1. < Transplants

Any double donors out there: liver and kidney?

Posted by rebekahinvt @rebekahinvt, Aug 30, 2019

Hi - just wondering if there are folks who have donated both part of their liver as well as a kidney. I'm about 6 weeks post liver donation and was told to wait at least a year before proceeding with a kidney donation. Anyone already done both?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.

Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | May 15, 2021
In reply to @lwilkey "Hi Rosemary! YES! My local intended recipient, for whom I was not a good physical match,..." + (show)
@lwilkey

Hi Rosemary! YES! My local intended recipient, for whom I was not a good physical match, and I each had our surgeries on April 15th. her new kidney came from someone in Cali, and mine went to someone in New York. So far, she has lost over 22 lbs of fluid that her new kidney has been working hard to rid her of and she feels amazing (other than lots of med-tweaking). I have felt pretty good, too, most of the time, except for my back. My back sometimes feels like it's going to snap right in half, it hurts so much. I don't know if this is normal or not, but I'm praying it will go away soon, as I don't like to take a lot of meds. I'm seeing my surgeon on Thurs 5/6, so I plan to ask him! I will say this, donating my liver was A LOT easier and less painful than donating my kidney has been! <3 <3

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@lwilkey, I hope that you are feeling relief from the back pain. If you don't mind me asking, Was it related to the surgery?

Will you have further follow-up appointments with the surgeon? What kind of monitoring will you need after the kidney donation? Do you still have follow-up monitoring after the living liver donation?

I also want to invite you to share your story when you are comfortable doing it.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/organ-donation-and-transplant-what-is-your-story/

REPLY
lwilkey | @lwilkey | May 15, 2021

Hi Rosemary!

My back pain is getting much better now-- thank you! Yes, it was related to the surgery, but only indirectly: since I am normally a very active person, turns out that sitting around after surgery (because you kind of have to, at least 'til you heal up) was what was bothering my back. Once I'd healed up enough and felt well enough to move around more, my back began to feel better, thank God! I am actually running again already, four weeks post-op!

I did see my surgeon last week in person, but all of my future follow-up appointments will be via telehealth. I will be monitored by UNOS for two years post-op, just as I have been for the liver donation two years ago. And I'd be happy to share my stories!

Thank you so much for checking up on me!

-Laurie <3

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Jun 2, 2021
In reply to @lwilkey "Hi Rosemary! My back pain is getting much better now-- thank you! Yes, it was related..." + (show)
@lwilkey

Hi Rosemary!

My back pain is getting much better now-- thank you! Yes, it was related to the surgery, but only indirectly: since I am normally a very active person, turns out that sitting around after surgery (because you kind of have to, at least 'til you heal up) was what was bothering my back. Once I'd healed up enough and felt well enough to move around more, my back began to feel better, thank God! I am actually running again already, four weeks post-op!

I did see my surgeon last week in person, but all of my future follow-up appointments will be via telehealth. I will be monitored by UNOS for two years post-op, just as I have been for the liver donation two years ago. And I'd be happy to share my stories!

Thank you so much for checking up on me!

-Laurie <3

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@lwilkey
On behalf of recipients, donors, and donor families, Thank you for sharing your story in the Transplant Discussion: Organ Donation and Transplant: What is Your story?

Laurie, I salute you for the lives you have saved by your own gift of living organ donation, and for those who will be recipients because someone reads your story.❤

REPLY
1 reply
lwilkey | @lwilkey | Jun 2, 2021
In reply to @rosemarya "@lwilkey On behalf of recipients, donors, and donor families, Thank you for sharing your story in..." + (show)
@rosemarya

@lwilkey
On behalf of recipients, donors, and donor families, Thank you for sharing your story in the Transplant Discussion: Organ Donation and Transplant: What is Your story?

Laurie, I salute you for the lives you have saved by your own gift of living organ donation, and for those who will be recipients because someone reads your story.❤

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Thank you so very much, and thank you, too, for all you do and have done! <3 <3

REPLY
rebekahinvt | @rebekahinvt | Nov 25, 2023

Yes, I donated about 65% of my liver (right lobe) and then my left kidney, about 14 months later. Both at UPMC in Pittsburgh.

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