Brotherly love - Doug Ray donates kidney to younger brother, DuaneBy Linda Bruch
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 11:39 AM MST
The term brotherly love is defined in the dictionary as a kind and lenient attitude towards people. But the term takes on a whole new meaning when it is used to describe two brothers, Doug and Duane Ray and what they have been through, especially the last few months. Love for a brother is why they did what they did and it was that love that saved one of their lives.
For three years Duane had been on a waiting list hoping to receive a kidney transplant. His own kidneys were failing and while dialysis was a temporary fix, what Duane needed in order to survive was one functional kidney he could call his own.
The entire Ray family was praying for a miracle and unbeknownst to them they had one in their midst. His name was Doug.
Both Doug and his sister Kathy went through a gamut of testing to see if they would be able to donate one of their own kidneys to save the life of their brother. Kathy's kidneys were too small and that reason ruled her out as a donor.
Doug's kidneys were the right size, but even better than that was the fact that he was a perfect match in all six of the criteria they look for when linking kidney donors to recipients.
"They told us it was pretty rare to be six for six. It doesn't happen that way very often," said Doug. That was the best news Duane had received in a long time. It looked as if he would be getting a kidney after all, one that belonged to his brother Doug.
There was a second round of testing for Doug, which took place late last fall. Once that was complete and the results were good, the surgery date was scheduled for the kidney transplant. It would take place on Jan. 18 at the University of California San Francisco, a hospital and teaching university and one of the best in the transplant business.
What goes through the mind of a donor when all the tests are done and the surgery is scheduled? "There were a lot of factors to think about before making the decision," admitted Doug. "You think about your own family and what if something goes wrong. Then you look at your brother and the possibility of his life being shortened and you know what you have to do. I would have hated to have had something happen to him knowing I could have done something for him."
Doug was the first to be wheeled into surgery on Friday, Jan. 18. Duane followed 45 minutes later. "They remove my kidney and get it ready for Duane and then they bring him in to receive it. My surgery lasted about three and a half hours. I think Duane's was a little less than that," said Doug.
Both surgeries were successful and a collective sigh of relief was heard from the entire Ray family.
"The morning after surgery, Duane came to see me in my room. He was the first one up and going," said Doug with a smile.
Three days after surgery, the brothers were discharged from the hospital. While they had to remain in San Francisco for further follow-up, it was clear they were both on the road to recovery, one to continue living his life and one to start living once again.
Duane will need to be on anti-rejection medication for the rest of his life and will also have to endure another surgery later this summer. "He needs to have a pancreas transplant. That will help the kidney to function even better and extend the life of the working kidney he now has," said Doug. "The pancreas Duane will receive comes from a cadaver and that surgery will take about seven hours."
For Duane, there is nothing as precious as the gift he received from his brother. "We talk almost every day and he still gets teary eyed when we talk about it. He told me that I just don't realize what I've given him," said Doug. "He is doing marvelous, getting stronger every day. I can see the change in him and how much he has improved health-wise."
For Doug, he's feeling better and better each day. "I'm still a little tired, but I feel like I'm getting my energy back a little at a time," he said. With only one kidney, it is important for Doug to live a healthy lifestyle, paying attention to the foods he eats and the exercise he gets.
Giving life was the most important thing that came out of this surgery for Doug, life to a brother who had suffered so much for most of the 46 years of his life. "When it is family, you don't think too much about what it is you need to do. You just know you would do it for family," he said.
The other thing Doug hoped would happen as a result of this surgery was to have "people's minds open to the possibility of becoming an organ donor. You really don't realize the lives you can save with organ donation. It is huge," he said.
Actually it was Doug that did something huge and it was all in the name of brotherly love.
There is no other love like the love for a brother.
There is no other love like the love from a brother.
http://www.goldentrianglenews.com/articles/2008/02/13/cut_bank_pioneer_press/news/news1.txt
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