On May 21st, 2002 I received a new kidney from my brother. Today marks 10 years of that very special day.
For those of you that do not know, I was diagnosed with Lupus in 1991, when I was 17 years old and in just a few years, my kidneys had failed. I was on dialysis for seven years and I stayed on dialysis for years because I was too scared to even think about a kidney transplant.
Sometimes I feel like it was just a few years ago and other times it feels like it was a lifetime ago that I was so sick and always in and out of hospitals. When I first got sick, my brother offered to give me one of his kidneys and I denied it, why ?…..because he was my little brother. I heard that the surgery was so bad and that the doctors would have to cut half way around his body just to get the kidney out and there was no way I wanted him or anyone I love to go through that.
Then a few more years passed and I was getting worse, my brother offered again and by that time the operation had changed, kidney transplants were now being done by laparoscopy, which is a surgical procedure that uses a thin, lighted tube put though a cut in the belly to get to the kidney. So we proceeded with the transplant, I can’t even imagine what my parents were going through that day, having two of their children in the operating room at the same time.
That day my life changed for the better and for that I will always be grateful to my brother. I can never thank him enough for giving me my life back!
I love you very much little brother and can not imagine life without you or the wonderful family I have.
Here are a couple pictures of us as children and then as adults.
<3 This still gets me everytime 🙂
Must have been very tramatic for your entire family. I thank God to have the pleasure of being part of your life. God bless you both for all your courage. So happy to have you both here with us Love you!
<3 Love you guys!
Iris, you and your brother are very courageous and strong people. I have known your story, but reading it is far different and more touching. The ordeal you and your family went through and the wonderful outcome and success of it all is amazing. What is also amazing, wonderful and loving is how my nephew, your husband Richie stood by your side and supported you through it all. Love you guys
My brother-in-law is probably one of the most courageous, unselfish, loving persons I know. He knew he was going to do this for his sister, so he stopped drinking soda at a very young age just to make sure his kidney was ready for her and there would be no complications. “What a sacrifice for a teenager to make”. He saw his father try and give his sister one of his kidneys but his father got kidney stones the week before he was getting tested and he was no longer able to give his kidney. The life lessons, I have learned from my brother -in-law are priceless. I am so happy and proud to be part of his family. Thank you Richie N. You have given me so much more quality time with the women I love.
People find it hard to believe that I would donate to somene that isn’t blood related , but I consider him my brother. About 27 years ago (when Brendan was 18 and I was about 6 years of age), he had his first kidney transplant. Although I was young and didn’t know much about transplants I knew he was seriously ill and would probably die without one. He had his transplant from a cadaver and didn’t look back. A few years later he married my sister and they had 3 beautiful children. I’d always been close to Debbie and Brendan as they were my cool brother and sister who i would go and stay with because they were fun. I grew up, got married and had 2 children of my own.