What About the "New" Transplant Rules?

I am not an expert on this, but after reading several articles, I think I am understanding the situation.

The current system for the kidney transplant waiting list is first come, first serve.  This basically means that whoever is waiting for a kidney the longest, gets the kidney that comes along first.  This is specifically related to deceased donor kidneys. 

The new system that is under proposal right now would modify that system, making decisions about how one gets a kidney based more on age and the expectations of post transplant survival.  That means that some people waiting a long time may not get a kidney when a person waiting a short time may get the kidney.

With the current system, there have been cases where young people received an "older" kidney, so they had a transplant that did not last very long and ended up back in line, back on dialysis, when that older kidney went kaput too soon.  Those people would have been better served waiting longer in the first place for a younger kidney that would work for them for a long time. 

On the other hand, older people waiting a long time, may receive a young kidney, under the current system, even though they would have been equally well served by receiving a kidney from a much older person.

If I had a young person in my life that needed a kidney, I would be very upset if some older person received one before they did, but at the same time, it is important for older people to get that transplant too.  An older recipient is someone over fifty.  Many people over fifty have similar life situations to someone half their age, like kids at home, a career and so on and certainly have many years to continue living.

Remember, this recent news is about deceased donor kidneys.  Living donors can benefit all different groups, and especially people within their age range.  It does not bother me at all that I could not donate to a young person.  It only makes sense that my kidney is not brand new.  I know how many beers, diet Cokes and coffee I ran through that thing!  

I also know that more and more people are becoming educated about living donation and that donors will continue to increase.  If I heard it once, I heard it at least 15 times from the nurses, aides and others at the hospital: "We are seeing more and more living donors who did not know their recipient."

Remember, if there are more kidneys in the game, there is less "rationing".  Just imagine a game of musical chairs, but chairs are taken out AND added in, with everyone getting to play a lot longer.

Hang in there!  I love you for reading and caring!