In addition to caring for our individual selves, we can help improve the overall health of our entire community. If we make the effort to educate ourselves about donating vital substances while living (blood, bone marrow) and vital tissues upon our ascension- our collective health will improve many times over. Check out the information from our Health Channel Sponsor The California Transplant Donor Network...and improve the health of an entire community!
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Ric Bussey, 27 yr old Kidney Recipient
At 27 yrs, I was a strong, healthy, and vibrant young man who felt invincible. Then, after a routine doctors visit, my physician uttered a phrase I would never forget, "Uh oh." Deep down, I knew something was wrong.
He had viewed my lab results and something serious had stood out. My creatinine level had risen. “Creatinine clearance” being a measurement of kidney function. Based on this test, my doctor ordered a kidney biopsy. I remember the procedure was quick but it required an overnight hospital stay as a small percentage of patients hemorrhage after this procedure!
The biopsy results indicated I had focal sclerosis of the kidneys. Basically, my kidneys had developed scarring and would deteriorate over the years to where the kidneys would not sufficiently filter my blood properly. I would someday have to have dialysis and then, ultimately, a transplant!
I was in disbelief! Shocked, would better describe my feelings as I had always felt as healthy as a horse. I had been an athlete all my life and had taken good care of myself. I never felt sick! It was a mistake! I was sure of it.
Nine years passed and finally my kidneys had failed. My nephrologists said, "It's time" meaning dialysis would begin. Dialysis is one of mankind’s greatest inventions! Not only is it a lifesaver, its painless in most cases. You’re hooked up to a machine (via needles) and your blood is then filtered and put back into your body.
The drawback is that it takes lots of time. Treatments are 3 times each week for up to 4 hours each run. This cuts into your day or evening and if you work, can lead to very long days. There isn’t much choice except ultimately a kidney transplant.
Initially, I didn't take to the idea of a transplant. It wasn’t something I ever thought of before. I didn’t have enough information on it!
I knew there were ways of getting a transplant. I could receive organs from:
- a deceased person.
- a living donor, meaning someone living whose blood and tissue types closely matched mine.
I didn't feel good about approaching friends or family about donating their kidneys to me. I felt it was selfish for me to ask and besides, dialysis was suitable for the time being.
After gathering information on transplantation for two years, I decided to sign up for a transplant. (I remember thinking that I should have signed up immediately because if I wasn't ready for the transplant when they called, I could have always turned it down)