2 years and 5 months. That's when I was on my waitlist for my kidneys at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. But it seems more eternal when it's a kind of list that decides whether you're going to live or die.
I was diagnosed with renal failure at the age of 29 due to a rare disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Since then, I have spent 10 hours each night connecting to a machine that removes toxins that my kidneys can't remove. Peritoneal dialysis keeps me alive, but I am not alive.
Patients with renal failure can only withstand dialysis long before dialysis stops functioning. The only real treatment for kidney failure is to get a kidney transplant. But there is one problem. The weight list for cadaveric kidneys is long. It's really long. In the Chicago area, kidney patients can be expected to wait 6-8 years for their names to be called.
When I first got sick I thought I didn't have to wait for the cadaveric kidneys because I had no problem finding a living donor. Several of my family were tested as well as several strangers who responded to my Facebook plea. Unfortunately, all of them either fell out or were removed somewhere along the way.
After a while I realized that finding someone brave enough to donate my kidneys could be more difficult than I thought.
Over the years and months, my health has deteriorated even further. I'm worried that I won't survive waiting. And while I wait, my life is on hold in many ways. Everyday activities have left me breathless and my weakness and lack of energy have driven me to small part-time jobs. It was tough to see my peers pass me in life. If you have a kidney transplant one day, you don't have any major plans to climb Mount Everest or swim with a shark. Really, what I want is to do normal things like normal people of my age – 31.
At this point there is an end 91,000 Others on the same boat as me. Because it's over 170 million People may think that they are registered organ donors in the US and that there is enough supply to meet demand. However, in reality, the kidneys of a corpse are rarely transplanted. A person must die while receiving ventilated support or from brain death. Deaths should generally occur within the hospital environment as well. In 2024, this just happened 20,000 The era.
The deceased organ donation program never resolves the kidney waiting list. And while researchers are on the way to research Xenotransplantation – Human transplant of animal kidneys – US Food and Drug Administration only Recently approved First clinical trial test for such a procedure. We need more live donors urgently. After all, humans only need one kidney to survive. For the kidney donor, his or her remaining kidneys will be sized twice to compensate. This will work as normal and allow you to enjoy your normal lifespan. Unfortunately, donations of living kidneys are even rarer than donations of deceased kidneys. It's a little bit every year 6,000 Kidney transplants are completed through livelihood donations.
I want to clarify the points of interest surrounding the donation process:
- What if I need my kidneys later? You will be subject to a rigorous test. If there is concern that kidney removal will have a negative effect on your health now or later, the surgery will not be approved. In an unlikely event, if a second kidney is required later, it will be placed at the top of the kidney transplant waitlist.
- How concentrated is the surgery? Surgery is currently performed laparoscopically to reduce the risk of complications and the length of recovery.
- Who will pay? Kidney Patient Insurance covers the cost of testing and surgery for live donor applicants.
- Do you regret donating your kidneys? According to the survey, 9 out of 10 Live kidney donors say they will donate again if possible.
I would like to acknowledge that to become a living kidney donor, some degree of socioeconomic privilege is required. This is something I can't explain. But for those in a position to take on the process, you may wonder, “Is this really something I can do?” Please tell me: Yes. It can make a difference.
Nicole Leonard is a social worker and librarian living in Lakemoor. She lives with end-stage renal disease.
Sun Times welcomes letters to the editor and op-ed. Please see the guidelines.
The opinions and opinions expressed by contributors are unique and do not necessarily reflect the views of SunTime in Chicago or its affiliates.
