Garry’s Story

I’ve basically lived with kidney disease my whole life. I was first diagnosed when I was 15 months old, over 40 years ago now. I could cope for a long time because it didn’t affect me physically, so I felt like I didn’t have to worry about it. But in the back of my mind I always knew it was something I’d have to deal with eventually.

I didn’t really start thinking about my condition until I was 37 when I started feeling the effects of kidney disease. The tiredness was horrendous. It started impacting my day-to-day life, as well as the lives of my family. I remember us being on holiday and being so tired I needed to stop and lie down to sleep on the grass in the middle of the day. Thankfully my work was really understanding and allowed me to begin working at home because the commute was too much. At that point I knew something had to change.

When I was younger, I was told that the complexity of my condition meant I probably wouldn’t be able to get a kidney transplant when the time came. 40+ years on, however, the science has really moved forward and they said it was now possible. The advancement is absolutely amazing when you think about it. It really is life-changing, life-saving.

My wife’s sister put herself forward for testing, but the healthcare team weren’t 100% keen on using her. We didn’t know it at the time, but her husband Tony also started getting tested. He didn’t want to immediately tell us until he knew he was a match. In the end, he told me his blood results showed he would be able to donate!

I tried to explain to him how thankful I was and how much kidney disease can ruin a life. He said he wanted me to be there as a dad for my kids.  He’s an incredible human being.

I was a little out of it when I first came around after the operation. My family were all waiting for me outside the ward to tell me it had been a success! It was exactly what I wanted.

When I came out of hospital, Tony said I had to sing a Millwall song now! We all laughed, but I was honestly happy to do it after what he’d given me. Though I wouldn’t admit that to everyone!

I think in Tony’s head, the donation would be a quick in and out, but the reality isn’t as straightforward as that. The recovery hit him harder than expected. He’s doing well now, but I think it’s good to be honest about how you feel after the donation.

Tony and I weren’t very close brothers-in-law before, but our relationship is so much stronger now. He’s my brother forever. I can’t say thank you to him enough. He’s saved me (and my family) from so much pain.

A little while ago, I saw the woman who looked after me during the transplant. I had to stop her in the corridor and say thank you for everything her and her team had done for me. I have a new kidney in my body because of them. I have no idea how the surgeons do such amazing work every day. I’ll never be able to say thank you to them enough.

I’m a couple months on from the surgery now and I’m still in that recovery period, but I definitely notice the difference in my energy levels already. I don’t need that emergency sleep that I did. Before, midday felt more like midnight. Now, the transplant has given me a life to look forward to. I can’t wait to get back to normal life. It’s been honestly life changing.