Any double donors out there: liver and kidney?

Oh, my goodness! No, donors do not have to be related in any way to their recipients (I wasn't/am not), and apparently being a living liver donor does not prohibit me from donating a kidney, since I'm getting ready to do just that in about two weeks, if all goes well. Not sure if being a kidney donor FIRST would prohibit someone from donating a portion of their liver later, but I suppose it's possible (for example, they will be taking my left kidney since there is too much scar tissue on the right side, due to my previous liver donation, to be able to take the right kidney; did your daughter donate her right kidney, by chance??). CEHunt, are you enrolled in a Paired Kidney Exchange Program (you would have to have a willing donor who has been evaluated/worked up as a donor and has been found to be an unsuitable match for you, but who is still willing to donate a kidney to someone else. The two of you would have to enroll in the program as a pair)?? I know that my kidney will be traveling to Mayo Clinic in Minn for transplantation; it would be so cool if it were going to YOU! hugs! <3

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WOW! Yes, you are way better off without that client, for sure. Are you all aware of the National Living Donor Assistance Center?? All you have to do is apply (pretty simple process) and they will provide up to $6000 for any and all ancillary expenses (accommodations, food, transportation, etc) of the donor. This money is available for up to two years, so it can even be used for follow-up appointments after the surgery. I am so grateful for them, as my out-of-pocket expenses would likely have made it very hard for me to be a living donor, but thanks to the NLDAC, I was able to donate once and am coming up on my second donation!

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@lwilkey I don’t know which kidney my daughter donated (don’t remember). In regards to Paired Kidney Exchange Program I recall receiving literature and signing something regarding being interested in participating in the program. Sadly my quest for a living kidney donor has not yielded any viable results. The few nibbles there have been didn’t make it past the health history questions: too old, too obese, a history of some sort of rehab?, psychologically unfit? ..... and the usual person in an undeveloped country far away that wants to sell their kidney 😒. I have been looking since 2016 and haven’t made much progress. On the bright side my UNOS listing was changed to inactive because my GFR is now 26 and I am currently considered too healthy for transplant at this time. I (GFR) have bounced around from 14 - 42 over the past 5 years. I thank God for this, so your precious kidney won’t be going to me. The person who gets your kidney will be blessed. I pray blessings on you as well.

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The NLDAC is a great program! The recipient made too much $ for me to qualify so I was glad that she was able & willing to pay for my travel costs.
I wish there was more info prominently featured for living donors. I was lucky to find this website & had great people at Mayo but I knew none of it before hand. I really had to search for information after my initial evaluation & much of it was just the basics. I think if people knew more about it, more would donate.

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I just read recent posts on this discussion and was blown away by what I read! I decided I had to add my 2 cents worth. I was surprised to find that I previously posted on this thread (August 31,2019)! I’ll try and summarize it:

My daughter donated a kidney to her grandfather (my father-in-law) in 2003.
Flash forward to now. I am Stage 4 CKD and have been told I will need a kidney transplant at some point.
(I’ve been approved & accepted for kidney transplant at Mayo, Rochester. Been looking for a living donor.)
My daughter contacted Mayo, Rochester and inquired about some kind of paired living liver/kidney donation on my behalf. She was thinking she could donate part of her liver to someone who needed that in exchange for a living donor kidney for me. Gotta love her for thinking outside of the box! Well her inquiry was completely shut down.
1) She was told living liver donations were only done when donor and recipient were related.
2) She was told paired donations were restricted to the same type of organ.
3) She was told that she would not be considered for living liver donation because she had already donated a kidney.

Now it sounds like people are accomplishing the very thing that my daughter proposed years ago!

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@lwilkey, I am thinking about you, and want to drop in for a brief visit.

As I read in your previous posts, you will be donating a kidney to an anonymous recipient, who will receive your kidney at Mayo MN. And that your surgery would take place in Illinois, as part of a chain of Paired Kidney Exchange.
Were you able to have the scheduled living donation surgery according to plans? How is your recovery? Do you know anything about how your recipient is doing?

I also want to make certain that this discussion about double-donors is not overlooked amidst the current transition to the New improvements on Connect And so I am tagging members who have been active in this discussion: @mauraacro, @mverbick, @rebekahinvt, @scottij, @jolinda, @contentandwell, @cehunt57, @gingerw,
* Learn more about the new features on Mayo Clinic Connect here:
About Connect: Who, What & Why https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/

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Hi Rosemary!

Sadly, that chain that I was a part of fell apart, and so that surgery did not happen. I have since been slotted into at least two other chains that also fell apart; however, I am currently part of a chain that *SHOULD* have surgery this coming Thursday, April 15th! I had blood work done this past Thurs and it was shipped to the recipient's transplant center in NYC, so as long as I don't get the bad news that we are not suitable matches for each other between now and Thurs, then we should be good to go (prayerfully)! I have a pre-op telehealth appt with my surgeon and a pre-op Covid swab tomorrow morning, and then I have to self-quarantine for the 72 hours before surgery (which will take place in Peoria, IL). I'm excited and praying that THIS chain holds together, and I covet all of your prayers, too, for good results for all involved!

Sending love to all!

-Laurie <3

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Laurie, I am sad to learn that the transplant did not happen. I am whispering a prayer for you, the other donors, and for the patients who are affected. Did you have an advanced cancellation, or was it close to the surgery date? With a deceased donor, which I had, the decision to perform surgery was in the hands of my transplant surgeon who told me that she couldn't tell me 100% until she saw/inspected the organs herself. I knew it was a 'go' when I was taken to the surgical unit.
I hope that everything proceeds smoothly this week. And, Yes, I will remember you in my prayers. I consider it an honor to be involved in that aspect of your journey toward the making of a miracle.

Will you report back and let us know when you are healed and recovered?

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