The Day Is Too Short (Extended Criteria Kidney Transplant)

The Day Is Too Short

By Mary Lou Newburn

When I was 22 years old, I considered myself a “hotshot.” I was a recent college graduate with great job potential, enthusiastic about travel and adventure…opportunities yet untapped. I could do anything! Even a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes failed to dampen my optimism. I simply ignored it, telling no one, making few diet concessions and proceeding in fast forward mode toward my destiny.

After a few false starts, I finally settled into the teaching profession and established my niche. I loved it and stayed for 25 years, teaching high school English and social studies. I retired, satisfied with my contributions to and for my students, colleagues and community.

However, my diabetes was demanding that I focus on it, and its consequences. My kidneys were failing and denial, while still in place, just wasn’t helping. By this time, I had settled in New Mexico. A nephrologist here monitored my steady deterioration, offering two choices: dialysis or transplantation. I desperately tried to achieve the latter. Two people offered to donate a kidney to me, but in each case, something happened to prevent the donation. Dialysis seemed to be my only option as indifference, itching, weight loss and little appetite for food and life consumed me.

In May 2006, I began dialysis thinking while this will sustain my life, its quality was compromised. I didn’t want to travel, I really could only do minimal outside activities, and even my passion for gardening and cooking waned. I stopped volunteering, trying to conserve energy and focus on maintaining my strength and health. I rigidly followed dietary restrictions, determined to make dialysis work for me. I knew the older I got, my chances for a successful transplant declined. After all, it could be argued, many others in need of transplants have more to offer in terms of their lives, contributions, families and so forth. I despaired.

Then I learned of the possibility of “extended criteria” kidneys that may have been damaged by the medical condition of the donor. These are often given to people with few transplant options who can receive a few years free from dialysis. I immediately signed up; this was my last chance to regain a quality to my life. A miracle happened, perhaps more of a closer alignment with the universe, whatever, I received a kidney from a 30-year-old woman who crashed in a single car accident. Doctors maintained her on life support, until her family, working through Donate Life advocates, acknowledged the inevitable and wanted to donate her kidneys. They were devastated, of course, but their generous action spurred my revival.

The transplant was successful from the first day. No more dialysis was required, my spirits soared and I loved everyone. Probably the happiest patient on the surgical ward, I just could not stop rejoicing and thanking and appreciating being alive. Friends, neighbors and family reflected my joy which in turn rippled into the community.

It’s been a year now since my transplant, and I am so thankfully amazed at how well I’m doing. Lab tests results are in the “normal” range, energy flows and each day is too short. I volunteer as a GED instructor and work with patient support group organizations, including Donate Life.

There is more. Besides returning to that “hotshot” college kid, I have a new family! I met my donor’s parents and we exchange letters, pictures, telephone calls and gifts. I’m living for their daughter, honoring her gift and doing all I can to positively support her parents and family. My new “destiny” is to increase awareness of the prevalence of kidney disease and its remedies. There are many fallacies about transplantation; I represent the benefits. It’s a story I never tire of telling.

Mary Lou Newburn is a retired teacher living in Albuquerque, NM.

This article originally appeared in the July 2008 issue of aakpRENALIFE.

http://www.aakp.org/aakp-library/Extended-Criteria/