Kidney Transplant...A Roller Coaster Ride

      

  After going back to Utah in Oct. 2014, I thought

things would move fast. We had donors ready to go, and

the hospital was ready as well. What I did not know was

that each donor took about two months to complete all the

necessary tests ensuring the best match for me. The waiting

game and roller coaster ride was about to begin. I waited

for someone to call me from the hospital and tell me

what was happening. It took two weeks to receive a call,
however, I was ready to move forward immediately..

            
          I felt extremely humbled by family and friends that

had signed up months before to donate a kidney on my

behalf. I had five donors to be tested, and I felt blessed.

            The first donor was my daughter. I had always felt

she would be the match or play a very important part in all

of this. It took a few months of testing to find out she was

about a 51% match...the hospital felt we could get a closer

match.

   
            Although this appeared be a setback, we found out

about the “Paired Exchange Program”. A wonderful

opportunity where more people can be helped by receiving

a kidney. Anyone (family member, friend) can donate a

kidney on behalf of the person who needs a transplant. The

person who needs a transplant can then receive one from a

“Good Samaritan Donor” (a person who voluntarily donates

a kidney) all dependant upon sharing a good match.

           My daughter decided to start the Paired-Exchange

Program process. She had gone through just about all of the

tests needed when we found out that there was a Good Samaritan

Donor that was a perfect match for me. We were very excited

to find this out! But in order to receive the kidney, one of my

donors needed to donate their kidney to someone else. So, my

daughter stepped forward.

    
          It was the week before Thanksgiving when my daughter

had one of the last tests needed (a CT scan) showing a mass.

That was quite a shock to all of us! I just wanted my daughter

to be okay. We were all concerned about the possibility of

cancer. Her chances of being a donor had stopped. As she went

for additional tests to find out what should be done, it took a

number of weeks before we found out it was most likely not

cancer. We were extremely thankful!

         While we waited, the hospital started testing the second

donor, my brother. He did the required testing and found

out that he was a good match. We were all thinking I might

receive a kidney by the end of 2013. To my surprise we

found out the hospital had reserved the operating room

for Dec. 31^st New Year's Eve. We were extremely happy

until we heard the news that my brother had high blood

pressure and needed a month of monitoring. After the

monitoring, it was decided that it would not be in his best

interest to proceed as a donor. Thankfully, my brother could

now take care of a previously unidentified health issue.
Another blessing in disguise. Again we were extremely
grateful.

          Then donor #3, a dear family friend began the donor
testing. But, before she got too far, a miracle happened, the
doctors agreed to not only remove the kidney from my daughter,
but the benign mass as well. The Paired-Exchange program

looked to be the hope for which we were looking.

         Again, the rollercoaster of highs and lows continued.

Patience was needed, that has been a life lesson I have

learned through this process.

Waiting for a Kidney Transplant...Faith precedes the miracle

      
            It was March 2013 (three months since I found

out my kidneys had only 10% function; kidney function

for a healthy person is 60-100%). I had been praying for

a miracle which wasn't going to happen in the way I had

hoped. I had to come to grips with that. I felt my prayers

were not being heard. My daughter suggested that I pray

for the Spirit to guide me (validation #1). I agreed, and

that night was a turning point in this life changing journey.

Finally, the answers started coming one after the other.

        The next evening a friend of my husband's visited

unexpectedly and when he left, my husband told me

of the informative discussion they had. His wife previously

had a kidney transplant a few years ago and was doing

fantastic (validation #2). I told my husband that I was

happy for her, but I really did not want a kidney transplant.

I was adamant about it.

          The next day I received a call at lunch from my

husband telling me he bumped into another close friend.

She is a nurse who works at many schools. It had been

months since he had seen her last. I asked if he had

told her about the kidney situation..at that time he said

he had not. He called me again later that day, and said that 

he bumped into her again. He told her about my 10% kidney

function. She said she had a very strong feeling that I

needed to get a kidney transplant before the end of the

year (validation #3). When my husband mentioned that, I

knew in my heart that the Lord was answering my prayers...

I needed a kidney transplant. Up to that point I had thought

a kidney transplant was the closest thing to death...not the

answer to my prayers.

            The following day I got up and turned on the

television. I was so surprised to hear the word donor

coming from it. It intrigued me because I usually never

watched that station. The show was about three different

people waiting for a kidney transplant (validation #4).  

