Page 50 - More than a match

A RECIPIENT’S PERSPECTIVE

OF A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT

uch has been written about living donation from a donor’s
Mperspective, but I also want to give readers a recipient’s
perspective on how having a life-saving transplant can transform a

life. I called Carol, whom I met at my first appointment, and asked if I
could include her story for the book. She gladly gave her permission.

CAROL’S STORY
I had been diagnosed as having kidney failure in 2000. For
eight years, I experienced a slow but steady decline in my kidney
function. During this time, I was working as a head of year teacher

in a girls’ secondary school. In 2008, I went on dialysis. Up until
then, I generally felt well and functioned normally except for being
constantly tired. I was on a low-protein, no salt diet for the last two
years and I think that helped delay my kidney failure for perhaps
up to a year. I was on haemodialysis for two years prior to my
transplant. I struggled at first and was very, tearful, depressed and
irritable and I actually hated it. The worst part of dialysis was
realizing that my life had completely changed. I had dialysis three
days a week for about four hours each time, usually after teaching;

this meant most evenings I was shattered. I missed days off work.

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