Live Donation: A Promise Kept
How My Sister and I Saved Each Other
Jill Fredel, DHSS, Director of CommunicationsDelaware Health Care Commission, June 6, 2013
My Sister’s Need
• In 2001, Ellen’s gallbladder, which was infected, had severely damaged her liver. Near death, she received a liver transplant.
• Five years later, the anti-rejection medications severely damaged her kidneys.
• In the hospital, I promised she could have one of mine.
Getting Ready • In order to donate my kidney, I had
to lose more than 50 pounds. That’s why I say Ellen saved me.
• After more than a year of weight loss, I underwent blood typing, EKG, chest X-ray, MRI, 24-hour urine collection, and consults with a surgeon, nephrologist & social worker.
• The transplant committee approved us, and my friends threw a Goodbye Kidney Party – complete with cake.
Donation Day
• On Oct. 7, 2008, I went first into surgery at Georgetown University Hospital.
• Three laproscopic incisions – a 3-inch at my belly button, a 1-inch one above that and another 1-inch one on my left side.
• In the 3-hour surgery, my surgeon, Dr. Keith Melancon, took out my left kidney. The right one is less likely to be damaged in an accident.
Ellen Was Next
• The recipient’s surgery is more complex.
• My donated kidney joined Ellen’s 2 low-functioning kidneys in her body.
• In recovery, I had one question for my husband: Did it work?
• His answer: Yes!
Post-Surgery Recoveries• Both of recoveries were quick. • By Thursday, about 36 hours
after surgery, I was out of the hospital. By the following Monday, I was working from home – thanks to a flexible employer. Ellen left the hospital a few days later.
• In a few weeks, I was back to 100%; so was Ellen.
• All of my medical care, including 2 years of follow-ups, was covered by the recipient’s insurer.
Questions I Am Asked• What restrictions do you have? No boxing or rock
climbing, tell medical providers I have only 1 kidney and avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• What happens if your kidney fails? Normally, we use only 40% of 1 kidney, so my prospects are good and my life expectancy is no less. If my kidney fails, as a living donor, I would move to the top of the transplant list.
• Any regrets? Only that I don’t have another kidney to donate.
Going Forward• Sadly, Ellen had an unrelated
catastrophic medical emergency involving internal bleeding.
• She died Sept. 13, 2010, in the same hospital where the transplant took place.
• She would want me to speak out about the virtues of live organ donation – and the benefit to the recipients.
As of November, there were 631 Delawareans awaiting organ transplants, including 529 who needed a kidney.
As policy makers, medical providers, insurers and other interested stakeholders, please do whatever is necessary to encourage live organ donation in Delaware – it will improve lives and save money. On behalf of organ recipients, you could give them and their families the ultimate gift.
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