Twenty-Two Years ago Today

[MikeD]

My beeper went off and I was informed that I was second in line for a kidney/pancreas transplant. As it turns out, the first-in-line person had an illness and I was selected. It was a good match and as of today, I have had 22 years of trouble-free and happy life added to to my tally by my new kidney. The pancreas is a delicate organ and did not last, only got 8.5 wonderful years out of it. I signed up for a second pancreas and two years later got another that lasted approx eight years. I am now, yet again, a type 1 diabetic. I have three kidneys (2 OEM and one from a very good person) and two pancreases (1 OEM and one extra (The second) that has quit working).

I am extremely happy with my transplant and almost did not go through with it. I was suffering slightly from depression and the un-excreted poisons in my blood most certainly affected my thinking.

I am 64 yo and happily married since age 22. I turned down two offers of live kidney donation. One from my wife and one from a guy at work who I barely knew. I thanked them each for their gracious offer and explained that I did not want to impose my problem on them and wanted a 'Cadaveric' donation.

My good and best Doctor of ~20 years then told my wife that I was weeks away from death just about 10 days before my beeper went off. My transplant literally saved my life. I am very grateful to my donors and their families for their actions. I also had extremely good doctors for the most part. Two years ago I thanked them in a letter to each of them.

I was used twice by my transplant surgeon as an example of 'a happy and successful transplant patient' in his lunchtime continuing education classes. I think I help allay the same fears that I suffered through in at least two people.

I am happy by nature, happy that I am alive, and happy to have a really good partner in life. Back in the olden days when men could be men and there was little to no political correctness at my first office job in 1977, there was a manager who had a sign on his desk that expresses my opinion yet to this day: "I'm so happy I could just ****!"

Mike D.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Well that deserves a VERY BIG Congratulations.....

 

[braumeister]

Wonderful story!

And a great reminder of why we should all be registered as organ donors.

 

[Dtail]

MikeD
I am so happy for you and your wife. Love to hear these nice stories.

 

[obsessed]

That's a great story. I have a friend who just had a kidney transplant so it's good to hear about your successful experience.

 

[MikeD]

And a great reminder of why we should all be registered as organ donors.

While I believe that it's good to be an organ donor too, I don't stress it as I am obviously biased!

Quite a few people have told me that they think doctors will let you die sooner if they think they will get your organs. As one who is intimately involved with the whole process, I will tell you that this is not true.

Apparently, if you 'donate' a large sum of money to the right person or top off a building fund, you can get your liver transplant right away, despite having cancer or you can drink away additional livers and continue to get new ones (You know who was also really obnoxious about it). These instances are my personal belief and these topics are not well-received in the transplant community. Every single person who I have ever met who has had a transplant is extremely gracious and grateful. I literally would not be here today if it were not for the thoughtfulness of my two donors AND THEIR FAMILIES. It must be a very difficult decision to make under the circumstances. I appreciate my donors. I am glad they were so giving.

A whole lotta people seem to believe that doctors are in it for the money or other nefarious reasons. I have had a few Drs. who manipulated their appts and blood tests to their advantage. I switched providers after I figgered it out. I have been heavily involved with the medical system since 1960, which is when I was afflicted with Type 1 Diabetes. I have seen and almost experienced many things both good and bad.

The most important thing is to be careful about how you follow advice. When you are in the hospital and in bed, it's good to have a person to help you make decisions. I have my wife. She brings up things that I have never considered and helps to broaden my perspective.

I met the mother of my first transplant donor. She felt better after having helped donate her daughter's organs. Her daughter's organs help many people and she had met all but one of the recipients. That was an unusual meeting that I will never forget and had not ever expected to to be involved in.

I would like to add a sincere and grateful thank you to anyone who has decided to be an organ donor. As a two-time recipient, I know first-hand that it is appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike D.

 

[braumeister]

A whole lotta people seem to believe that doctors are in it for the money or other nefarious reasons.

