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Living Donor: It's a huge responsibility
Transplants | Last Active: Jul 20, 2018 | Replies (112)Comment receiving replies
Lynn, he has had one dialysis treatment in the hospital when he got in trouble with his BP too low. We are trying to avoid that as well. He gets weekly lab work and the results are sent to his recipient nurse at Mayo so they can monitor him. Once his dropped below 20 they contacted me and asked me to come for further evaluation as a donor. So far I have just had preliminary blood work in June since I knew we were the same blood type.
Replies to "Lynn, he has had one dialysis treatment in the hospital when he got in trouble with..."
@fauneconner, it sounds like you are traveling to Rochester. If this is so, I encourage you to check out the Gift of Life Transplant House.
My husband and I highly recommend it.
Rosemary
@fauneconner - I wouldn't worry about even 6 months to a year of dialysis impacting the success of a transplant. It is when someone is on dialysis for years on end that the impact is seen. My uncle had dialysis for about a year before his transplant and his lasted 20 years. I was shocked to learn that dialysis only does 10% of what your kidney does which is probably why people don't feel very well when they must do dialysis (not to mention the time, strain on the heart etc.). You are doing the best you can!
Post kidney transplant, my BP is very carefully monitored, too, by my kidney team.
Hi @fauneconner Here is the link to the Transplant Page and blog that @rosemarya referred to https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/transplant/ It has valuable information about being a donor.
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@fauneconner , I have been following some of this discussion while traveling. I plan to catch up after I get home and back to routine.
I admire you for being tested as a potential kidney donor for your husband. Myself, I have a liver and kidney from an anonymous deceased donor. There is information about the living kidney donor process on this site. You can find it in the Transplant Pages. If you need the link, I can send it when I get home.
You are in good hands at Mayo!! Great Doctors and Nurses-the Best!!
Rosemary