Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Lori!

My activity level prior to donating was active. I was training for a half-tri and therefore, ran several days a week. I rode my bike most lunchtimes if I could get away from work for a bit and swam early mornings with two girlfriends. I was fortunate to have access to an outdoor pool in my neighborhood. This was my absolute favorite way to start the day. Most mornings, the lanes were empty, and the sun was just shining down on the pool. I started doing yoga in 2013 and took classes in the evening, both in Jersey City and in NYC. I studied at the Yoga Center in New York with a guru by the name of Sir Dharma Mittra.

I am an altruistic donor. At Columbia Presbyterian in NYC, it was up to the recipient to reach out to their donor (post donation) if they so desired. As of today, I have not had any contact with the woman I donated to.

My recovery post-donation was easy. In fact, I only stayed in the hospital two nights before being discharged. I did stay with a friend for several days when I was initially discharged before going back to my own home. I walked daily (albeit slowly) in the community where I lived. It was the summertime, and I really wanted to make an effort to get out and get some sunshine. As far as food, I ate relatively bland foods initially (sandwiches, soups), nothing too heavy. I also wore clothing that was loose and large around my waist. I did feel uncomfortable with anything fitted around my waist because of the stitches and bandages. I was able to shower normally, initially with some help from my friend, however, was pretty self-sufficient.

I would say that within two months, I was back on the treadmill, running a very slow pace, just to get my heart rate up. I did try running outside on the roads, however, noticed that after the run, I would experience some discomfort by the incision area so backed off for several more weeks.

The only hurdle that I experienced were due to the meds during the hospital stay. I would encourage anyone who donates to try to eat solid food while taking the medications in the hospital. It does help with any nausea that you may have. In hindsight, I should have done a better job at eating.

Absolutely not. In fact, when I have had the post-op blood tests to check my creatinine levels, eventually my numbers were those of someone who had two kidneys.

No

A couple of bits of advice: talk to other donors beforehand and be prepared to ask questions. Columbia did provide me with a name of someone who had recently donated. My experience has been that donors are always willing to speak with others that are considering donating. In addition, feel comfortable with your team of doctors. During your first visit, bring someone with you who can take notes, and again, have a list of questions. Finally, if you decide to be an altruistic donor, be comfortable knowing that the person you are donating to may or may not reach out to you. Going through the process, I did think I would be okay not meeting or even having a conversation with the woman I donated to. However, there have been times since my donation that I wish she had reached out. Not to “thank me” but to have a conversation about her recovery, maybe her family, or just to hear this person’s voice. Just something to consider when deciding to become an altruistic donor. Every hospital may have different viewpoints on this topic.

To be honest, I had no fears. This is something that I had wanted to do for many years, it was just a matter of timing and finding the right hospital for me, meaning the team of people that supported my journey. Dr. Ratner and the team that I had supporting me at Columbia were diligent in preparing me beforehand and afterwards.

My personal journey began when a close friend of mine called me one Sunday evening and said that a woman we worked with had posted on Facebook that she had kidney disease and was asking friends to consider getting tested on her behalf. Kathleen had three children all under the age of 14. I immediately said to, Karen, “I’ll get tested” and that’s how my story began. One important note is that this was just at the beginning of Covid.

After having several conversations with Kathleen, I began the testing process at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. My team consisted of Dr. Ratner (the surgeon who would perform the operation), a nephrologist, social worker and PA. I traveled to the city for several months getting the various tests and answering questions, in hopes that I would be Kathleen’s match. Several months later, I was traveling for work when I received the call stating I was not Kathleen’s match. I was heartbroken, this was something I deeply wanted to do for Kathleen and her family.

Several weeks later and out of the blue, I received a call one afternoon from a doctor on the kidney team stating that during their weekly meeting, my name was brought up as a possible altruistic donor for a woman in her mid-70’s. She had been on the “waiting donor list” for several years. The question I was asked was “would you consider being an altruistic donor?,”, followed by “take your time to decide, this is a very big decision”. I knew at that moment that I didn’t need any time, I was absolutely meant to do this and said “yes”. After sitting tight for several days, I received a second call stating that my test results stated that I was a 10 out of a 10 match for this person.

As I mentioned earlier, this was during Covid, therefore, I had to be extremely diligent when going outside, food shopping, doctors’ appointments, and all my regular daily activities. Thankfully, I never did get COVID prior to donating. My donation happened on August 19th, 2020.

In closing, I would encourage anyone who is the least bit interested in donating a kidney to please feel free to reach out to me. I would be so happy to answer questions and provide you with details of my experience. If I could donate my other kidney and live a healthy life, I would do so all over again!