donor panel members and interviews that I went through during my second round of tests really did a great job of stressing this topic with me and ensuring that I wasn't paying lip-service as well.
I in no way want to discourage you from donating. In fact, I told the patient advocate that I was willing to do whatever it took And, in terms of the weight, I was already looking at getting into shape again. They really do have my health as a priority and want to ensure that my decisions (though with good intentions) do not cause me personal health issues.
As I noted in a previous posting, I am not sure now who is getting the biggest benefit out of my donation scheduled for June 29th - me or my recipient. I am so blessed, healthy, and changed for the better as a result of my journey. I can only hope the same for you. If I can help in any way please feel free to private message me.
Blessings & warm wishes to you and your sister as you continue with your journey.
-Scott