It Takes a Village To Donate a Kidney

      

To see the world in a grain of sand, and to see heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hands, and eternity in an hour.   -William Blake

I have not donated a kidney yet, but just going through this process has required the cooperation and patience of at least a dozen people:

My three kids who have been very patient with me about donating the kidney.  My son was even willing to forgo our Drive Across America (to drive him to college) this summer if it turned out that the best timing to donate conflicted with the dates of our trip. My ten year old was with me for Cross Match Test (number two) on what was supposed to be a Mother Daughter Day....my other daughter has endured many bus rides because I was not going to be in there in time to pick her up.

My husband has alternated between being worried, scared and amused by all of the things that have happened these several months of testing, and he stays supportive, patient and loving through every minute of it.  It is hard to be the one watching someone else go through something and not be able to fix it.  Especially if you are a man! 

My bosses at work who have allowed me to go for testing and blood testing again and again....

The health and wellness coordinator at work, who not only donated a kidney himself, but encouraged everyone that could possibly donate to try to donate a kidney, first for our co-worker and then to remain "on the list" as an altruistic donor.

My friends, who have been excellent listeners along the way...especially a good neighbor whose husband has received a kidney and a Facebook friend who is waiting for a kidney.

No one donates a kidney on their own.  Lots of people make lots of little and not so little sacrifices in order for all of this to work.  People worry and wonder.  They learn.  They think.

The people at the transplant team, who must always listen and encourage and keep trying to coordinate all of these tests, and all of these people, are professionals working in a field that is fairly new to most people, unusual, and changing....

Today on my iPod the song "Hands and Feet" by Audio Adrenaline came on.  The words go something like this "I wanna be your hands, I wanna be your feet, I will go where you send me, go where you send me..."  that song reminds me that the biggest help of all has been the life that allows me to do this due to the spirituality provided by the lordship of Christ, (I am very clear that people from all faiths, paths and views are participants in living organ donation but I happen to be a Christian) and the endless stream of events that helped me make this decision. 

(I tried making up words that had to do with "give up one kidney" but it just will not come together for me. Okay, actually it does, but I will not admit to singing "I will be your hands, I will be your feet, I will donate a kidney, donate a kidney..." ) 

 Everyone trying to donate a kidney needs a whole list of team players in their day to day life, who picked up the slack, encouraged, forgave and loved them through this process.  Thanks, everybody.