Hello friends and sorry about the delay. Things don't work extremely fast in the organ donation process so I haven't been able to update things as speedily as a well read blog should be.
Good thing this is not a well read blog.
About a week and half ago I met three living donors here in Washington DC. A. from New York is a mentor to me on this journey and A. got to meet C. who was her mentor for the first time in person. R. also came and she is a friend to C. who happens to live in the same city. None of these are to be confused with G. who is another mentor of mine who lives in Seattle and I only include him because, well, I'm having fun with letters.
Over glasses of wine and sangria we sat around discussing the process they each went through. This, by the way, dispels myth #1, you can't drink with one kidney.
Of course, they each said that people looked at them oddly, probably not unlike the look you would get from a man who you've just informed that his daughter is going with you to Juarez. Complete puzzlement. I expected this much. No one of the C.A.R. (which I'll call all three) was particular about a religious affiliation except C. who happens to be Jewish. Which dispels another myth, you can't donate a kidney if you're Jewish. In fact it doesn't violate any religion, at least, any popular ones.
The talk later turned to movies and which ones we liked regarding organ donation. "Seven Pounds" was a favorite, as was "21 Grams". If I had thought about it I would have mentioned "Never Let Me Go" but the sangria dulled my recall abilities although I did manage to get "Heart Condition" in there and no one had seen that.
What touched me the most was the stories that each had about their recipient. I still stand by my position that I only care to meet my recipient if he/she wishes to meet me. I was informed by the C.A.R. that they each too had that same position and each recipient HAD to meet their donor. I can understand that, how do you NOT want to meet the person that saved your life? Question is, what do you say to someone like that and I have no idea what that will be. A. has mentioned that one of the first things that her recipient informed her of was that she was overjoyed at being able to pee! Normally! I must admit that that threw me into a fit of laughter and at the same time just made me want to burst with happiness at knowing what that felt like being in her position. A.'s recipient is a 27 year old woman who was happy that she could now have a kid. Imagine!
We didn't sit around long talking much, but this much I know, the society of donors is a special one. If anything it was wonderful how we would each talk about how we felt about the process, and life in general and we all amazingly seemed to be on the same chord.
As far as other updates, my social worker interview went extremely well and I'm happy to report that my tri-state killing spree, committed when I was younger, did nothing to render me as ineligible. I'm kidding of course, it was only in two states.
I am now waiting on my tissue typing kit to show up. My blood will get drawn and the process of matching up with a recipient begins. I'm so happy I could burst. Again.
Also, I'm not known as a Jeffersonian speaker unless you are talking about George. I work full time and I have two college courses I am taking so I don't have time to do rewrite after rewrite. Sadly my prose does not flow forth like oil from a 1972 AMC. Probably easiest if you just leave your email address on the right side of this page and my latest update will show up in your email box!
Wow, what will they think of next?
Kidney Bean
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