I had a friend who spent many years as an OR nurse in a kidney transplant unit, and she always said their team had one of the highest job satisfaction levels imaginable. They honestly took joy in what they did, and looked forward to the next one.

 

[Red Badger]

Thanks for sharing (both posts) MikeD.

My DS and I have always had D on our driver's license. DW - - - not so much.

However, about 3 years ago, I drug her kicking and screaming to a will, POA, and advance directive session with our attorney. When we got to the donor stuff, she was very squeamish, but I swayed her in the end.

Here's the money shot. DW is native born Korean. There is a strong cultural bias for many Koreans about entering the afterlife with all your mortal parts intact. She's a solid Christian woman, so some WWJD chit-chat won the day.

God bless you - - - and God bless her.


Sidebar.... Several years ago, there was a popular (but flawed) tv series about home giving that began the reveal with, "move that bus!). In a more memorable instance, they brought together the recipients of a young man's organs (normally NEVER allowed). there were 5-7 beautiful people that he gave extra years to.

How anyone could not be a donor befuddles me ( but that's easy). I'm in my 60's half blind, near deaf, had a cardiac infarction, and I've already pickled my liver. But, when they chuck my corpse in the hole, they're welcome to any serviceable parts.

Their MMW!

 

[HI Bill]

MikeD - so glad that it worked out, and that you didn't need to take your wife's or coworker's kidney. I had a coworker who, back around 2000, donated a kidney to a complete stranger, and suffered from acute health problems related to losing the kidney ever since (more than 20 years). Enjoy life!

 

[Dreamer]

What wonderful stories. Thank you so much for sharing.

DH and I have had organ donors shown on our driver's licenses for many years. I obtained the paperwork to donate my body to our university, but have not completed it yet. My DH was not in favor of this for himself or for me. I should find the paperwork and get it completed. It does stipulate that they might not take the body, if organs are missing. However, I would always want to be an organ donor first.

 

[Live And Learn]

Your story made me feel so good I could just **** !

 

[kcowan]

One of the joys coming out of the school bus tragedy in Saskatchewan is the harvesting of young and healthy organs. Also the opioid crisis is also supplying young healthy organs.

Great story Mike.

 

[Amethyst]

I am so pleased you successfully negotiated the organ-recipient journey.
It is a hard road, though. You can be designated "not quite sick enough" to get an organ, and then suddenly "sorry, you're too sick." This happened, unfortunately, to a relative of mine.

Our estate paperwork designates us as donors, and we are registered as such with the state of Maryland. The thought of one's body possibly helping numerous people, instead of going to waste, was such a powerful motivator.

 

[Amethyst]

I know some native-born Americans who hold similar beliefs about needing to be buried intact. I inquired, once, about the unavoidable "exceptions." Apparently there is a special celestial board, or council, that oversees exceptions based on military service, losing a limb in car accidents, hysterectomies, etc.

T
Here's the money shot. DW is native born Korean. There is a strong cultural bias for many Koreans about entering the afterlife with all your mortal parts intact. !

 

[GravitySucks]

Thank you for the wonderful story!
Hope you don't find this offensive Mike...
https://youtu.be/DEhqzOeJnto

I've been a donor ever since I heard this song...

 

[ncbill]

A great story.

I have a close relative who underwent a miserable year of at-home dialysis before a successful kidney transplant in their late 70s.

 

[gayl]

Whoo Hoo!

 

[Rianne]

Wow, that is awesome. I read they do not remove the bad kidney, they add a new one! Did you feel wonderful right away? Is it a long journey to get better? I always worry about this since I have kidney cysts and a lower GFR.

 

[ERD50]

Thank you for the wonderful story!
Hope you don't find this offensive Mike...

I've been a donor ever since I heard this song...

Odd thing is, I've been on a John Prine kick the past week, watching lots of youtube videos (old and current). I have that original album, and saw Prine a couple times in the small clubs around Chicago back in the 70's.

