Ask me about kidney donation

[VoidCat]

I already made a thread on kidney donation where I document the process and such. This the thread in case anyone is curious Kidney donation.

I debated on making this thread. I dont want to come across as thinking im trying to rub it in folks faces im doing kidney donation. I can see why folk wouldn't donate a kidney and such and i don't want folk thinking I'm trying to convince them to donate or think im trying to seem better then i am etc... Problem is im excited about the whole process. Scared. But also excited. So I want to talk about it. I've been thinking tons on it and I wish i could talk more on it. I'm currently in the begining stages of being a living nondirected kidney donor. I have not yet been considered eligible I'm just in the pre workup stage. So I figured...i would make this ask me anything on kidney donation thread. This would give me more things to consider and give me an opportunity to talk about it in more detail then just documenting my progress through this. Ill still do that in the other thread but here ill leave opportunity to ask questions. Keep in mind i can't give medical advice. Im not a doctor. And im not trying to convince anyone to donate a kidney I just want to talk about stuff regarding it.


So ask me anything regarding it. How I feel why i decided this anything.

 

[Revoltingest]

What long term risks do you face?

 

[flowerpower]

What long term risks do you face?

Yeah that was my first thought too. We only get one life. Having a healthy kidney or two is a big deal?

@VoidCat

Was there anything in particular that inspired you to do this?

Like bearing witness to less fortunate people / loved ones who struggled when in need of organ transplants?

 

[Koldo]

I already made a thread on kidney donation where I document the process and such. This the thread in case anyone is curious Kidney donation.

I debated on making this thread. I dont want to come across as thinking im trying to rub it in folks faces im doing kidney donation. I can see why folk wouldn't donate a kidney and such and i don't want folk thinking I'm trying to convince them to donate or think im trying to seem better then i am etc... Problem is im excited about the whole process. Scared. But also excited. So I want to talk about it. I've been thinking tons on it and I wish i could talk more on it. I'm currently in the begining stages of being a living nondirected kidney donor. I have not yet been considered eligible I'm just in the pre workup stage. So I figured...i would make this ask me anything on kidney donation thread. This would give me more things to consider and give me an opportunity to talk about it in more detail then just documenting my progress through this. Ill still do that in the other thread but here ill leave opportunity to ask questions. Keep in mind i can't give medical advice. Im not a doctor. And im not trying to convince anyone to donate a kidney I just want to talk about stuff regarding it.


So ask me anything regarding it. How I feel why i decided this anything.

Why did you decide to do it as a living donator?

 

[VoidCat]

What long term risks do you face?

There's a very slim risk of death. Very very slim. They test for everything to make sure you healthy enough for this. There may be a decrease in kidney function but typically it's not enough to cause kidney failure. Thats why its extremely important all the testing they do prior- they also assess your risk of getting kidney failure not just how healthy you are now. It is very rare folk get kidney failure after donating. They do put you at the top of the list for a new kidney if it were to fail so there's that. There is a risk of trauma after all its a surgery. A surgery like this could potientally cause PTSD. That is also another reason for the testing prior. They assess mental health too. While medical costs are cover often folk may not get wages reimbursed. That lost money can cause issues. They do have programs to help with donors getting money for lost wages however. During surgery your lung may get injured. Usually it's fixable but I can imagine that can have long term effects. If you dont follow post op instructions you can get a hernia. This hernia is fixable in most cases but it can always reherniate.

 

[VoidCat]

There's a very slim risk of death. Very very slim. They test for everything to make sure you healthy enough for this. There may be a decrease in kidney function but typically it's not enough to cause kidney failure. Thats why its extremely important all the testing they do prior- they also assess your risk of getting kidney failure not just how healthy you are now. It is very rare folk get kidney failure after donating. They do put you at the top of the list for a new kidney if it were to fail so there's that. There is a risk of trauma after all its a surgery. A surgery like this could potientally cause PTSD. That is also another reason for the testing prior. They assess mental health too. While medical costs are cover often folk may not get wages reimbursed. That lost money can cause issues. They do have programs to help with donors getting money for lost wages however. During surgery your lung may get injured. Usually it's fixable but I can imagine that can have long term effects. If you dont follow post op instructions you can get a hernia. This hernia is fixable in most cases but it can always reherniate.

Oh another long term risk is a family member may need a kidney later on and you won't be able to donate to them. In my case they have a program that one family member can be put on the top of the list if their kidney were to fail

 

[VoidCat]

Yeah that was my first thought too. We only get one life. Having a healthy kidney or two is a big deal?

@VoidCat

Was there anything in particular that inspired you to do this?

Like bearing witness to less fortunate people / loved ones who struggled when in need of organ transplants?

