Wife Of 45 Years Gives Kidney To Husband

[okarol]

Longtime Wife-Husband Perfect Donor Match
Wife Of 45 Years Gives Kidney To Husband

Reported By Larry Flowers

POSTED: 6:07 pm CST January 25, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- They've been a part of each other's lives for more than four decades, but a Montgomery County wife is literally part of her husband after a transplant.

Video: Wife Donates Kidney To Husband

It is a love affair that started when Peggy and John Davis were only 14 years old in the small Montgomery County community of Cunningham.

Their relationship of love and commitment has always been strong. Forty-five years later, they are still together and continuing to make sacrifices for one another.

They married right after graduating from Montgomery Central High School. However, two years ago John Davis got sick and one of his kidneys failed.

He's been on dialysis and needed a kidney transplant. To help save his life, his wife offered one of hers.

"I wasn't ready to let him go. I wanted to keep him around," said Peggy Davis.

"She's been my good right arm all these years, and I didn't want anything to happen to her," said John Davis.

He still gets emotional talking about his wife. Not only is their marriage a perfect match, but the kidney transplant was one as well.

"I asked him one thing. 'If it was the other way around, would you do it?' And he said, 'Yea!'" said Peggy Davis.

St. Thomas Hospital transplant coordinator said it's not too often you'll find a husband-wife donor, considering blood type and genetics are determining factors.

"They are really, truly a part of each other now," said RN Gayla McClain at St. Thomas Hospital.

Even before Peggy Davis gave up her kidney, the couple credits their undying love for their longevity.

John Davis said you also have to have a sense of humor.

"She's a big Diet Coke drinker. I told her if I had to drink Diet Coke, I didn't want it. She said if she had to stop, she wasn't going to give it to me," said John Davis.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, Channel 4 wanted to know what John Davis would be getting his wife this year, since she gave him a kidney.

He said you don't want to know what this is going to cost him.

She already put her feet on his bed wanting a foot massage.

The transplant was a full success.

Peggy Davis is expected to go home on Saturday, but her husband won't be able to join her until Monday.

http://www.wsmv.com/health/15141458/detail.html?rss=nash&psp=news

[kellyt]

That's sweet.  I told my husband that if he was the one to give me a kidney I'd never win another argument again.  It would be worth it!  Thanks for the story.