My experience of being a live kidney donor
Dennis Carver
I first heard about altruistic, or non-directed, live kidney donation on a radio interview, and thought what a marvellous gift that was. That was almost a decade ago. I was still working full-time, so my thoughts didn’t translate into anything at the time, but the seed had been sown. What I was doing was donating blood regularly, which was still something, but that dried up eventually because my iron levels fell below the required number, three times in a row.
I then became semi-retired, so began thinking more seriously about live kidney donation. In late 2019 I put thoughts into action and contacted the Oxford Transplant Centre at Churchill Hospital to start the process of donating - but it wasn’t as straightforward as it should have been. Over the period up to late February 2020, I underwent numerous tests to determine my suitability, was informed that I had been accepted as a potential donor and told I would likely go into the late April pool. Then disaster struck. I fell off my bicycle, was taken into hospital with a fractured pelvis and discharged on 23rd March, the first day of the first ever lockdown. Patients were being ejected wherever possible as the hospital cleared the decks for Covid-19 patient admissions.
A month later, my brother died from the virus, making 2020 one of the worst years I can remember. In the interim I was informed in writing that the transplant centre was not proceeding with live donations in May as planned. Just as well, I was in neither a physical nor emotional condition to go ahead. Spring rolled on into summer, and whilst my pelvis healed very well, my state of mind was not where it should be, so when I was contacted again in August about going into the September pool, I explained what had happened and declined. However, by the time my nurse called me again in November 2020, I felt OK to go into the January pool. Again, Covid-19 intervened, until finally in April 2021, I felt ready to be included in the pool starting in May. Being double vaccinated helped.
By this time, all my tests were more than 12 months old, so it was up to Oxford again for more. Tiresome, but essential, not only for whoever would receive my kidney, but for me too. I obviously passed, because I was informed in May that I would be having the operation early in June, but for some reason which I have never queried, it was postponed. Finally, in early July I was given a date for the procedure of 2nd August, with a pre-op on 21st July. As I write this, it’s D-Day + 4 (that’s Donation Day, by the way). I was discharged on the 4th, and am recuperating at home, supported by my wife of 50 years. I have some discomfort, but I wouldn’t call it excruciating pain, nowhere near as debilitating as a fractured pelvis, and nothing that can’t be managed with simple paracetamol; I can sit back now and reflect on the whole business.
I haven’t told many people about what I’ve done, it’s something personal to me, but those who do know, including the medical staff at the Churchill, have all been so grateful, even when they are not directly affected, or benefiting personally in any way. I have been asked many times in the vetting process, and by a handful of close friends, why I decided to do it. In 2013, I was rattling the charity tin connected with a marathon cycle ride from Rome to London and one person asked me why I was doing it, especially at my age, and I answered, “because I can”.
I feel the same way about this donation. I have been blessed with good health and a supportive if not somewhat concerned family. I won’t say that life’s been good (though it has), and I want to give something back, because that sounds like a bit of a cliché, and in reality, I’ve not always been that selfless. If you haven’t guessed already, I like an adventure. Since giving up full time work, I’ve sky-dived from 15,000 feet, I’ve trekked to Everest Base Camp (for my 70th birthday) and walked across England in 10 days following Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast path. Fifty years ago, I flew supersonic in an English Electric Lightning jet fighter and a year later I had the controls of a four-engine successor to the Avro Lancaster. So, in terms of adventure, how could I top that? I think I finally have.
If you are able, and willing of course, to follow my path in donating a kidney, you will be giving someone, and it doesn’t matter who, a new life. One not requiring dialysis three times a week, or even worse, having no life at all. It’s a wonderful gift, truly the gift of life, and it’s in your hands to make that gift.
Follow this link for more information about becoming a living donor
