Former Detroit Southeastern football coach to get kidney from wife

Last Updated: August 16. 2010 1:00AM
Former Detroit Southeastern football coach to get kidney from wife
Tom Markowski / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Pam English, an English teacher for the past 12 years, said her decision to donate a kidney was a no-brainer.

English would do anything to help maintain the quality of life, and perhaps save the life, of the person she loves most, her husband Donshell.

"I'm more than honored to give him a part of me so he can live a healthy life," Pam said. "Through it all it's brought us closer."

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Fourteen years ago Donshell English, the former head football coach at Detroit Southeastern, complained of muscle cramps, some severe, and was diagnosed with high blood pressure that was affecting his kidneys. He was 28 years-old then. After the initial shock Donshell, through medication such as Norvasc, WelChol and Altace, lived a normal life for the next 10 years. He continued teaching, coaching and eating as if there was nothing wrong. On the last day of school in 2007 his life changed forever.

"There was a pain in my side," he said. "There was pain in the side of my stomach. I didn't know what it was. I couldn't eat. I had a fever."

Rushed to St. Joseph Hospital in Ypsilanti, English was diagnosed with diverticulitis.

"They kept me there for a week," he said. "The doc said my colon was inflamed. After that first episode I had another. I had to confer with more doctors and they said if I had another they would have to perform surgery. And I was terrified."

Donshell, 42, is a big man. At times his weight drifted upwards to 360 pounds. Donshell managed to lose a few pounds during this time but still had difficulty controlling his eating habits. He refused to believe the whole truth and did his best to keep it a secret.

"The docs tried to get me to lose weight," he said. "But my kidney function was maintaining. In the back of my mind, I didn't think I was in any danger. I would eat right for awhile then when something came up, I would eat. Oh yeah."
Scary moments

In the fall of '07, the day before Southeastern's last game of the season, Donshell doubled over. The pain in his side returned and this time the surgery he long feared was needed. Part of his colon was removed and a colostomy bag was inserted. Instantly Donshell's lifestyle changed. For the next nine months he wore the cumbersome bag.

Part of his problem was his creatinine level. Creatinine is a chemical waste molecule that is transported through the bloodstream to the kidneys. For most people the normal level is 1.5 to 2.0. Donshell's was 2.3 when first diagnosed with high blood pressure. Every time Donshell had an "episode" his level would rise to five or six then would fall back after treatment.

After the colostomy reversal surgery was performed a new problem arose.

"My level would go back only to three instead of 2.3," he said. "That's when I went to a kidney specialist. But I was still in denial. I still wasn't watching what I ate. He was telling me if I kept this up I'd have to have kidney dialysis and, later, a new kidney. He set up appointments to monitor me and I'd be OK."

But Donshell didn't follow up. For six months he wasn't monitored. In January of '09 he finally paid a visit to see his doctor and tests were taken. Later that evening, while watching a basketball game, Donshell received a call from his doctor. The test results showed Donshell's creatinine level had climbed to 15. The next morning Donshell had his first kidney dialysis. Ever since he's taken dialysis three times a week but only those close to him knew. Donshell never made an issue of it. Teaching and coaching kept him occupied, and in the back of his mind he knew a kidney transplant would be necessary. And now the time has come. Donshell will have a colonoscopy today. After, Donshell will consult with his doctors as to when to go ahead with the transplant.
His rock

Through all the pain and suffering, Pam was by his side. She saw what no one else saw. Day by day for the past four years she watched as her husband, first in denial then in fear, cope with diverticulitis, kidney dialysis and now with the prospect of receiving her kidney.

"He never missed a day of work, no matter what," Pam said. "He was sick. After each (dialysis) session he'd come home and lay down and wouldn't eat. People don't know that. People don't know what he went through. He'd do it and go back to work; take care of his kids. People would say he'd never have the same life, that he wouldn't be able to do the same things.

"He never let his health issues interfere. His teams were winning. No one knew what was going on away from the games."

After 14 years of living with and loving a person who has dealt with a disorder Pam still doesn't quite fully understand it.

How could a person, her husband, a big, strong man with boundless energy, become so ill. His pain became hers. When the time came to volunteer as a donor Pam knew what to do.

"I raised my hand," she said. "It wasn't a second guess for me. Of course I would do it. If I was a match I was going to do this for my husband.

"Donshell is O positive. He can only get a donor from an O positive person."

Donshell has retained a positive outlook and said he's thankful for what he has and what the future holds.

"Being in the hospital the past two years, it was bad," he said. "You're alone. You're wondering if you'd sink or swim. I have a lot to live for. I have a beautiful wife and two beautiful kids who I care about a lot."

tom.markowski@detnews.com (313) 223-4633

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100816/SPORTS05/8160346/1265/SPORTS08/Former-Detroit-Southeastern-football-coach-to-get-kidney-from-wife#ixzz0wkW4Z5k4