My first ever...

This is my first blogging experience ever, but in efforts to become a better writer, speller, communicator and to share this adventure here it goes...

I am setting up this blog for 3 reasons:
1.) To keep all who are interested informed of any news or progress,
2.) To keep an account so that I can remember this in the future and
3.) To be an information source to those who I do not know who may have questions about or are considering kidney donation themselves.


I am in the middle of the beginning stages of the kidney donation process so I will have follow up posts to talk about what I have already done in addition to what I am currently partisipating in.

Brief backgound:

In July of 2008 my brother, Clint went into renal failure and has used dialysis everyday since to maintain his health. I had always thought that if anyone I loved ever needed anything, ie. a functioning body part, that I wouldn't hesitate. When it happened in our family, I did hesitate, not because I didn't want to help but because I was afraid. I was afraid for Clint b/c a transplant is a serious operation and that is what he needs to have a better quality of life. I was afraid of the thought of giving a kidney b/c I did not know all the facts about how it would or would not change my life/health. But now I know the facts and I am not afraid. The fears that I had were b/c of my lack of knowledge of the medical facts and findings. Once I started doing my homework and receiving information from the transplant team, my fears were relieved.

This past Tuesday the donor team contacted me and said that my blood, which I sent to them via Fedx (how gross) last Monday (March 29th), had no reaction with Clint's blood that he provided on the same day. That is exactly what they were looking for. We can play good together sometimes!

So, what's next? More tests!

They gave me two options:
1.) I can come to San Fransico for 3 days and they will do ALL the tests there they need or
2.) they can mail me the information and a doctor here can help me complete the tests locally.

It would probably be very productive if I could go there for the test, have it done there at the facility where the surgery would be (and done exactly right the first time), meet the donor team, visit my brother in the Bay Area, etc... But for other reasons, going out there just may not be possible, so I have a back up plan. My wonderful OBGYN, Dr. Jackson, in Asheville knows about my goals and he has agreed to help me set up what ever I need.

Thank you for checking out this little blog and thank you all for your encouragment!