Happy Kidney Day #9

Today is the 9th anniversary of Andrew's kidney transplant. Here is a picture of Andrew and his sister, Janine, the day they got out of the hospital. (I'm sure they would prefer that I not post this picture of the two of them at their finest hour, but this is a very important picture in our family album.)

Last year I posted all the details of the kidney transplant so I will spare every one of the same details. But . . . for those of you who don't know how a kidney transplant works I will say a little bit more. It seems logical that the diseased/failing kidneys would be removed before placing in a transplant, but it is not worth the risk to remove both kidneys so they are left in place. The new kidney is placed in the front abdomen, as you can see from the picture. Andrew has 3 kidneys; however, only one is functioning. Due to the fact that the transplanted kidney is not as well protected deep in the body there have to be some considerations taken. The only restriction that the doctors gave Andrew was to not be involved in full contact sports, like football where a whole pile of grown men can squish a kidney.

Janine’s family will be joining us for our wacky kidney day celebration this evening. It is tradition to make something kidney shaped for dinner, suggestions anyone? I’m running out of ideas.

Here is a picture of Andrew and I the day that he left the hospital after his transplant. He proposed two months later. I guess he already knew I was in it "for better or for worse".

Happy Kidney Day Andrew!
Thanks Janine!

National Organ Donation Awareness Month

April is National Organ Donation Awareness Month. This is not something many people take the time to think about, but it is an important decision. I carry with me in my wallet me driver’s license with YES organ donor marked, behind that is my signed organ donation card, and behind that is my blood donor card that shows my blood type.

Here are some facts everyone should know:

• Over 79,000 U.S. patients are currently waiting for an organ transplant; nearly 3,000 new patients are added to the waiting list each month.
  
• Every day, 16 to 17 people die while waiting for a transplant of a vital organ, such as a heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, lung or bone marrow.
  
• Because of the lack of available donors in this country, 2,025 kidney patients, 1,347 liver patients, 458 heart patients and 361 lung patients died in 2001 while waiting for life-saving organ transplants.
  
• Nearly 10 percent of the patients currently waiting for liver transplants are young people under 18 years of age.
  
• Acceptable organ donors can range in age from newborn to 65 years or more. People who are 65 years of age or older may be acceptable donors, particularly of corneas, skin, bone and for total body donation.
  
• An estimated 10,000 to 14,000 people who die each year meet the criteria for organ donation, but less than half of that number become actual organ donors.

For more information on organ donation, including how to be an organ, and the pdf file to down load the organ donor card, visit this national website.
http://organdonor.gov/get_involved/donatelifemonth.htm