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Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: News Articles => Topic started by: okarol on March 30, 2010, 01:53:29 PM
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Valley grad donates kidney to help brother-in-law avoid dialysis
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 8:25 AM CDT
POSTVILLE- What if you had the power to drastically change someone’s life for the better? Imagine knowing someone close to you and your family who needs your help. Imagine holding that power, but knowing risks were involved.
Despite the risks, a Postville woman seized such an opportunity. Janell Meyer, daughter of Judy Moser of Elgin, and a 1990 graduate of Valley Community Schools, donated one of her kidneys to her brother-in-law, George Meyer, a 1992 Postville graduate, in December 2009.
The journey that began for George Meyer in 2001 with a diagnosis of kidney disease during a routine physical, had some twists and turns before the silver lining showed through the clouds nearly eight years later. The doctors told George he would need a transplant within three to five years of his diagnosis.
“All I could do was try to prolong the life of my kidneys through diet and medication,” he said. “In 2006, my kidney function dropped to the level where they started the transplant process.”
George’s immediate family was ruled out as possible donors. George’s father is older than the age allowed to donate. His mother previously donated a kidney to one of his sisters, and his other sister also faces diminished kidney function. A brother has also had kidney problems,The next option was his wife, Suzanne.
Shortly into the process, George’s kidney function improved so the transplant was put on hold. In early 2009, his kidney function dropped again.
“Suzanne stepped up right away and it looked like she was going to be the donor until they rejected her last June,” Janell said. “I didn’t hesitate because I knew there was no one else in his immediate family that George could turn to for help.”
Before the transplant could take place, both Janell and George went through several tests and screenings assure they were a good match. The testing process began in June 2009. Toward the end of October, the transplant was finally set for Dec. 7 at the Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn.
“With all of this family history, I have to admit I did worry about the possibility of Charlie (Janell’s husband) or one of my boys needing a kidney someday,” Janell said. “I had to tell myself not to worry about the what-ifs.”
As with any surgery there were risks in the process. For George, there was possibility of kidney rejection. He will continue to take medication the rest of his life.
“It was definitely worth it though because my quality of life is much better than it would have been without surgery,” George said.
Having had the surgery, George can lead a fairly normal life. Without the surgery, he would have had to go in for dialysis three days a week and have a very restricted diet.
Janell said the surgery itself was her biggest risk. “The doctors actually told me people who donate a kidney live longer,” Janell said.
The laparoscopic surgery took place on a Monday. A surgeon retrieved Janell’s kidney with his hand and brought it out of an incision they made through her belly button.
“Janell told me she would donate her kidney because I needed it,” George said. “I was just so thankful to her for giving me this gift of life.”
By Friday, both George and Janell were able to go home from the hospital. In most cases the left kidney is taken from the donor, but in Janell’s case, her right kidney had better “plumbing,” meaning it had fewer veins and arteries to attach in George’s body.
After four weeks Janell was feeling back to her old self but still had a few discomforts. “Now after three months, all I have are the visual scars that remind me of the surgery,” she said.
As for George, recovery is going well. He was back to work at Lisac America by the end of December, but said he has to go in for blood work twice a week to make sure there are no signs of rejection. Eventually, George will be expected back for blood work every six months.
“I don’t think I really knew what to expect,” George said. “Overall I just tried to keep a good attitude and take each day one at a time.”
Aside from physical risks, Janell said she was told some people experience a sense of loss after a donation. “I have never had those feelings,” Janell said. “I thought I would be able to bounce right back after surgery but it definitely took a good four weeks.”
Both Janell and George are glad they took the risks.
“I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to change another person’s life while I’m still alive to experience the joy my gift has given to another person,” Janell said.
George and his wife, Suzanne, live near New Prague, Minn. They have two sons, Vincent, 6 and Wyatt, 4. They are expecting a third child, who is coincidentally due on Janell’s birthday, Sept. 25.
Janell and her husband, Charlie, live south of Postville with their three boys, Conrad, 15, Elliott, 13 and Rubin, 7.
December 7, a day that may be remembered for most as the famous attacks on Pearl Harbor, will forever be on the minds of these two families as a chance at life and new possibilities.
http://newspapersoffayettecounty.com/articles/2010/03/30/news/doc4ba0d5d86c7a5443134707.txt