My Mom's Kidney Transplant

It was Thanksgiving 2004 when my Mom told me that her kidneys were failing. She has had type 1 diabetes since she was 12. I watched my grandfather suffer and succumb to the disease my whole life, and at 44, I didn't expect it to affect my Mom so soon.

Since I heard the news, I tried to be tested to be a donor, but at 24, they told me I was too young. My uncle and father were both tested, and their blood types both matched. They tested my uncle first, and he was a match! The surgery was set for Tuesday, December 14th, 2004.

On the day of the surgery, we woke around 3 am, so we could leave at 3:45 am. We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am, so that they could do blood work. If my Mom's potassium was too high, she would have to have dialysis before the surgery. Thankfully, it wasn't. My Mom had a fistula inserted into her left arm a few months before the surgery, just in case she had to go through dialysis, but she never had to use it. We're very happy for that.

At 5:30, we arrived at Hershey Medical Center and signed in. After a few minutes, they called out a few names, including my Mom's. The whole group went up to the 2nd floor Same-Day Admissions waiting room. My Dad held my Mom's hand on the walk up to the room.

Around 6 am, my Uncle, Wayne, arrived at the waiting room. He had slept in a nearby hotel the night before. His wife, daughter, son, and future daughter-in-law accompanied him. My Mom was very nervous, but having her family and Wayne nearby really helped her, I think. Wayne was in great spirits, and kept joking of running off. They also named his kidney that day, "Lefty." He also joked about getting the kidney "primed" for my Mom, by having cake the night before.

They called Wayne's name around 7 am. (His surgery was scheduled for 7:30 am) He was taken to another waiting room, where he could have only two visitors at a time. We took turns going in to keep him company. Then at 7:30 am, they took him to another area to await his surgery.