My hubby's a hero donor at 71

My hubby's a hero donor at 71

By DAVID LOWE
Published: 29 Apr 2008

BILL Armstrong needed a miracle.

Without a kidney transplant, his beloved wife Norma was certainly going to die.

They’d enjoyed 49 happy years of marriage, watched their two boys grow into men, and were doting on their five grandchildren.

The pair dreamed about celebrating their Golden Wedding anniversary – but as Norma’s condition deteriorated, reaching that milestone was unlikely.

One night, as Bill mulled over the situation mowing the lawn, he had a brainwave - he’d donate a kidney himself.

And at the ripe old age of 71, Bill became one of the oldest living donors in the UK.

Norma, 70, from Tilehurst, says: “I’ll never forget the evening last July when Bill was cutting the grass, and tapped the window at me.

“Cool as a cucumber, he said he had two kidneys, but only needed one, so I could have one.

“I was very surprised and wasn’t expecting it, but I was over the moon.

“I’d spent years waiting for a suitable organ, and time was running out.”

Norma’s nightmare began in 1963 when her second son, Ian, 44, was born.

For no apparent reason, she developed bipolar disorder - then known as manic depression - and needed strong medication.

Norma says: “It sent my mind into a whirl.

“I was elated one minute, and totally depressed the next.

“I remember picking up a milk bottle and smashing it hard on the tiled kitchen floor.

“It was clear I needed help, so I was put into care for a few weeks.

“Doctors tried many tablets on me, before settling on lithium carbonate.

“It was being hailed as a new wonder drug, and it did make my mood swings less extreme.

“But I wasn’t warned about how toxic the pills were, and of the potential long-term damage they can do in exceptional cases.”

For 28 years, Norma took three 500mg tablets of lithium carbonate a day.

If she was particularly down, the dose would be upped.

Norma says: “The medication alleviated the symptoms, but I was still battling a serious illness.

“When I was well enough I worked as an office temp and PA, but some days all I would do is sit in a chair and cry, which was awful for my family.

“As I took more pills to cope, the lithium carbonate crystalised in my kidneys.

“Slowly they were being poisoned, until eventually they were chronically affected.”

Three years ago, Norma had a routine blood test at the Eldon Road Hospital in Reading, which showed she had renal failure.

A further biopsy confirmed lithium poisoning of the kidneys, and she started gruelling dialysis three times a week.

With a potentially fatal condition, Norma was acutely aware she’d need a transplant, and joined the Organ Donor Register.

But little did she know the future donor was already living under her roof.

Bill says: “Despite our hopes and prayers, nothing came through the Organ Register.

“Both of us were getting on a bit, and the older you get, the more difficult it is to transplant successfully.

“In the end I offered Norma my kidney so we’d have many more happy days together.”

Last August, Bill began tests to ensure his suitability for the procedures which lay ahead.

Of 2,932 living kidney donor transplants between 2003 and 2007 in the UK, 143 were husband to wife.

But at 71, Bill would be one of the oldest living organ donors here, and docs needed to be sure he was up to it.

Fortunately both parties shared blood group A, and after subjecting Bill to lots of tests, they were happy to go ahead.

Bill says: “After the tunnels and treadmills, I was delighted to hear I was a suitable donor.

“The transplant took place on April 10, at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford.

“I dropped Norma off the day before for dialysis, and that night I didn’t get much sleep of course.

“There were a lot of nerves before I was wheeled into theatre, but I kept reminding myself of the prize – a healthy Norma.

“I don’t remember much of what went on.

“Thankfully I could administer my own morphine afterwards, as the pain was excruciating.

“Now I’m holding up well, and so glad I went through with it.
‘ It’s a trip I wouldn’t have dreamt of this time last year ’

“Norma makes it all worthwhile.”

The devoted couple are now back at home, and have been advised to take it easy while their bodies heal.

But next February, Norma plans to make a very special trip indeed.

She says: “We celebrate our Golden Wedding anniversary then, which means a lot to us both.

“Our son David, 46, lives in Singapore, so we hope to visit him and his family over there.

“It’s a trip I wouldn’t have dreamt of this time last year.

“Thanks to Bill, and the fabulous doctors who worked on me, I can look forward to it at last.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/real_life/article1105315.ece