I remember reading somewhere that someone who needs a kidney transplant would rather live with an older one with lots of mileage than die with their younger malfunctioning one. This rings very true to me. After all, if the kidney still works, why should age of the donor be a factor? Plus, with the extreme organ donation shortage we experience across the world, we shooting ourselves in the foot by eliminating an entire group of potential donors, just because of their age.

When matching organs, particularly kidneys, there is a rule of thumb that doctors like to work with and that’s to have the ages of the donor and the recipient as close together as possible (within 10 years or so), but that’s not always the case because of all the other factors that have to be taken into consideration. Sometimes, they may have a kidney that’s from a 70-year-old, but the only person who matches it completely is someone in his or her 30s.

So, the good news is that new research , published in the most recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine , shows that kidneys from donor who were over 70 years old appeared to be working as well 2 years after transplant as those who were transplanted from donors who were 10 years younger.

I think this is great news for those who really want to be sure that they leave behind a chance for others to live and for those who are waiting to see if they’ll receive such a gift.

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Click here to read more in this organ donation series.

Post from: Blisstree

Age is no barrier for kidney donation

Some donations are done with live donations. Usually, it’s a family member who donates a kidney, or even a piece of the liver now. Once in a while, you hear of strangers, but wait until you hear this one.

A 28-year-old man donated a kidney to a total stranger who was a perfect match. And this started a domino effect that ended up with 10 people getting new kidneys and a new lease on life.

How does this work? It’s a bit complicated and it took me a few minutes using my fingers and counting and the whole bit. The official name of the system is called anonsimultaneous, altruistic, extended donor (NEAD) chain.

Let’s say I needed a transplant and my sister wanted to give me hers, but we weren’t a good match. We’d be matched up with two others in a similar situation, let’s say Joe and Bob. Joe may have a kidney that matches me and donates it to me. My sister’s kidney may match Bob and donates it to him. But, it doesn’t have to be two by two. Using computer systems and tracking those who need organs and those who are willing to donate, a number of combinations can be made.

This story was written up over at CNN, so if you’d like to read more about it, head on over to Donation chain has led to 10 kidney transplants.

Post from: Blisstree

The kidney donation domino effect

Now it’s 2009, his wife is suing him for divorce, and Batista wants his kidney back…..or the sum of $1.5 million. Mrs. Batista filed for divorce, back in 2005, 4 years after the kidney donation and transplant. Dr. Batista alleges that his wife had an affair – that’s the reasoning for his demand. He claims that the affair was conducted with Dawnell’s phyiscal therapist.  Mrs. Batista denies having the affair and she’s seeking a gag order, because the way that the case is playing out in the public – Dr. Batista held a press conference – is hurting and embarrassing the couple’s 3 young daughters.

Jill Stone, the law guardian for the couple’s three daughters – ages 14, 11 and 8 – also requested a gag order, saying the media blitz has embarrassed the girls and made it hard for them to go to school.

Richard Batista’s lawyer, Dominic Barbara, said the surgeon was “godlike” for giving his kidney to his wife.

He said his client has the right to speak publicly about what he has been through.

“He wants to tell the world what happened in this case because it’s a tragedy,” the lawyer said. “This is a man who put his life on the line, and his wife treated him like a piece of dirt, garbage.”

This does sound like a very sad case and I can understand the man’s anger about the end of his marriage, but I cannot see how he thinks he will come out the winner here. His marriage ended almost 4 years ago and at some point it would be healthy for him to let go and move on. An affair sucks, yes, but she is the mother of his children – she is not a simple acquaintance. Even if they are no longer partners in marriage, they are still partners in parenting. 

I am divorced. I have 3 children. My ex-husband has paid child support probably six times in the 16 years since we split. My ex-husband slept with my ex-best friend. My ex-husband charged 4 tires and rims to his new girlfriend less than two weeks after he left our home on our joint account. I could go on and on…… My ex-husband was not a good husband and that’s why he is my EX husband. Can you imagine what a mess I would be if I held onto my anger for all of these years?  It wouldn’t hurt him – it would hurt me. And my kids.

I hope that Dr. Batista backs off this kidney claim. I hope that he remembers that when he did it, he did it to save the life of his partner. That was a generous and noble thing to do and I feel that it’s unfortunate that he chose to dishonor that move in this way. 

I keep thinking about what will happen after this is settled and the story dies down. How will Dr. Batista’s daughters feel about their parents?  How will this color how they make future decisions about their own personal relationships?  Does his anger give him the right to hurt the girls in this way?  Is he justified in doing this?  When a family breaks up, it’s horrible. I can remember feeling like a crazy person for a whole year after my marriage split and letting go was honestly the healthiest thing that I have ever done.

Hurting Mrs. Batista, it’s not going to make him feel better in the long run, not when he stops to look at the damage he’s left in his wake. 

Steve, my last man, is still angry at his ex-wife and it’s been 5 years since his marriage broke up due to an affair. He’s actively mad at her, all the time. He sees decisions that she makes, for example moving, as a way to get back at him. He honestly believes that she moved so that he would have to drive farther to pick up the kids on his weekends.  I find it so odd and unhealthy the way he holds onto that anger. It does not hurt her. It hurts him. Maybe if he would stop seeing the world as something that is against him, he’d allow himself to find some lasting happiness.

Post from: Blisstree

Give Me Back My Kidney – Angry Husband Wants His Kidney Returned In Divorce Settlement