Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.
Dear Friends
Some of you may know that I have severe kidney disease, stage IV. Over time , my kidney disease is slowly progressing . Soon my kidneys will not work well enough to keep me alive. My treatment options will be limited to dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant.
Getting regular dialysis treatments, usually three times a week for four hours at a time, will help my kidneys do their job and keep me alive, but a transplant would offer me more freedom and the ability to live a longer healthier, more normal life. At transplant would also give me more time to do the fun things I enjoy most , like spending time with my family and friends.
However, finding a kidney for a transplant is not easy. Just ask the 100,000 plus people on the waiting list for a deceased donor kidney like me. Time is not on our side. Some wait for years; many die while waiting. THe average wait time is five years or more for a kidney from a deceased donor. However, there is another option: receiving a kidney from a living donor.
Asking a family member or a friend to consider donating a kidney to me is difficult, but it greatly improves my chances of getting a transplant. A living kidney donation typically lasts longer and has better function.
You might not know a lot about living donation -I know I didn’t before kidney disease affected my life. Understandably, some people are afraid about the surgery and what living with one kidney will mean for them. Here’s some basic information about kidney donation:
. You need only one kidney to live a healthy, long life.
. Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny incisions.
. The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks
. The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by my insurance. The hospital
can give you extensive information on this.
. You will have a separate team of healthcare professionals to evaluate you as a living
donor. Their job is to help you understand the risks and benefits and look out for YOUR
best interests.
You can also learn more about living donation on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation (
http://www.kidney.org/livingdonation) or by contacting the NKF’s free, confidential helpline at 855.NKF.CARES (855-653-2273) or nkfcares@kidney.org. If you want to talk to someone who’s already donated a kidney, NKF can also help.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If donating a kidney to me is something you would like to consider, I would be happy to tell you more about my story and explore the process of determining if you are a match for me. You can also contact my transplant center directly at 612-625-7010 umnhealthlivingdonor.org.
However, I know living donation may not be right for everyone- but you can still help! Consider being an organ donor after death and also, help me by sharing my story with everyone you know. At the very least I want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation. I am hopeful my efforts will help me receive a kidney sooner and encourage others to consider helping the many people on the waitlist.
Thank you,
Linda Curriel
