SHELBY -- Jeff Eldridge's eight-month commitment to donating a kidney for his son's fourth-grade teacher included numerous obstacles, but one goal kept him on task -- saving a life.
Eldridge dropped more than 30 pounds and took a six-week leave from work. There were numerous medical risks, too, but the Shelby man jumped in head first.
The 44-year-old knew Rachel Sudhakaran, but not well. She was his son's teacher and his wife's co-worker at Central Elementary School. But his decision to donate the organ to the 27-year-old woman was based on just one factor: She needed it.
"It felt right from the start," Eldridge said. "During the first time I gave blood, it was like someone placed a hand on my shoulder and said, 'You're doing the right thing.' "
Sudhakaran, who later moved north to be closer to her Cleveland dialysis clinic, has polycystic kidney disease. Both of her parents are carriers, making it almost inevitable that Sudhakaran would inherit the rare disease.
At age 15, she had her first kidney transplant. That organ lasted until she was 25. Last year upon its failure, she had to go on dialysis. The procedure, which uses a machine to clean the blood, required Sudhakaran to come in for treatments three times a week for about four hours each session. With the travel time included, it was all too much to stay in Shelby.
"You really have to watch what you're eating and drinking. It's pretty much an all-protein diet," Sudhakaran said. "The procedures are very draining. You'd feel sick and nauseous. I basically felt unwell all the time."
Sudhakaran called kidney disease misleading.
"You look like you're OK," she said. "I can't tell you how many times people would come up to me and say, 'Oh, you look so great!' But I wasn't feeling great at all. Dialysis is hard on your heart, too."
Occasionally, Sudhakaran posted updates on her Facebook page about what she was going through.
Her friend, Jeff's wife Abby, read with a heavy heart.
"It was over Christmas break last year, and I just thought, 'I can't imagine being that young and going through all that she was,' " Abby said. "I said, 'I'm going to get tested to see if I'm a match.' Jeff said, 'Throw me in, too.' "
A grateful Sudhakaran was thrilled, but cautiously optimistic. The Eldridges would need to have type O blood to be compatible.
"You wait even longer for those who have O blood," Sudhakaran said. "Not many people have it. Right now the wait in Ohio for a kidney (with O blood) is five to seven years. In California, it's 10 years."
To her surprise, both Jeff and Abby were the right type. After tests, University Hospital in Cleveland told Jeff he was a match.
"I just felt happy for Rachel," he said.
Doctors told Jeff he would need to get down between 255 and 260 pounds before the procedure could take place.
With the help of Weight Watchers and five to six miles of road work every night, he did it in less than two months.
"I was highly motivated," Jeff said. "Even in the rain, I was out there.
"I weighed in every Saturday and would email the hospital every Monday to let them know my progress."
It was no small task, and Sudhakaran knows it.
"I just had faith that it all would work out," Sudhakaran said. "Many times the problem is people are asked to lose weight, but don't do it. Transplants don't happen because of it."
Jeff wasn't about to fall into that category. Months later, after more tests, more bloodwork, more exercise and meetings with hospital personnel, both Jeff and Sudhakaran were ready for the transplant.
The entire procedure lasted about seven hours on June 21.
"I was just so grateful," Sudhakaran said. "It felt like an angel coming to save me. No one in my family was able to help me, and basically here was almost a stranger stepping up and saying, 'I'll help you.' For the rest of my life, I'll be connected to Jeff and Abby."
Immediately afterward, Sudhakaran had more color in her face and said she already felt better.
Both say they require a lot of naps now, but are recovering well.
"I just keep surviving, and it's because of people like Jeff that I can have a little normalcy in my life," Sudhakaran said. "I thank God for him. People will really surprise you -- if you just let them."
jkinton@nncogannett.com
419-521-7220
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20110714/NEWS01/107140301/Shelby-man-gives-up-30-pounds-kidney-son-s-teacher
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