Its a long story so bare with me. I grew up with two nurses living with me- my grandma and my aunt. My grandma one time in a conversation when i was a kid told me about bone marrow donation. She talked about how much it was needed and how awful the process was to get bone marrow. How she'd watch a lot of children die because folk were unwilling to donate. This stuck with me. Once i reached adulthood as soon as i turned 18 i thought back to that conversation. Immediately I got put on the registry to donate. But I did not consider the risks. I didnt even at the time know how bone marrow is done. Last year i got a call. I was a potiental match for someone. I then began reading everything i could on the process. And i was willing to donate very badly after realizing how little risk there was to me. But I was deemed ineligible due to being on ssi. I was heartbroken. I saw that same day on the news something about kidney donation. I decided I'd read up on it. After reading how much testing is done, how little risk there was for death, and how most donors live longer lives then nondonors because of how much testing is done...i came to the conclusion I'd think about. This time be fully informed on the risk. I also wanted to give time to make sure my decision wasn't based on the response to being told no regarding bone marrow but based on the fact I actually wanted to do so. It was like grief being denied the ability to donate bone marrow did not want to risk it influencing my choice here. I cannot understate how much needing to wait a few months and researching during that time was needed because of this. My aunt is a nephrology nurse. I remembered how much she'd talk about dialysis and kidney failure. So I'd ask her a lot of questions read stories from donors and transplant recipents...i did my homework. And came to the conclusion I wanted to do this to prolong someones life. That the risks to me did not outweigh the benefits to them. After all they do everything they can to offset the risks to folk and because of how healthy you have to be to donate if im able to donate statistically speaking im likely to outlive most folk. Living donation also has benefits that postmordem donation doesn't. For example if my kidney were to fail I would be put on the list as priority for new kidney. A living donor kidney lasts longer then one after death. I know my kidney will be useful to save a life rather then it possibly not be used after death. A living kidney starts working immediately too. Post mordem ones dont.

 

[VoidCat]

Why did you decide to do it as a living donator?

See above

 

[VoidCat]

Its a long story so bare with me. I grew up with two nurses living with me- my grandma and my aunt. My grandma one time in a conversation when i was a kid told me about bone marrow donation. She talked about how much it was needed and how awful the process was to get bone marrow. How she'd watch a lot of children die because folk were unwilling to donate. This stuck with me. Once i reached adulthood as soon as i turned 18 i thought back to that conversation. Immediately I got put on the registry to donate. But I did not consider the risks. I didnt even at the time know how bone marrow is done. Last year i got a call. I was a potiental match for someone. I then began reading everything i could on the process. And i was willing to donate very badly after realizing how little risk there was to me. But I was deemed ineligible due to being on ssi. I was heartbroken. I saw that same day on the news something about kidney donation. I decided I'd read up on it. After reading how much testing is done, how little risk there was for death, and how most donors live longer lives then nondonors because of how much testing is done...i came to the conclusion I'd think about. This time be fully informed on the risk. I also wanted to give time to make sure my decision wasn't based on the response to being told no regarding bone marrow but based on the fact I actually wanted to do so. It was like grief being denied the ability to donate bone marrow did not want to risk it influencing my choice here. I cannot understate how much needing to wait a few months and researching during that time was needed because of this. My aunt is a nephrology nurse. I remembered how much she'd talk about dialysis and kidney failure. So I'd ask her a lot of questions read stories from donors and transplant recipents...i did my homework. And came to the conclusion I wanted to do this to prolong someones life. That the risks to me did not outweigh the benefits to them. After all they do everything they can to offset the risks to folk and because of how healthy you have to be to donate if im able to donate statistically speaking im likely to outlive most folk. Living donation also has benefits that postmordem donation doesn't. For example if my kidney were to fail I would be put on the list as priority for new kidney. A living donor kidney lasts longer then one after death. I know my kidney will be useful to save a life rather then it possibly not be used after death. A living kidney starts working immediately too. Post mordem ones dont.

I dont know if i wouldve considered donating anything if it wasnt for me growing up with nurses. Blood, kidney, or marrow. I doubt i wouldve considered it. I never considered how much my upbringing influenced this...so thanks for the question @Koldo. And @flowerpower

 

[flowerpower]

Hot take: maybe I'll actively donate my brain post mortem.

 

[VoidCat]

Hot take: maybe I'll actively donate my brain post mortem.

Well you'd be dead so what happens to your brain you wont know


I do agree with post mortem donation regarding organs. After you are dead why not use those parts to save lives? I rather like the opt out system where you have to opt out to not donate organs after death. That would fix the shortage. But we dont have that system in the US.

 

[flowerpower]

Well you'd be dead so what happens to your brain you wont know


I do agree with post mortem donation regarding organs. After you are dead why not use those parts to save lives? I rather like the opt out system where you have to opt out to not donate organs after death. That would fix the shortage. But we dont have that system in the US.

I just think mine would be really good for research purposes.

I can picture researchers opening it up and being like "what the actual ****???!!"

 

[VoidCat]

I just think mine would be really good for research purposes.

I can picture researchers opening it up and being like "what the actual ****???!!"

Lol...hey at least it'll help farther science. Which would save lives in the long run

 

[VoidCat]

There's a very slim risk of death. Very very slim. They test for everything to make sure you healthy enough for this. There may be a decrease in kidney function but typically it's not enough to cause kidney failure. Thats why its extremely important all the testing they do prior- they also assess your risk of getting kidney failure not just how healthy you are now. It is very rare folk get kidney failure after donating. They do put you at the top of the list for a new kidney if it were to fail so there's that. There is a risk of trauma after all its a surgery. A surgery like this could potientally cause PTSD. That is also another reason for the testing prior. They assess mental health too. While medical costs are cover often folk may not get wages reimbursed. That lost money can cause issues. They do have programs to help with donors getting money for lost wages however. During surgery your lung may get injured. Usually it's fixable but I can imagine that can have long term effects. If you dont follow post op instructions you can get a hernia. This hernia is fixable in most cases but it can always reherniate.

Another risk i forgot about is heart issues. There's a chance of blood pressure increasing after donation