1. < Transplants

Donating my kidney: Any tips? What do you wish you'd known?

Posted by Tammi @danhoe, May 16, 2020

On Wednesday at 5 am, I report for surgery to donate my left kidney to an unknown person. During this strange time in our world it's time for patience and understanding. Although I have to be dropped off for surgery, I know others will be with me in their hearts. I wonder who will be receiving my kidney? Are they make or female? How old is the recipient? Will it be local or will my kidney travel? I have been so pleased with my team at Mayo handling the donation testing. My nurse, Zach, has been with me since day 1 of testing and keeps me well informed. It's almost surreal that this journey is about to take the biggest step. Any tips or advice are welcome.

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Tammi | @danhoe | Jun 1, 2020
In reply to @rosemarya "@danhoe - Tammi, Thank you. Thank you for your gift of kidney donation and for sharing..." + (show)
@rosemarya

@danhoe - Tammi, Thank you. Thank you for your gift of kidney donation and for sharing your story. I also want to thank you for explaining how a paired kidney chain works. I did not know that a chain could remain in effect until your designated recipient receives a transplant when there is a match.
Will you be informed when your own designated recipient gets a transplant?
Will you and or your recipient learn each other's identuties? Is there a protocol for when and how that happens?

I hope that you and your donor will enjoy many happy todays and tomorrows.

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I am learning a lot through this journey. I am learning more about and someday will meet my named recipient. Although I did not know her, I knew her half sister from my Bible study. We have connected online and I will find out from her when she is matched with someone which may take a while since she's likely to only match with 1% of the population. I'm praying she will find her match soon in this new National pool and that she will be healthy. I'm excited to one day meet her.
Mayo and the National Kidney Registry does have protocol on donor/recipient meeting. Later on (my guess is after our 6 month positive check up) we may each fill out a form requesting to meet or visit with our donor/recipient. We also may choose to keep our information private and not hear from the other. If Both of us choose to communicate or meet with each other the team will help facilitate that. If either of us wishes to remain private no information will be exchanged. I would love to meet the person but I fully realize I may never get that information. I really have all the information I need- there was a human being in need of kidney, something I had double of the amount needed to live a healthy life.

REPLY
Tammi | @danhoe | Jun 1, 2020
In reply to @tasher3433 "Thank you so much. I will post when my Beaners have completed their exchange!" + (show)
@tasher3433

Thank you so much. I will post when my Beaners have completed their exchange!

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Praying for a smooth surgery and recovery.

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tasher3433 | @tasher3433 | Jun 2, 2020
In reply to @tasher3433 "Thank you so much. I will post when my Beaners have completed their exchange!" + (show)
@tasher3433

Thank you so much. I will post when my Beaners have completed their exchange!

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Hello. My husband, 75, the kidney recipient, and my daughter, 36, the donor, came through surgery at Mayo Scottsdale this morning with flying colors. I cannot commend the teams highly enough during this time. Communication, albeit phone or text has been exemplary! We had some hiccups to get to this point, but no regrets. If anyone is in waiting mode, trust your own body, trust your Teams, and trust whoever gives you strength. My heart is full right now. I would also like to thank ALL the people who have posted on Connect for the insight and strength you have shared. Be well.

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2 replies
Tammi | @danhoe | Jun 2, 2020
In reply to @tasher3433 "Hello. My husband, 75, the kidney recipient, and my daughter, 36, the donor, came through surgery..." + (show)
@tasher3433

Hello. My husband, 75, the kidney recipient, and my daughter, 36, the donor, came through surgery at Mayo Scottsdale this morning with flying colors. I cannot commend the teams highly enough during this time. Communication, albeit phone or text has been exemplary! We had some hiccups to get to this point, but no regrets. If anyone is in waiting mode, trust your own body, trust your Teams, and trust whoever gives you strength. My heart is full right now. I would also like to thank ALL the people who have posted on Connect for the insight and strength you have shared. Be well.

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Wonderful ❣️ I was praying throughout the day for your husband, daughter and the team. That's where I had fantastic care almost 2 weeks ago.

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tasher3433 | @tasher3433 | Jun 2, 2020

Tammi, I have been thinking if you too! And what your generosity means to so many Families! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

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1 reply
Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Jun 2, 2020
In reply to @tasher3433 "Hello. My husband, 75, the kidney recipient, and my daughter, 36, the donor, came through surgery..." + (show)
@tasher3433

Hello. My husband, 75, the kidney recipient, and my daughter, 36, the donor, came through surgery at Mayo Scottsdale this morning with flying colors. I cannot commend the teams highly enough during this time. Communication, albeit phone or text has been exemplary! We had some hiccups to get to this point, but no regrets. If anyone is in waiting mode, trust your own body, trust your Teams, and trust whoever gives you strength. My heart is full right now. I would also like to thank ALL the people who have posted on Connect for the insight and strength you have shared. Be well.

