Since last May I have been on dialysis and for much of that time I just went thru the motions and did what I was told to do, but I was getting used to the idea that this was all that my life would be for the foreseeable future. I was fine with this but not really motivated. This weekend that changed when Yale Transplant Center called and let us know that my wife was confirmed as a match with me for a kidney transplant. I never imagined this as a possibility. I came out of the meeting with the Transplant Center thinking I would have a very long time, waiting to move up the list and having a deceased donor kidney.
The best match would come from family member that share DNA, so my brother and sister both offered kidneys. They both are older (12-14 years) and have their own health issues and are not eligible to be considered for a donation. I was very reluctant to approach my daughters about being a donor since one is in college and one is still getting settled into her life. However the process is much less invasive than I originally thought so I was slowly coming around to the thought that my daughters could be a possibility. Now that doesn’t look like it will be needed.
Now this won’t happen any time soon as I still have a variety of testing to go thru and both Meg and I need to lose some weight before they will consider doing a transplant. This has put some energy behind my treatments and exercise routine that wasn’t there before. Hopefully this will continue and I will be able to lose the twenty pounds to get my BMI to where they want it for a successful transplant. For now that small pin prick of light at the end of this seemingly endless tunnel will be the hope I will take now with me to the gym!
Dave's Dialysis Diary 