He wiped my tears away and said “It’s going to be OK, Mom. You gave me life, I can spare you a kidney.”
I wanted to see him. I wanted to see him with my own grateful eyes and see for myself that he was OK. He too had been through a long surgery. He was young, healthy, and strong, and I had no doubt he would be just fine, but you know moms—we have to see for ourselves that our children are safe. That never changes, no matter how old they are.
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He changed my life forever that day. He made the ultimate sacrifice to save me from a life full of fatigue, nausea, and dietary restrictions. He saved me from feeling like I wasn’t really living, that instead I was merely existing. He saved me from countless hours of necessary medical treatment every other day, four hours a day, for years to come. On May 15, 2007, my son donated a kidney to me.
The wait on the National Organ Donor List was five to eight years. My son had come to me and said he wanted to be tested to see if he was a match. I cried. I told him I didn’t want him to take on my burden; I wanted him to live his life. I assured him I would be OK as long as I continued with my dialysis.
Wasn’t it yesterday that I was holding him in my arms, rocking him, telling him everything was going to be OK after he’d taken a spill on his bike?
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I will never forget what he did. He took my 98-pound frail body up into his arms, wiped my tears away and said, “It’s going to be OK, Mom. You gave me life, I can spare you a kidney.”
His eyes were twinkling. Wasn’t it yesterday that I was holding him in my arms, rocking him, telling him everything was going to be OK after he’d taken a spill on his bike?
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Today, at 59 years old, I’m healthy as can be. I live a normal and happy life.. He’s happy and healthy as well. We always had a special bond, but now it’s even stronger. We celebrate together every year.
We do as much as we can to bring awareness to others about organ donation. It truly is giving the gift of life.
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We do as much as we can to bring awareness to others about organ donation. It truly is giving the gift of life. Great strides have been made since we had our operations. One major advance is that the donor kidney can be removed laparoscopically leaving virtually no scar, and offering the donor a shorter recovery time.
The test to determine a viable candidate is done with a simple blood sample. If the match is good, there’s a screening process to ensure the donor is fully aware of what he or she will experience. There is an opportunity to ask any questions; the procedure is simpler than most people realize, and this is why it’s so important raise awareness.
I treat this kidney as the gift. I eat well, exercise and most of all, I live my life in the light of gratitude. I’m grateful I can lead a full, normal, and healthy life, but mostly I’m grateful for a son who loves his mama so much, he literally sacrificed a part of himself to save her.
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Bless him and all those who are living donors or are signed up to be organ donors. In my opinion, no greater gift exists than the gift of life. I’m living proof. For more information on organ donation, head here.
This article was originally published on The Mighty as When My Son Made What I Consider The Ultimate Sacrifice For Me.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Oh Mary! I just love this story so much. What an incredible bond the two of you have! I’m SO thankful he gave you the gift of a healthy and full life!!