Give the Gift of Life
Information for Living Kidney Donors…
Hi, my name is Bob!
I am Kathy’s husband. We have been married for over 30 years. I wish I could be her Kidney donor. I have diabetes, which keeps me from being a donor. I still plan to be 1st in line to be tested because I know her as a totally unselfish, caring person, a mother, a woman and most importantly, as my wife.
When they made this lady, They broke the mold! She is the most unselfish person that I have ever met. And, one of the most caring and one of the strongest in spirit. She has experienced a lot of trials thru her life. She was hit by a car as a teenager, while she was walking across a road knocking her unconscious. She was hit by a drunk driver. She still carries the scars from it mentally and physically today.
She chose to keep her baby son , Spencer, as a single mom when she was pressured to deal with things in a lot of other different ways. She says that having her son was the right thing to do, probably saving her sanity and her life. I would see time and time again what a great mother she was and is. And, time after time I think of the sacrifices she made for her son and family.
Her son also knows how special this lady is. He constantly tells her how thankful he is to have her as a Mom!
She married me: a spoiled, adopted only child. I was young. Together we went thru a lot of issues that she deserves a medal of honor for staying with me. Many times I realize the what she sacrificied for me, my son and for us a family. Countless times she did without food and things she needed for us.
We had and lost a daughter together, Katherine. At age 14, - After seizures, resulting from a fall from a merry go round, when she was about the age of 4, Katherine was called to heaven. Yet, as hard as this was Kathy was shaken, still is. She carries on, knowing that she has an awesome tour guide waiting for her in heaven.
Kathy’s family has a history of diabetes. Her brothers and sisters are very supportive. All have health issues, some with High Blood pressure. And, Last year- Kathy’s brother: Tony, a diabetic and a kidney diaylsis patient, died from high blood pressure and kidney failure.
Kathy has endured thru the bad times, rough times, the good times.
Kathy has been a diabetic for 21years. Diabetes has been threatening her kidneys for approximately 5 of those. In March of 2008, she suffered a heart attack. A stint was inserted into her heart to clear the blockage. A dye was used in the procedure to show doctors where to place the stint in the heart. The dye used caused her kidneys to go into complete failure.
In Kathy’s case, she goes to dialysis 3 days a week, 4 hrs. a day, at a local hospital, on a machine , that takes the toxins out of her body that normally would be handled by a healthy kidney. Outside of the hospital, she has to constantly monitor her diet and fluid intake .The donation of a kidney would mean a better quality of life for her, with a lot more freedom in her lifestyle and a better overall quality of life.
Donating a Kidney – The Gift of Life
Every year over 3,000 living people donate kidneys to their relatives, spouses or friends. This type of donation has been done for over 30 years. Surgeons at Vanderbilt Hospital, in Nashville, Tennessee have transplanted over 800 kidneys from living donors.
The great news for kidney recipients at Vanderbilt is that the donor does not have to be a complete tissue match for the recipient. If someone donates a kidney in Kathy’s name, then Kathy is pushed to the top of the list to receive a kidney from another donor that may be a closer match to her tissue and blood type. And, the donor does not have to be in the same state. They just contact Vanderbilt Hospital and they make all the arrangements. The costs of the transplant are covered by the recipients’ insurance: including travel expenses. Possibly the lost wages to the donor may be included as well as the gratitude of the donor and their family. And, a donor is only hospitalized for 2 days and goes back to a normal life.
If blood – related family members can not donate or aren’t a match, someone else may donate. The success rate is much higher from a scheduled transplant rather than waiting for a kidney transplant match from a deceased donor. Also, the waiting time for a transplant from a deceased donor can be 3 years or over, for a good match.
Living with only One Kidney
A person can lead an active, normal life with only one kidney. The remaining kidney actually grows and is able to do 70-80 percent of the work that both kidneys did before. That is more than enough for all the body’s needs. Doctors know this because they have found healthy people who discovered later in life that they were born with only one kidney.
All living donors must be healthy and have excellent kidney function. Good physical health is not the only consideration, Emotional health and general well being are also important.
If you are interested in donating one of your kidneys to someone that is in need of the gift of life, Vanderbilt Hospital has a transplant coordinator that can answer any questions that you might have. And, you can be assured that that they will respect your feelings and you can be assured that your decision to donate a kidney will be kept confidential. You can contact the kidney transplant coordinator by calling: Margot Chaffin, RN at: 866.748.1491, Option 3 . You can check out Vanderbilt Kidney Transplant’s Center’s website at: http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/transplant/10791
Or for more information, please feel free to check out the following resources: www.tppp.net Transplant info –materials
www.kidney.org National Kidney Foundation
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Division of Kidney/ Pancreas Transplant Office
912 Oxford House
Nashville, Tennessee 37232-4750
Phone: 615.343.5907 - Attention: Mary Schaefer e-mail: mary.schafer@vanderbilt.edu
* Please note, the Vanderbilt Kidney Transplant team or Vanderbilt Hospital does not solicit organ donors, appeal for a prospective donor, would be in the name of Kathy Hicks. Any organ donation would be greatly and sincerely appreciated by her and her family.
Use the link below to see a video to see a live donor kidney transplant (This is graphic, Be warned if you have a weak stomach)
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=kidney+transplant&emb=0&aq=2&oq=kidney+#
Click the link above or copy and paste the whole link above into a browser.heavenservants@gmail.com or by phone at: 423.737.8580
Animated Video Link Below:
http://xml.truveo.com/rd?i=30374128&a=af6f670b39b1121cf54358467c12e869&p=1&q=id%3A28959332&vl=28959332%20
You can also contact Bob and Kathy Hicks, by e-mailing them at: heavenservants@gmail.com or call: 423.737.8850