Oct 16 - The Prep

Daryl came with me to the Pre-Op appointment on October 16th. We spent the morning at Banner's North building for one last round of tests, scans, and various appointments. We got to see my kidney recipient, too! 😁

They took 17 vials of blood 😬 to test for infection diseases and also do a physical cross-match with the recipient's blood, just to double-check (measure twice, cut once - literally!).

I got to meet the social worker, surgeon, a living donor facilitator, and the anesthesia consultant to talk about what to expect, get instructions, and answer questions.

Maribel, the living donor facilitator, is also a living donor. She donated her kidney to her father about 7 years ago. And her husband was a double kidney recipient. She was kind enough to share her story and add to my understanding and expectations.

The anesthesia consultant said my echo cardiogram looks "pretty darn great" and my blood work (Remember those 17 vials? Results are already in!) "looks great." I am so grateful to be healthy!

The surgeon talked me through the procedure and I was happy to hear that they will not be cutting through muscle (which I know takes a long time to heal). 

The results of all of my tests and scans, as well as those of my friend, will be sent to the selection committee on Wednesday for final approval!

Assuming all goes well, the surgeries (mine and my friend's) will happen the morning of Thursday, October 22nd at Banner University Medical Center Main (1625 N Campbell Ave), Tower 1, 9th floor, specifically 9 East West Unit. I will be staying overnight two nights, with an expected discharge of Saturday, October 24th. 

I can have visitors any time post-op, but it's going to be a long day on Thursday, so I probably will reserve Thursday afternoon/evening visits to family. Friends are welcome on Friday, unless I'm grumpy. I'll let you know. 😅

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

  1️⃣The Request | 2️⃣The Call | 3️⃣The Universe | 4️⃣Sharing the News | 5️⃣The Prep | 6️⃣The Surgery | 7️⃣The Recovery

August 14 - Sharing the News

After waiting a few weeks to make sure that the change in living arrangements was, indeed, happening, I decided it would be best to finally let my friend know that I would be their living donor.

Yes, October was still a ways away, but I know that the stress and worry of the unknown can wear on the body and I wanted to alleviate some of the burden from their shoulders.

I told them over the phone. We both cried. It hit me then: the honor and gift for me to be a living donor. 

It turned out that the timing couldn't have been better. The doctors were preparing them for dialysis treatments to start in October, but with the transplant on the horizon, it appears dialysis (which can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, cramps, weakness, and more) can be completely avoided! 🥳

The surgery is scheduled for Thursday, October 22nd at Banner University Medical Center. 

I have a pre-op appointment on Friday, October 16th and will know more then. In the meantime, if you're reading this, please send positive energy to me, my friend, and our surgical teams. This is going to be quite an adventure!

Image by lila_getupft from Pixabay

  1️⃣The Request | 2️⃣The Call | 3️⃣The Universe | 4️⃣Sharing the News | 5️⃣The Prep | 6️⃣The Surgery | 7️⃣The Recovery

July 9 - The Universe

I was soaking up O‘ahu, figuring out my daily and weekly routine. My spouse, Daryl, had bought plane tickets to join me in September, and I thought about which adventures I definitely wanted to share with him.

Then, on July 9, the friend who owns the house I was staying at (rent-free!) in O‘ahu let me know that my living situation had changed and the former occupant, who was supposed to be gone through the end of December, was coming back early. I needed to leave early.

It was insanely perfect. They were returning on September 30th, and Daryl's visit was scheduled to end on September 29th. I could just fly home with him!

The Universe is brilliant. I was still gifted three months in beautiful Hawai‘i, no plans needed to change for Daryl's visit, changing my flight actually saved me $80, I would be home for my grandson's seventh birthday in October, and now, I could donate my kidney earlier!

Life is good!

  1️⃣The Request | 2️⃣The Call | 3️⃣The Universe | 4️⃣Sharing the News | 5️⃣The Prep | 6️⃣The Surgery | 7️⃣The Recovery

June 30 - The Call

I arrived in O‘ahu and had a fabulous "Immersion Week" with my cohort, exploring and learning and soaking up so many lessons the Island generously offered.

Then, two days after the immersion week, I got the call. My information was shared with the transplant board and they said I was medically approved to be a living donor! I was ... well, lots of feelings! Excited, Happy, Nervous, Scared, Hopeful. The list goes on.

I decided not to tell my friend, because I wasn't going to home until January, and that is a long time to wait. "Hi! You can have my kidney, but you have to wait while I play in Hawai‘i for six months." 

Yeah, no.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

  1️⃣The Request | 2️⃣The Call | 3️⃣The Universe | 4️⃣Sharing the News | 5️⃣The Prep | 6️⃣The Surgery | 7️⃣The Recovery

May 17 - The Request

On the morning of May 17, 2026, I read a Facebook post from a friend and colleague of mine. It began:

My dear friends, this is something I never thought I’d post, but I am having a serious health challenge.

I recently found out that I’m in need of a kidney transplant, and I’m currently looking for a living donor.

I was shocked. I have worked with this colleague for decades and attended their retirement party eleven months earlier. They retired, among other reasons, to focus on preparing for and parenting their new baby, due to arrive in the fall of 2025. Just thinking about that baby losing a parent at such a young age brought me to tears. Even though I was leaving for Hawai‘i in a month, I had to see if I was a match.

Yes, I was a blood-type match. But there were other tests required to determine if I would be healthy enough to be a donor. It would require coming into the hospital for several hours of tests spread out over three days. "Why don't you just contact us when you get back from Hawai‘i and we'll do the tests then?" they asked. 

"No," I replied. "I want to get it done now so I know. That way, if I am approved, I will have the time to wrap my brain around the reality of being a donor."  So, the week before getting on a plane for what I thought was a six-month stint on O‘ahu, I completed the battery of tests and awaited the news.

Image by 🌼Christel🌼 from Pixabay

  1️⃣The Request | 2️⃣The Call | 3️⃣The Universe | 4️⃣Sharing the News | 5️⃣The Prep | 6️⃣The Surgery | 7️⃣The Recovery