@hopeful33250 - Thank you for your prayers as I believe that is my best course of action at this point. Who knows. maybe one of the three donors that has offered will follow through and be the one. I just need patience at this point and I do have gratitude that my kidney function is decreasing slower than anticipated so I will enjoy the life I have now as long as possible.

@lcamino I also have been surprised at the reactions of some people. First when I needed my pancreas transplant and was asking for caregiver assistance, so many people could not be bothered to give me any time at all to help out and others that said they would certainly help out backed out when the time came for them to show up. For my kidney transplant, I did not expect any of the failed caregivers to offer to donate and the did not. I did have a co-worker of my husband offer, but that went nowhere. Now I have a distant relative that was quite insistent about donating but I had huge reservations. I have doubts that he would qualify and I sincerely believe that he wants to make a major change in his life and escape his present dysfunctional family dynamics. I don't think donating a kidney to me will help him improve his life and future. I tried to talk to some other people about this but don't think they really understand. They said things like 'it's not your decision' and 'he's a legal adult' (just barely). I just shut up and never brought it up again around that group.

Having lived with transplant needs and receipt, I can't be too upset that people don't want to donate. Many of the people I know are Roman Catholic and have been raised to believe that their bodies should be buried intact. I am not Catholic and don't understand how that all works, but that is the way it is for them.

Thankfully for me, my kidneys have improved enough for me to be off the transplant list and without dialysis. I pray for all of us. Thank you all for sharing.

@2011pa- thank you for sharing and explaining the beliefs of Catholics. I did not know that. I'm glad your kidneys are holding out thus far.

@2011panc, I am a Roman Catholic. And that statement is absolutely not true. I will look for references to clarify this.
Rosemary

@rosemarya - thanks for clarifying. I guess it just goes to show that it just depends on the individual.

Thanks, @rosemarya I am glad to hear that belief is not true of all Catholics!

Teresa

@rosemarya Thank you for your response. I did not think this was a global belief. I think it is more local and may possibly be just an excuse to make it easier for these people to refuse. I have noticed some illogical practices in this area that I know are not universal.

Everyone, please do not take my statements as global truths, as I said, I was not raised in this area and do not fully understand some of the local practices and tendencies. I just have to accept people as they are.

@lcamino it honestly never occurred to me that anyone other than family would reach out that generously. My husband’s barber, a hairdresser who I used to go to, actually tried to find me someone! She was not my blood type. With liver it’s an awful lot to ask. I even discouraged my daughter initially but she was very persistent right up until she wasn’t. I would feel better knowing she just changed her mind rather than what I worry about now.
JK

@2011panc I am a Roman Catholic and I believe that the church does allow cremation now. It seems stupid that they didn’t, the thing is “dust to dust”. Cremation just makes that happen more quickly.
JK

@rosemarya @lcamino @2011panc this all led me to google. The Catholic Church prefers burial but accepts cremation. The ashes are to be buried in sacred ground though, not in urn on a mantle or blowing in the wind.