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@tasher3433, I am so happy for all of you. I can feel your relief and joy coming thru the internet! This will forever be a day that you and your family will always remember. Sleep well tonight.

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sameeh123 | @sameeh123 | Jun 3, 2020
In reply to @danhoe "Jolinda, Sorry for the delay in response. I had a couple of days where I was..." + (show)
@danhoe

Jolinda, Sorry for the delay in response. I had a couple of days where I was extremely weak but thankfully I feel much better. How precious to have that shared gift with your friend, Dawn. I do hope to someday meet the person I who now has my kidney. I wonder about and pray for the person everyday. I also hope to meet the person I started this journey for someday. I heard about a person in my Bible study that had a half sister that she had met once that was in need of a second kidney transplant. Her first didn't work. She has young children and I began praying. It quickly began clear that I was supposed to step up. I filled out paperwork and waited quite awhile before I was contacted. Once I was contacted I had a few weeks of testing and appointments. I was not a match for the person I had named but I found out I could start a chain and potentially help more people by giving my kidney in a paired chain. I agreed to give my kidney to someone with the idea of the person I named being moved to the top of a nation wide pool that includes living donors. She has about 1% of finding the right match. I could wait until she found a match or I could give in advance. I decided to give in advance. My information went out on the National list and within a few hours my nurse was calling that a match had been made and a date was set. My team at Mayo was amazing and with each conversation they would always ask if I had any questions and I always ask. Is there any information you can give me about my recipient 😊 Someday if the recipient wants to know about me we will hopefully meet. Until then the paired chain is in effect and someday it will be exciting to hear how many people received kidneys in this chain to reach my first named recipient (whom I also hope to meet). So, that's my story of donation. Yesterday and today have been great days and I'm healing well.

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Great job. I donated to my brother on 17/4/2019.
I returned to normal life.
Renal function is OK.
It is normal for creatinine to increase for donors.
It was 1.1 before donation and now 1.58
I returned to sports with full capacity and my diet is healthy.
Again you made a great job and you have all respect.

REPLY
jolinda | @jolinda | Jun 6, 2020
In reply to @danhoe "Jolinda, Sorry for the delay in response. I had a couple of days where I was..." + (show)
@danhoe

Jolinda, Sorry for the delay in response. I had a couple of days where I was extremely weak but thankfully I feel much better. How precious to have that shared gift with your friend, Dawn. I do hope to someday meet the person I who now has my kidney. I wonder about and pray for the person everyday. I also hope to meet the person I started this journey for someday. I heard about a person in my Bible study that had a half sister that she had met once that was in need of a second kidney transplant. Her first didn't work. She has young children and I began praying. It quickly began clear that I was supposed to step up. I filled out paperwork and waited quite awhile before I was contacted. Once I was contacted I had a few weeks of testing and appointments. I was not a match for the person I had named but I found out I could start a chain and potentially help more people by giving my kidney in a paired chain. I agreed to give my kidney to someone with the idea of the person I named being moved to the top of a nation wide pool that includes living donors. She has about 1% of finding the right match. I could wait until she found a match or I could give in advance. I decided to give in advance. My information went out on the National list and within a few hours my nurse was calling that a match had been made and a date was set. My team at Mayo was amazing and with each conversation they would always ask if I had any questions and I always ask. Is there any information you can give me about my recipient 😊 Someday if the recipient wants to know about me we will hopefully meet. Until then the paired chain is in effect and someday it will be exciting to hear how many people received kidneys in this chain to reach my first named recipient (whom I also hope to meet). So, that's my story of donation. Yesterday and today have been great days and I'm healing well.

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God Bless you!
You are an Easter Morning person in a Good Friday world.
There is no telling how transformative your gift has been, just the thought of it gives me goosebumps.

REPLY
dhelmstetter | @dhelmstetter | Jun 19, 2020

I am blown away by your selflessness and generosity! Awaiting kidney transplant evaluation, I know how meaningful your gesture will be to some one!!

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1 reply
tasher3433 | @tasher3433 | Jun 19, 2020
In reply to @tasher3433 "Tammi, I have been thinking if you too! And what your generosity means to so many..." + (show)
@tasher3433

Tammi, I have been thinking if you too! And what your generosity means to so many Families! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

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Tammi, I think of you every day! We did have a stall in recovery. My husband went into early kidney rejection 3 days after receiving his new Bean. After a biopsy, the Mayo Team started him on Turbo Blasters ( thyroglobulin) for 4 days. Meds have been adjusted 3 times, and each day is a new day! Our Donor, is recovering at a speedy rate though is still having shoulder/back pain from the gas. If I may step off topic for a moment..pre transplant, all you think of is the Gift of Life and rather scoot around any potential setbacks. However, as each day is a baby step closer to the new normal, we are all adjusting. I hope you are well, I hope you have support other than all of us, and I hope you know the Sun shines for you!

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