@ihatediabetes How kind of you to want to "give back" as a kidney donor. I can understand the medical team's reluctance to accept you, but BRAVO for trying!! Teresa
Copy to @rosemarya (volunteer mentor for Transplants)

Teresa, I was disappointed. But I can imagine that they don't want to take kidney from someone who has type 2 diabetes even if I get my glucose back to normal range with healthy living program. I actually didn't think it was a big deal. But then I was reading that a lot of people that need kidney tranplants have diabetes. Yikes. I thought I was supposed to worry about my eyes and feet. I didn't know I was supposed to worry about my kidneys too! They didn't tell me that. Anyway I do plan to donate blood tomorrow. I am also thinking of sending in monthly checks for research. I get mailings for donations for research. I am thinking of becoming a monthly supporter. So far I have been supporting churches, missions, and ministries. But Mayo clinic research seems like a ministry too. Btw I don't know if I should even bother to sign up as organ donor. I read only 5% of people actually can donate organs. It's not like people aren't trying. The truth is their organs aren't in good enough shape for transplant. I think diabetes might knock out almost everything useful. So I don't see point of having my family go through this.

@ihatediabetes Yes, I'm sure that having diabetes does take away from you the opportunities to donate organs, etc. Donating to Mayo is a great idea, though. You are very thoughtful! Teresa

@hopeful33250 Once you have received an organ you realize so much more how important it is to be a donor. If my son and daughter are looking to give me something for Mother's Day I plan to tell them that the best gift would be to sign up to be an organ donor. From what I understand they can accept many things from people so a condition that effects one thing shouldn't stand in the way of being a donor, they can choose what organs are usable.
Interestingly I was told that a person who has had more than three sexual partners is considered to be a high risk donor. I think that many young people these days would have to be categorized as such.
JK

Thanks everyone. Well it was disappointing to me. I got starter diabetes where they say it's uncomplicated. I don't feel ill. Also most people that have diabetes don't even know it. I came in for physical and that's why I know about it. But mayo clinic really does not miss anything when it comes to diagnoses. I got a whole list of them. They checked my eyes and gave me something like vertical imbalance. That mean they're not totally lined up verically. So I am probably disqualified from flying an airplane. But I kind of wish they would tell you upfront that you're disqualified as living donor with type 2 diabetes even with no meds. You have to enter all your personal data before you get to questions. Now I am probably on done blacklist. I don't know. It's mysterious. A black box. Heck, I had gestational diabetes when pregnant with second child. I bet that would have disqualified me too because it's risk factor that diabetes is in your future. Also what if I had donated a kidney when I was 25. I was in perfect health then. I think I still would have had diabetes at 50. Then I would have been in trouble with just one kidney. But at my age at least I know what I am dealing with. And I thought I could keep myself healthy with the healthy living program. That's what I'm doing. Hiking, eating well, no drinking or smoking. Why can't I donate a kidney to a 70 year old. I think it would hold out long enough for an older person. But I understand why they wouldn't want it for younger person. That would be stupid to give to younger person. But don't older people need kidneys too?

@contentandwell Yes, you are probably right about young people not being qualified. I have always wanted to be an organ donor as well, even if it is just my cornea, but I found out that because of my history of carcinoid cancer, i could not even donate any parts of my eye. Carcinoid cells are very tiny and cannot be detected in the usual manner, so donating organs could put the recipient in danger of acquiring carcinoid cells. So I guess as much as we would like to pass on something of ourselves, it is not always possible. Teresa

@ihatediabetes You make a great debater! You have made some good points. Teresa

Hi everybody, I just signed up to donate money to John E. Herman house. That's new residential treatment house for people with mental illness trying to get well. Its right by St. Mary's Hospital. So I was coping with rejection for living donor kidney by donating to mayo clinic for mental health. Mental health is near and dear to me. People do need help. There's really nothing between home and hospital but something in between is really needed. Plus I think all the glory and money goes to physical medicine like cancer and cardiology. But I think psychiatry and psychology are really important too. That's my opinion. So I'll keep my kidneys. That's OK.

@ihatediabetes I didn't know that diabetes would disqualify you. I too have mild diabetes, diet controlled. I have signed up but not where there were any questions about your health. I have heard that there often is something that can be used among your many organs, even skin.
Speaking of flying an airplane, on a totally different subject from diabetes, did you know if you are the type of person who sneezes when they go outside into the sunlight you can not fly in the service? For that one tiny second you close your eyes so if a pilot was flying in and out of clouds he/she could run into that. I googled that a few years ago because as soon as I walk out of a store into the sun I sneeze. I think it said that 16% of people do.
JK

@contentandwell How interesting! Teresa