Gary gets a kidney from brother Greg

[okarol]

Gary gets a kidney from brother Greg

21 November 2007
EDITORIAL - whtimes@archant.co.uk

A MAN'S life was saved after his brother gave him a kidney.

Gary Woods from Hatfield was diagnosed with Weil's Disease over 10 years ago, but just 18 months ago things took a turn for the worse.

The father-of-two's kidneys started to fail and he was put on dialysis, having to make regular trips to a renal unit at St Albans City Hospital.

Gary, 52, who contracted the disease from rats while working on drains, said: "The dialysis was horrible.

"It wasn't the travelling to the hospital, but the treatment left me washed out, sore and powerless.

"I was also restricted with what I could do and eat."

He was not allowed food like milk, chocolate or salads, and vegetables had to be boiled, so they lost their taste.

He soon began to lose weight.

Eventually his brother Greg, 43, who lives a few doors down from Gary on Chennels, stepped in.

"He may only have lasted the next five years like that," Greg said.

"His wife, as a tissue match, had volunteered, but the hospital would not allow two people from one household to do the transplant."

The father-of-four added: "I was a match, so I volunteered.

"There was no question in my mind - he was going downhill and I saw it."

Greg was then given various mental and physical tests before the transplant could go ahead, at Hammersmith Hospital on November 1.

His left kidney was used as this was easier to get to and placed near Gary's groin, leaving his two defunct kidneys in place.

Gary said: "We woke up the next morning, looked at each other and said: 'Ouch'."

"I tried not to think about whether my body would accept it or not because I had heard so many horror stories.

"But it seemed to take straightaway."

He still has another three weeks before he is given the all-clear.

The pair, both bricklayers, are already looking forward to going back to work after Christmas.

http://www.herts24.co.uk/content/whtimes/news/story.aspx?brand=WHTOnline&category=News&tBrand=herts24&tCategory=newswhtnew&itemid=WEED20%20Nov%202007%2017%3A33%3A21%3A870
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[Chris]

"His wife, as a tissue match, had volunteered, but the hospital would not allow two people from one household to do the transplant."

I wonder why they came to this conclusion. What if she was th only donor possible, would they still say no, you live in the same household. Geez