Page 23 - More than a match
P. 23
Evaluation to Assessment
type matching is more likely when people are closely related.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Blood pressure is monitored at several stages during the donor
assessment process as high blood pressure can cause kidney damage
and this might make you unsuitable to be a kidney donor.
Urine Sample
Urine samples are tested for the presence of bacteria, glucose,
protein and blood to see if there is any infection or signs in the urine
of an underlying kidney problem.
My nurse also explained that during the thorough testing, the
kidney unit might discover that I was not a suitable donor, and I
would need to prepare myself for the disappointment of not being
able to help my brother. Whilst in Lagos with my mum for my dad’s
burial, I received an email saying my preliminary blood tests results
were back. I had a compatible blood group and was an excellent
tissue match for my brother (6 out of 6). Hooray! This meant I could
proceed with the donor assessment.
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More than a match book V9.indd 13 15/6/13 6:36:29 pm