On May 30, 2013, my left kidney was miraculously transplanted from my body to Darryl’s. Darryl and I were married, and he lived another 7 years. During that time, he taught middle and high school students. He wrote scores of poems and read them out loud. He got to see his daughter launch her career. We had great parties. We started a nonprofit, One Breath Rising, to present poetry and jazz performances. All of this may not have happened if he’d remained on dialysis.
My own motivation was simple – I just didn’t want to be a widow. I am no hero. We are born with 2 kidneys, and we only need one. The other one, as I see it, is a spare part.
The “cost,” despite what people may think, is minimal. I’ve never had any kidney issues in the 11 years since the donation, I don’t take any medicine or have to watch my diet in any way. The only restriction is that I can’t take ibuprofen, and they suggested that I don’t jump out of planes or play tackle football. : )
It never occurred to me that Darryl and I would be a match – our families came from totally different parts of the world. But then I learned that it wouldn’t matter. As long as I was willing to donate, they would find a match for him and he could bypass the years-long waiting list for kidneys.
So if, by any chance, you have ever thought about donating a kidney, and want to talk with someone who has done it, please reach out to me. I’d be happy to talk with you about it. You could save the life of a friend or a stranger – and make the world a little brighter along the way.