So I thought it'd be a good idea to think of all the reasons people might not want to donate, and today I'm going to talk about why they don't apply to me. Thank you to everyone who's spoken to me honestly on this topic so far. If you can think of anything that puts you off that I haven't mentioned, I'd love to hear it, please comment or send me a message! It's part of my preparation for the psych assessment so you'd be doing me a massive favour.
1. The operation. Most people wouldn't have an operation under general anaesthetic unless it was a life-threatening situation. Lots of people don't like hospitals. The vast majority of people don't like the idea of being in pain afterwards or being cut open. There is a risk of mortality in any op that involves a general anaesthetic. This is the reason I most understand for not wanting to. I'm not that thrilled about it either, but I work in hospitals and I know the care will be excellent and I'll be well-looked after. Pain is temporary... And after all, the risk I'm taking, as a fit, well, healthy person, is way lower than the risk the recipient is taking by having a general anaesthetic.
2. I might need a spare kidney to give to my child/sibling/parent if they need one. This argument is a bit of a non-starter. First of all, they probably won't need one - after all, how many people do you know who have had a kidney transplant? Anyone? Transplants aren't exactly common. Also, you might not be a tissue match for your child/sibling/parent, in which case they'll still be on a waiting list until an altruistic donor comes along to start the chain. And you might not be a suitable match - chronic kidney disease usually occurs in people aged >65, by the time your child is that age your kidney may not be useful any more. They might be better off with a deceased kidney belonging to someone their age. But most of all, it will probably never happen.
3. I might need it myself. Well, you might. But as you've been screened for every possible risk of kidney disease, your chances are lower than average.
4. The reward isn't worth the risk. Many people would consider donating if a loved one or friend needed a kidney, but feel it's not worth risking it for someone they don't know. I understand this reasoning too. I think it helps I've seen quite a few patients on dialysis. Here's a video about it. The guy in this video is coping really well, lots of people don't. Patients have to go in three days a week, often they feel drained and tired on the day after, so they only get one day a week of feeling 'normal'. A kidney transplant can often mean they're able to return to their usual activities feeling infinitely better. It might be a risk for me, but the reward for them is absolutely huge. I often feel that I'm lucky and this is a way I can share that luck with someone less fortunate at no loss to myself.
5. It might affect my quality of life afterwards. Research suggests people who donate a kidney tend to live longer on average than people the same age and sex who don't. I found this amazing when I first heard it but it's true! It's because donors are screened so thoroughly that any underlying conditions would have been detected and treated. A small minority do have complications, but it really is small (1% ish I think) and the vast majority of those are infections, which do eventually resolve. People have asked me if I will have to stop drinking alcohol - the answer is no. People have asked me if I'll have to stop running - the answer is no. The donors I've met have all told me that it's had no effect on their lives whatsoever. Remember, people are BORN with only one kidney and don't even realise (in fact sometimes potential donors find out during screening that they can't donate for that exact reason)! My kidney function is excellent, so my remaining kidney will cope just fine.
6. I can't afford to take the time off work. (Recovery is 6-8 weeks). This is a reason, but it's not insurmountable. Most companies give you sick leave, and even if not, you are doing something life-changing. Surely it's worth the inconvenience? Would you do it if you were donating to a relative? If so, there's a way around it. You can reclaim travel expenses and other reasonable costs. In my case, I'll have just finished my degree, and am lucky I can afford to have a gap before I start work. Shout out to Mattgreen for making that financially and practically possible.
7. I don't want an ugly scar. This probably matters more if you're young - once I got older and had a child, scars stopped bothering me. I do get it though - I declined to have my BCG aged 15 because I didn't want a scar (!) The operation is laparoscopic (keyhole) so it involves small incisions and a small scar - this just doesn't concern me at all to be honest.
8. Why should I make a sacrifice for someone I don't even know? I don't see it that way. Why should you give money to charity? Why should you speak up if someone's being racist? Why should you give up your seat for a pregnant woman on the bus? The answer is, you don't have to, it's optional, and so is this. It's your life, you choose how you live it, do whatever makes you happy. Helping people is what drives me, it's why I chose my career, it's how I was brought up, it makes me feel like a useful human being. I'm unlikely to ever achieve anything really stellar in my lifetime, but if I manage to help a few people then that's good enough for me. I almost feel like it's an opportunity, I don't care who gets it, I don't care if they never contact me, I'm just glad I can help. I don't think that's brave or inspirational, it's just logical. What's the point of me hanging onto a kidney I don't even need when 300 people die every year waiting for one? How could I not?
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