By Richard F. Denno
This is the title of an article I wrote that was published nationally by the National Kidney Foundation in the mid 2000s. My beautiful wife, Midge, had been diagnosed with scleroderma in 2004, forcing her onto dialysis. Almost immediately, I and others stepped forward, volunteering to donate one of their kidneys. I proved to be a match and further tests eliminated me from consideration. My being an initial match encouraged my brother and sister, Allan and Kathleen to be worked up as potential donors. They too were found to have medical issues that precluded them from donating. In December of 2008, after four years on the organ transplant waiting list, Midge received her kidney.
There are two types of organ donations, deceased and living. Those patients on the organ transplant waiting list will primarily receive the organ of someone who has died. Thus the term ‘deceased donor,’ someone who has registered as an organ donor. When they pass away, either naturally or accidentally, one or more of their organs are recovered and transplanted into a patient on the waiting list
A living donor is one who volunteers to donate his/ her organ to another in need. Altruistic organ donations, where one donates to a perfect stranger, do occur. However, most donations are made to loved ones or friends in need. In 2017, over 18% of transplants were from living donors. Kidney and liver donations comprise most living donations. You can a live healthy life with one kidney or one lobe of your liver. Did you know that the only organ that can regrow is your liver?
Now to the title of this piece. Between 2003 and 2004, three couples, and one spouse donated their kidney to their significant other. In all three cases, the wife donated one of her kidneys to her husband. Extensive testing is conducted to determine compatibility between donor and recipient. Because the donor is deceased, the primary concern is for the patient receiving the transplant. This extensive testing is much greater in living donation, where the health of both donor and recipient are involved.
The health issues, both physical and phycological are involved. One of the most important questions a potential donor is asked is, “why do you want to donate your organ to this person”? When asked, Susan Cassile answered, ”He already has my heart – Why not my kidney?” To qualify as David Cassile’s donor, she had to lose over 100 lbs. “ The doctor said I was too fat, I had to lose 25 lbs to be transplanted,” said David Cassile.
Brian Carrington received the kidney of his wife, Denise. In 2003. When the question of Denise being the donor, Brian joked,” No way! It’s not going to happen. Besides, she’s a year older than I am.” Denise quipped, “He has to put that in EVERY TIME.” Brian and Denise had a slogan etched on their gravestone which reads, “I gave her my heart – She gave me her kidney.” In March of this year, 15 years after the transplant, Brian and Denise were guests at Midge Denno’s Celebration Day, honoring her life.
To learn more about living organ donation, go to www.neds.org . There you’ll learn the advantages of living donation, as well as other factors to consider “There is no way a person wakes up in the morning without a brief moment of thought about what’s in their Body”, said Dr. David Hull, former director of the Hartford Hospital Transplant Program. “In fact, I think recipients always have a feeling of appreciation for their loved one’s ‘Gift of Life.’
By the way, did you notice that in all three cases, it was the wives donating to their husbands?