Any double donors out there: liver and kidney?

UVM Medical Center and Dartmouth do kidney transplants. Mass General is closest for living liver transplants.

@rebekahinvt I didn’t think there were places up here for liver. Lahey in Burlington does liver transplants also, actually more than MGH does. We went there first but didn’t care for the doctor we saw so chose to go to MGH and could not have been happier than we were with them. I think that U Mass in Worcester does living donor liver transplants also.
JK

I went to UPMC in Pittsburgh for my liver donation and have been very happy with the care there.

Hello! On Feb 25, 2019, I donated 65% of my liver to a woman I met on a plane to Spain in 1983 (and never saw again until shortly before surgery) at Mayo Clinic in MN. It was the most amazing experience of my life. And on Mar 24th of this year, I will be donating a kidney to an anonymous recipient, who will receive my kidney out at Mayo MN (even though my surgery will take place in Illinois), as part of a chain of Paired Kidney Exchange donors and recipients. I completely get your statement about feeling strongly that living donation is what you are meant to do, as I feel exactly that way, too. By the way, I am not related to either one of my recipients. I wish you the best! <3

@lwilkey
Your double transplant story is inspiring! I hope you share it with everyone you can! As the recipient of a living donor kidney I can tell you that your gifts matter greatly. God bless you. What made you decide to donate?

Thank you, Jolinda! I re-connected on Facebook with the woman I met on the plane in 1983 and, when she told me about her liver disease, I just wanted to do something to help. And my experience at Mayo was so incredible that I wanted to donate again (even though I couldn't donate my liver again, of course). I wasn't sure how I would find someone who needed a kidney until our local news station ran a story about a woman who lives in my city who needs a kidney. I contacted her and was worked up as her donor. We were FIVE days away from surgery when we found out that I was not a good match for her, after all, so now we are enrolled in the Paired Kidney Exchange Program, so I will be donating a kidney, just not to her, and she will be receiving a kidney, just not from me. 🙂 I'm so happy that you had a successful transplant! Are you feeling good and doing well?? How long ago was your transplant surgery??

Wow, double donation. That is doubly amazing! Well done. I do recall when my wife and I (caregiver/patient) were in our first group briefing on the transplant process and the moderator asked if there were any heart transplant "couples" in the room. We raised our hands and all the liver and kidney people turned slowly to stare at us. The moderator then said, "This next part about living donors is irrelevant to you so you can chill for a few minutes." Ya think!!!

Again, points to you. You get to move the top of the scorecard on the humane scale.
Best always,
s!
Scott Jensen

Update since my posting of this question: on my birthday, September 25, 2020, I became a double donor. I donated my left kidney to a stranger, who I was able to meet the day after our surgeries. He is doing well! My liver recipient is also well, although she’s had several health bumps along the way. I’m grateful that my transplant hospital continues to move forward with living donor transplants during this pandemic.

@rebekahinvt Congratulations to you and your recipients. People like you make this world a better place.

That is amazing! YOU are amazing! So happy that all are doing well! Don't you wish more people could experience being a living donor?? It is sooooo awesome, for the donor as well as for the recipient(s)!! <3 <3