And I thought it would be this one ("I'm still using it!"):

And yes, great story Mike, glad things have gone as well as they have. I figured I better check, and yes, I've got the "donor" label on my DL.

-ERD50

 

[Bamaman]

Congratulations on your aniversary. Sounds as if you have received superior healthcare and taken great care of yourself. My hat is off to you.

My wife was a hospital laboratory manager and was on a transplant team three different times. She found it distasteful for a bunch of "black suits" coming into town to talk to the families of accident victims. One case, it was the first heart/lung transplant for a 3 year old child ever done. Their tiny Mississippi town's citizens paid a fortune for the surgery with fundraisers. When a second transplant was required, they raised another fortune. Politics were involved as he was just too sick to begin with. But medicine can never know the limitation of surgery without trying experimental procedures.

My wife was working when a terrible accident victim died on the operating table. In come the "black suits" like a pack of vultures. Sitting at the airport were 6 LearJets waited for the harvested organs. At hospitals all over, they were preparing patients for surgery. And transplant surgeons from all over were there to harvest organs. When it was all over, the operating room nurses and support staff were all crying saying it was the worst experience of their careers. Even finger sockets were harvested

But a few weeks later, they received thank you notes saying there were 17 victims that received transplants and who will lead much improved lives because of the family's making a difficult decision. And that all made it worth it.

You are one of the success stories. Unfortunately, transplants continue to be experimental as far as insurance companies go. They're getting better all the time though.

 

[Moemg]

Congratulations ! You are truly a success story .My Brother had a heart transplant . He only got another six years but it was long enough to dance at his daughter's wedding.

 

[aja8888]

Congratulations on your anniversary! My BIL received a heart transplant in Houston two years ago at the age of 74 and 11 months. He was one of the oldest people in the U.S. to be approved for a new heart. He's a new man today!

 

[MikeD]

Congratulations on your aniversary. Sounds as if you have received superior healthcare and taken great care of yourself. My hat is off to you.

My wife was a hospital laboratory manager and was on a transplant team three different times. She found it distasteful for a bunch of "black suits" coming into town to talk to the families of accident victims. One case, it was the first heart/lung transplant for a 3 year old child ever done. Their tiny Mississippi town's citizens paid a fortune for the surgery with fundraisers. When a second transplant was required, they raised another fortune. Politics were involved as he was just too sick to begin with. But medicine can never know the limitation of surgery without trying experimental procedures.

My wife was working when a terrible accident victim died on the operating table. In come the "black suits" like a pack of vultures. Sitting at the airport were 6 LearJets waited for the harvested organs. At hospitals all over, they were preparing patients for surgery. And transplant surgeons from all over were there to harvest organs. When it was all over, the operating room nurses and support staff were all crying saying it was the worst experience of their careers. Even finger sockets were harvested

But a few weeks later, they received thank you notes saying there were 17 victims that received transplants and who will lead much improved lives because of the family's making a difficult decision. And that all made it worth it.

You are one of the success stories. Unfortunately, transplants continue to be experimental as far as insurance companies go. They're getting better all the time though.

All of my transplants (both!) were paid for by insurance. All of the organs in both of my xplants were used locally. I met the transplant co-ordinators who talked with my donor's families many times and they never took a Jet or wore black suits. Sounds more like Grey's Anatomy TV, which we transplant recipients joke about.

Mike D.

 

[MikeD]

Wow, that is awesome. I read they do not remove the bad kidney, they add a new one! Did you feel wonderful right away? Is it a long journey to get better? I always worry about this since I have kidney cysts and a lower GFR.

I have three kidneys now, the two originals and one in my abdomen. Once I woke up from being under for 11 hours (It took about a day) I felt so much better! I had some sort of muscle pain in my belly for about two years but it was so go to be 'normal' again. I was also not a diabetic for two eight year stints.

It was totally and completely worth it.

Mike D.

 

[pacergal]

Congratulations to you.