“Give, and it will be given back to you." ~ Luke 6:38
At 60, Tim had been a picture of health, a vibrant
professional who relished an active lifestyle. When his routine bloodwork
revealed an anomaly, he dismissed it as a minor blip. But persistent ankle swelling,
constant fatigue, and frequent urination forced him to seek further evaluation.
His world tilted on
its axis when a nephrologist diagnosed Berger’s Disease (IgA Nephropathy), an unforeseen
kidney disorder that attacks the body's ability to filter waste from the blood.
When this occurs, harmful levels of fluid and waste accumulate in the body, raising
blood pressure and eventually resulting in kidney failure (end-stage renal
disease). IgAN has no cure.
Tim began kidney dialysis four days a week for up to five
hours and immediately joined the waiting list of 100,000 Americans needing a
kidney transplant. The average waiting time for a deceased donor kidney (three
to four years) is often longer than their life expectancy on dialysis.
The most compatible donors include parents, children, or
siblings. Tim was an only child, and his parents were both deceased. His oldest
son had died of Leukemia 30 years earlier. Doctors are highly reluctant to
consider unmarried women (like his 25-year-old daughter, Denise) for organ
donation. So, he waited.
It would likely be years before receiving a donor kidney. And
while he tried keeping a near-normal routine, the fear remained a constant
shadow looming over him.
As Tim’s health continued to deteriorate, they were thrilled
when the call they’d prayed for came from the transplant team: “An anonymous, perfectly
matched, living kidney has become available.”
What followed was a carefully orchestrated process to prepare
both the kidney donor and recipient. Both operations were done in separate but adjoining
hospital suites.
The donor surgery was done laparoscopically. The healthy
kidney was then surgically placed into Tim’s lower abdomen, a procedure that
took about four hours. Both Tim and his donor were closely monitored for 24
hours to check blood counts and kidney function.
The next day, Denise surprised her father by walking into
his recovery room still wearing her hospital gown and attached to an IV. She’d kept
her plans secret for nine months as she went through the testing and necessary protocols
for becoming a donor. It took a lot of teamwork and effort behind the scenes to
ensure that Tim was unaware of her plans.
Denise’s kidney gave her Dad new life. He’ll be on
anti-rejection medication forever, but no more dialysis. Denise should have no
lasting side effects from the transplant.
Tim shed grateful tears at the realization that the ‘anonymous
donor’ was his child. "I started crying," he said, adding that it was
"hard to process her selfless gift."
Gracious Lord, we offer thanks for the
selfless, courageous, and compassionate act of organ donation. May their acts
of love be a shining example for us all, reminding us of the power of
generosity. Amen
