Fire chief given kidney for Christmas

[okarol]

NZPATuesday December 11, 10:30 AM

Fire chief given kidney for Christmas

A Rotorua woman has gifted her husband a new kidney for Christmas.

Rotorua fire chief Wayne Bedford, who has spent more than 30 years protecting the lives of others, has relied on a dialysis machine for the past five years after losing a long battle with kidney disease.

His wife of 33 years Rose Bedford will give him her left kidney in a transplant operation at Auckland Hospital on Thursday, after blood tests in June revealed she was a compatible donor.

Mr Bedford, 56, told the Rotorua Daily Post it was a Christmas present that was pretty hard to top.

Mrs Bedford said she made him buy her The Topp Twins latest album in exchange. "He's had to suffer the indignity of ordering it online.

"He doesn't like their music but I do," she laughed.

Mrs Bedford had to lose weight before she could donate the kidney.

She joined a gym, walked 15km a day and lost 18kg.

The couple will stay in Auckland for a month after the operation to have daily blood tests and Mr Bedford will have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his life.

One in 10 transplants fail within a year, but the couple are optimistic.

"Positive attitude is everything and we've got it," Mrs Bedford said.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com//071210/3/38xb.html

[oswald]

OSWALDS wife here...

Hi again OKAROL!  That's another great article...I wish I could have given my hubby one of mine  ...I know we're at least the same blood type.  Unfortunately I've got a few health problems of my own that don't make that possible.  But PTL, we've been graced with one from generous donor  - God rest his soul!