Kidney Donation Brings Ex-Family Members Together

[okarol]

 Nov 24, 2009 4:04 pm US/Mountain

Kidney Donation Brings Ex-Family Members Together

Written by Suzanne McCarroll

A woman from Grand Junction is in desperate need of a kidney transplant. Her ex-daughter-in-law steps in to help.

Wanda Elsberry, 66, needed to find a kidney donor. Her kids and her husband weren't appropriate matches to donate an organ. She faced three days a week of dialysis without the surgery. But then, someone from her past, came forward and offered to help.

Elsberry's ex-daughter-in-law, Julie Kochevar, 44, was a perfect match. But who would think the ex- wife of her son would want to help.

"I kept saying, during the whole process, 'Julie, are you sure you want to do this?'," Elsberry told CBS4.

Julie was absolutely sure she wanted to help. Doctors, nurses and acquaintances kept questioning Julie's decision.

"'Your ex mother in law?', they said," Kochevar recalled chuckling.

The two underwent surgery in early November at Porter Hospital in Denver. They asked if they could be roommates to keep one another company. From their hospital beds, they talked about how they were feeling.

"I'm doing very well, I'm really amazed." Wanda said less than a week out from the surgery.

Julie was stiff and sore and still in awe that one of her kidneys was now inside her ex- mother in law.

"I'm just grateful that it's working," she said.

As to how Wanda will ever thank her ex daughter in law.

"I'll be thanking her for the rest of my days."

Wanda and Julie now have matching kidney necklaces they wear and the two are adamant that there will be no mother-in-law jokes in their presence.

http://cbs4denver.com/local/kidney.donation.family.2.1332441.html

[thegrammalady]

this happened in colorado folks. the transplant was done at porter hospital in denver. there was a huge news story about it on last nights 10pm broadcast.