I’ve donated blood for over 50 years now. In the next year or two I’m hoping to match my age in the number of pints of blood I’ve donated. Back in 2019, aged 72, I received a letter from the NHS thanking me for donating 70 pints of blood. At the end, they asked if I’d thought about donating a kidney. It wasn’t something I’d considered before, mostly because I just hadn’t known about it, but I knew in an instant that it was something I’d be comfortable doing. I immediately filled in the form and sent it off.
I forgot about the form almost immediately after sending it, as I really didn’t see it as a big deal. Some weeks later I got another letter back thanking me for my interest, and asking what donation unit I wanted to go to for discussing it further. I chose Bristol as it was relatively nearby.
So off I trundled to meet the living donor co-ordinator. They asked me some basic questions – am I healthy and well? Why did I want to donate? I told them that I saw it as a duty, there was no question at all that I wanted to do it. I now know that not everyone thinks that way and I’m a very altruistic person, but I wouldn’t have said that at the time. I’ve absolutely never regretted my decision.
The tests to see if I could donate were all absolutely fine. I am, by pure luck, a very healthy and fit person, and saw it as my duty to give something back to others who aren’t as lucky. There were lots of tests that had to be done, but I just got on with it. It turned out to be quite a pain to get to Bristol so I asked to move to Dorchester, which they were able to accommodate.
Unfortunately it took nearly three years of work-up before I was deemed ready to donate a kidney, more because of issues with admin than anything else. It was a long time! But I kept on going with it. As it dragged on, my husband told me I didn’t have to keep going. I never had any major surgery before, so I had no idea what to expect. But I wasn’t bothered, I knew I wanted to do it if I was capable of doing so.
I actually forgot to tell my husband that I had put myself forward for donating a kidney until I began my testing. I just didn’t see it as a big decision at all, it was the obvious thing to do, so I didn’t see it as worthy of much of a conversation. He wasn’t happy at all! When we did chat about it, he said he was in full support of my decision, but just would have wanted to know earlier. He was always there for me, but I knew he was worried about me.
The operation was absolutely fine. It really didn’t bother me at all. On the first day I kept getting visitors from all the members of staff on duty because I was the most fun patient! I was 75 at that point. People often say they think they’re too old to donate, so I quickly dismiss that idea.
I was in hospital for two days in total and wasn’t bored at all. I remember being sore but certainly nothing horrible. I’d never been cut open before in my life, so didn’t really know what level of pain to expect.
My husband came to pick me up as I couldn’t drive home myself. I stayed in bed for five days after that to fully heal up. Annoyingly we had a power cut while I was stuck recovering! So no internet, no mobile phone. My husband had to do everything for me.
The strangest feeling I remember was a few days after the operation. I was sitting still, and suddenly felt my organs moving about inside me, as they responded to this new space inside me and found their new place to rest! It was an incredibly odd sensation. By no means painful at all, just very weird.
If someone asked me why you should donate a kidney then I’d say, why not? You certainly have to be a certain type of person to donate an organ. 99% of people I speak to are worried. They may ask, what if my children need a kidney when they’re older, or if I have a problem with my kidneys when I’m older? But in my opinion that’s such a small chance of happening, and even if it did, you’re not guaranteed to be a match for their blood and tissue type. And they do so many tests before you can donate, if you had any kidney issues it would be noticed before you get to the donation.
I am by no means a fearless person. If you put me in an airplane I’d cry the whole way through. But when it came to kidney donation, I didn’t have a single worry. If that sounds like you, why wouldn’t you donate?
Lynn is also a Buddy in the UK Living Kidney Donation Buddy Support Service. Visit our webpage on the service if you would like to speak to her, or someone else who has experience in living kidney donation.
