Kidney Party Weekend!

This is a very special weekend for me, for those of you who don't know our story.  My sister Carol was diagnosed with Lupus, an auto immune disorder, when she was 16.  Her body attacked itself for 9 long years, and she almost died multiple times.  After attacks on nearly every major body system, the lupus attacked her kidneys in 1991 and they failed.  We knew about transplants and that the best chance for a working kidney was from a  sibling or close relative.  We were all tested.  During the long wait for the tests to return, Carol had to endure dialysis for hours several times a week.  The dialysis would make her weak and nauseous but it kept her alive.

Unfortunately, Greg and I were trying to have a 2nd baby while we were waiting for the tests, and on the day we learned we were a match, we also learned we were pregnant with Jared.  So Carol endured more waiting and dialysis, while I carried and delivered Jared.  But we had learned that I was a "perfect" six-antigen match for Carol--the best you could get, and that my kidney was healthy as a horse, in fact, both were.

Doctors assured us that the other kidney would increase in both size and capacity to cover the load of the donated one, and that I was just as much at risk for kidney disease or failure later in life with one as with two.  I was also assured that I would still be able to have another baby (as evidenced by Danica) later.

Two months after Jared was born
, the amazing transplant team at Sierra Medical in El Paso wheeled us into adjoining rooms.  They knocked me out, flipped me onto my side and sliced an 8 inch incision into my side.  They had to partially remove a rib to reach the kidney.  The kidney was then rushed to her bed next door (she only got a tiny incision near her bikini line because they leave the old ones in) and doctors came out and hugged our family when the kidney immediately started making pee!

Although we were challenged multiple times by potential rejection, we continued to pray and have faith and eventually it settled in for the long haul.  Her lupus seemed to give up at that point and she never had another major flare up.

All this happened 20 years ago, on August 4, 1993.  Since then, Carol gave birth to a son, sent him to
heaven a month later, married her wonderful husband, who came with her 2nd son, Rene, went to college and obtained a nursing degree, and bought the beautiful home in the foothills of the Franklin Mountains where we will gather with friends and family and celebrate together this Saturday.  We are wearing white to represent her new life and green ribbons which are the color of Organ Donor Awareness.

Please continue to pray for her health, and that of all kidney patients.  And consider becoming a living donor.  I am LIVING PROOF that you can lead a healthy, full life with only one kidney.  As of today, there are over 118,000 people waiting for an organ transplant.  Of those, 96,000 are waiting for a kidney.  I'm sure there are more than 96,000 Americans who would be willing to share theirs and donate the gift of LIFE to someone.  Contact http://www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors/ to find out more.