I was glued to the set. I felt it was another answer to

prayer...for me to learn about kidney disease and

transplants... and I did.

          My mind and heart were making a complete 180

degree turn-around. Then, the next day our friend, the

school nurse (mentioned above) stopped by our house

with flowers and dinner. We had a great discussion. She

helped educate me about kidney transplants and their

benefits. She shared with me some things in her life

which connected to what she was telling me about

kidney transplants. (validation #5) Consequently, she

felt she was being helped by our discussion as well.

           I thought my prayers were not being heard. 

However, I realized that they were indeed being heard; 

the answers were coming through other people to me, 

one right after another. There were five validations that

the Lord was letting me know His will for me to receive

a transplant.

           Now that I knew what He wanted for me, I

researched the Internet and talked with doctors. My

nephrologist (kidney doctor) could hardly believe it.

When she asked what happened, I pointed to the

heavens and said I finally found out what He wanted.

I have been at peace with my decision ever since.

The next phase of growing and understanding was

about to begin.

Kidney Disease...The Power of Prayer

          Looking back to January 2013 I could hardly

believe the words out of the doctor's mouth. “You have

stage five renal failure with 10% of your kidneys

functioning.” He said it was not “life-threatening,” but

that was not true. After researching it on the internet I

found that it was indeed life threatening, and if I did

not go on dialysis the disease would be fatal. Something

needed to be done immediately.

          I was sent to a kidney specialist. A true God-send

for me. She is one of the best in her field, and I was truly

blessed the day she came into my life. She did a lot of

tests from head to toe to rule out causes. She immediately

had me get an iron infusion and a Procrit shot to help do

what my kidneys could no longer do.

         During this time I prayed for a miracle and expected

one. I believed I had faith to have one, since I had

previously experienced major health scares. Maybe

I was praying for the wrong thing.

         My prayers for a miracle were ongoing. I had

Priesthood blessings which gave me much peace and

comfort. I had many people praying for me which filled

me with gratitude for such love, support, and being

alive.

          However, I did not feel my prayers were being

heard. That was one of the hardest times through this

experience. I had previously received fast answers to

my prayers that I was shocked when I felt I wasn't

receiving any answers. That went on for three months

with no answers. It felt dark, and I hated that void in

my life...not feeling that my Heavenly Father was right

there with me. During that time I had some depressed

days; Let's call them “pity party” days. Thank goodness

they were few and far between, but I learned and grew

through them all.

           One thing I discovered was that I needed to

mourn the loss of my kidneys like the death of a loved

one. I was going through the emotions without realizing

it, essentially experiencing the five stages of grief.

            I was lucky. I went through the denial, some

depression, and then acceptance. Most of the time, I

just wanted to know what Heavenly Father wanted me

to learn from this so that I could move on. However,

I quickly learned that my time was different than His,

things were on His timetable, he had numerous things

for me to experience. It was going to be an interesting

journey..,

       

Kidney Transplant: A Journey of Hope

             










             
It has been a long time (approximately 1 year) since I

have updated or written on my blog. The reason being, I found

out January 2013 that my total kidney function was at 10%;

normal is between 60-100%. When your kidney function goes

down to 15% or less you usually need dialysis to function on a

more normal level. My kidney function is currently at 7%, and

miraculously I am still not receiving dialysis. I consider it a

blessing.

              

             Most people know little about kidney disease...I was

one of those people. However I changed that! I researched and

educated myself, and am now in the process of preparing to
receive a kidney transplant in the near future.

               

               That's the good news! The bad news is knowing that

the majority of people do not know that high blood pressure,

diabetes, and Ibuprofen contribute greatly to the chances of

kidney (or renal) failure, that more than a 100,000 people are

on a waiting list for a deceased donor's kidney or that you only

need one kidney to function and live a normal life.

               

                I am one of the lucky ones with five living donors

(family and friends) offering me one of their kidneys so that

I can live. This is one of the most humbling and wonderful 
blessings that has come into my life. I will continue writing

on my blog about the high and lows of the journey and what

I have learned from this challenge in my life.

               

                 It is my hope that by writing about this experience, 

people everywhere will become well informed about this disease...

to help you, your family, friends and maybe even inspire some

changes in thinking about and considering organ donation that

saves lives.

              

                I invite you to come and join me in this journey of hope and enlightenment...