Organ donor insists it's all about showing love

Organ donor insists it's all about showing love

By Donna Stehling/Sauk Prairie Eagle
Wednesday, September 26, 2007

SAUK PRAIRIE AREA, WI. - Cassie Ripp just graduated from high school and went on a vacation to Disney World with her aunt, uncle and young cousins.

"Out of the blue, she'd just fall down," said her uncle John Benish.

They couldn't figure out what was going on. Ripp thought her ankles were weak all of a sudden. She'd stumble, trip and fall, get up and keep on going. It was annoying.

"We told her mom when we got home," Benish said.

His sister, Bev Leonhardt took her daughter for a checkup; then she told her family.

Her daughter had lupus, a disease that caused her kidneys to lose their function. That was four years ago.

June this year, Leonhardt called the family together again and told them her daughter needed a donor. Ripp was on dialysis.

She reported for three-hour treatments three times a week.

"When I was 21, no where in my life was there anything like dialysis," Benish said.

His niece was not able to enjoy being a young, independent adult.

"We come from a large family on the Benish side, " said Benish. She had eight aunts and uncles on just our side and numerous cousins."

Five aunts and uncles volunteered for testing.

"It's a simple blood test to see if you have the same blood type and other criteria to go to the next step. A 20 minute office visit."

"My father's side had all the wrong blood type," Ripp said.

The other criteria are called antigens.

"You don't have to match on all six to become a donor," Benish said. "You don't have to be a perfect match."

He said his niece was assigned to a coordinator and all who were considered donors worked with her coordinator.

"All five made it to the next level," Benish said. "Everyone was interested. Her coordinator said she had a great network of family, a great pool to pick from."

His sister Cindy Quam volunteered to be the first donor. On the second level, prospective donors report for a full day of blood work, urine analysis and an intensive physical check up. Benish said his three sisters, Quam, Leonhardt and Barb Breunig were eliminated because of things like kidney stones and infections they didn't know they had.

"It's one of the most in-depth physicals you can ever go through," he said. "They want to make sure you're in great health before you become a donor."

He said they address all concerns - physical, mental, psychological and emotional - for the donor and also his niece, as well as family members. One after another those who wanted to be donors went through the process. It came down to Gerry and John Benish.

Initially, Ripp's hopes were high, but her hopes were dashed each time she learned this aunt and that uncle could not be a donor.

"Every time someone was rejected, it hurt," Ripp said. "I tried not to get my hopes up as high as they were in the beginning. Through it all, my mom said there's a reason. When it finally came down to Uncle John, I knew the reason. It was all the things I'd done with his family and the boys (Kyle and John III)."

"One at a time, you go through all the steps until rejected or accepted," Benish said. "If they don't find something, you go to the next level. The doctors discuss all the tests and make sure the donor is completely healthy and has minimal risks."

Then they call and ask if the donors want to continue; they explain all the risks and all the benefits, and there is more testing.

"At any time you can decide not to be a donor," Benish said.

He got the word. He was selected. All he had to do was agree, tell them he would be the donor and go through one last round of testing. Then they set up a date for surgery, Aug. 9.

From June till Aug. 9 not much time had passed, but Benish said for his niece it was a long time.

To get ready for the surgery, Benish said it was important for everyone in the family to accept what he was doing. His sons are six and eight years old.

"One of my sons had bad dreams and nightmares until we explained Cassie would be part of us because she'd have part of Dad in her," Benish said.

He said they had an interesting time sitting with an anatomy book and explaining what a kidney was and why his niece needed one.

"The boys now feel they have a big sister, " Benish said. "They like having Cassie around as much as possible."

While Benish worked with his sons, Ripp was dreaming, waiting for surgery, knowing there would always be a part of her uncle in her.

Aug. 9 came and the pre-op area had a festive atmosphere with the whole family gathering. Their bays faced each other. The screens were wide open and family members were everywhere.

"It was a big group," Benish said. "All who went through the testing were now an extended family."

"And they all waited," Ripp said. "They were playing cards in the waiting room. The docs came out every half hour to update families."

"About eight hours later," said Benish. "I woke up to smiling faces and how you doings."

They were expected to stay in the hospital three or four days and then go home for six to eight weeks with normal restrictions.

Benish said a nurse who cared for him said she remembered 10 years ago they had an 18-inch incision instead of the 3 to 4-inch incision and their hospital stay was 21 days not three or four days.

Benish said his boys stepped up and were very helpful at home.

"They took charge," said Ripp.

Benish was back to work in three weeks and Ripp just started part time at five weeks. She works at the Kiddie Corner in Lodi and plans to move back to La Crosse in October to be with her school friends.

"I feel like I never had surgery," she said. "I'm back to my old self. I have more energy, more life and more I want to do."

Benish said if she goes through the first year without rejection, the kidney can go for 20 years. It was noted her kidney would then be 61 years old.

"You always have to take medication for rejection," Ripp said.

Here's to the rest of living

"I made it through," said Ripp. "I'll be able to enjoy a better life and my worry is lifted."

"It was an opportunity to help someone I really care about," said Benish. "I was able to give her a better life."

When Ripp thinks back, she realizes she lost the sense of what feeling normal was like.

Benish is thankful he could help. He's also thankful it was possible for him to help.

"Donors are laid up," he said. "You have to be off work. I had full support of where I worked."

He has been with NAPA Auto Parts of Baraboo for 25 years.

"I can't thank them enough," he said. "They took care of me like I was part of the family. I didn't have to be concerned about my family when I was trying to help someone else."

Ripp and Benish worked with the organ transplant team at UW-Hospital with Ripp having Dr. Yolanda Becker and Benish in the hands of Dr. David Foley.

"They're all excellent surgeons," Benish said. "A wonderful group, first rate from the donor's side."

Benish said when he came in for his appointments, he was automatically moved to the front of the line. That's how donors are treated. He said the patients in the waiting room shake donors' hands and congratulate them.

"There's a whole wall of donor names," said Ripp.

"Personally, I think being an organ donor is nothing," said Benish. "I did it for someone I love a lot and I'd do it again if I had another kidney to give. But when I tell people I'm a donor, they think it's something."

He is sold on being a donor. That's why he signed up to be a mentor.

"I'll talk to anyone," Benish said. "It's sure a lot of personal satisfaction."

Meanwhile Ripp is talking about another family trip, this time a road trip to see the Badgers play Penn State.

Her uncle smiles. She's 21, with dreams for her future.

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