On 21st February I donated one of my kidneys to my sister. Just over 2 weeks on and everything is going well for both of us.

It has been almost a year since we found out my sister would need a kidney donation and when we found out I knew I wanted to get checked to see if I was compatible. There was no hesitation, it’s what big brothers are there to do at the end of the day.

Fortunately all the tests proved I was a suitable match. I had numerous blood tests, a CT scan, pee tests, X-Rays, an ECG, a nuclear dye injection and scan (can’t remember the name of that one) and various examinations. I should probably be glowing due to the amount of radiation I’ve had directed at me.

So all tests proved positive and my kidney was an excellent match. Finally the day of going into hospital arrived after one previous delay and we ‘checked in’ to St Georges hospital in Wimbledon, London. I have to admit to not liking hospitals, but the staff on Bucklands Ward were excellent. Not an unhappy face in sight and all very bubbly and just a bit crazy. An X-Ray and ECG out the way and it was time to put the sexy stockings on that are meant to reduce the chance of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) and try and settle in.

The operation was due at 8.30am on Wednesday morning so we had a night in hospital before the op. All the way through the tests I had not felt nervous, scared or any anxiety towards the op. I don’t know why, maybe because I knew I was helping my sister. I referred to the op as being sliced and diced to anyone that it came up in conversation with and I was always optimistic about it.

After a restless nights sleep, because the hospital ward was too warm and the bed wasn’t long enough for my lanky 6′4″ frame, it was time to be sliced and diced. I was wheeled off to the operating room and into the room where they knock you out (not with a hammer). I don’t remember having to count down once I had the inital injection, I just remember the room going a bit blurry. Now some people say you have the best dreams while under a general anaesthetic, but I don’t remember a thing. I rarely remember my dreams anyway. I woke up after the op in the recovery room and spotted my sister asleep, the surgeons wandered round and said everything had gone really well. So I went back to sleep.

Now, for those of you that don’t know what happens in this type of operation, here is a very unscientific break down.

First I went in to the operating theatre. The technique they use for removing the kidney, providing it only has one main blood vessel going to it, is almost entirely keyhole. There are three incisions made for the keyhole equipment which is a camera, an ultrasonic scalpel thingy and a hook or grabby type thing for moving stuff out the way and assisting with the cutting and sewing up. All very clever. To get the kidney out, an incision is made on my belt line below, about 4 inches below my belly button and about 4 inches long. This is where they take the kidney out from. Considering where the kidney is positioned in the body, it is quite a clever way of doing it. It’s done this way as this position for the main incision causes the least pain in recovery. All good stuff.

When they are happy that my kidney can be removed and is ok to be removed, my sister, in the next operating theatre is opened up, ready to receive the kidney (one careful owner). Now, this is the thing that people don’t realise. They don’t remove any of my sister’s kidneys even though they don’t work and they add the new one in behind her pelvis and plumb it in there. The reason for this is that the pelvis acts as protection for it, it’s easily accessible for the operation and if there are complications further down the line, it’s easy to get to should it need removing or other work done to it. So now my sister has three kidneys, although it’s only really the new one that is doing anything.

So with both procedures complete we are sewn up and that’s it. As my procedure was keyhole, it meant recovery time was minimal. I was actually walking about the morning after the op. I was disconnected from the drip and pee bag and was able to move about. Quite amazing really. There was no real pain so I didn’t even need any pain relief, just the odd paracetamol which don’t really do a great deal anyway. My sister took a little longer to recover as her op was a little more involved, and she had a lot of discomfort initially as she couldn’t get comfortable, but all the tests were very positive and everything was performing as it should.

Friday came and that was the day I was allowed to go home. So two days after having a kidney removed I was able to go home, have a shower, and even better, I could have a beer! Yep, as long as I was sensible, there were no reasons why I couldn’t have a beer. I wasn’t on any medication, I just had to keep drinking water to keep things flushing through.

My sister was allowed home on the Sunday after a big improvement in her comfort and being up and about. So she was home after only 4 days of having a new kidney. Amazing.

So at home, with my parents, is when the boredom really kicks in. Load of rubbish on TV as normal. I couldn’t get out and about straight away as it was still a little uncomfortable moving about. I couldn’t do any photography as the weather was rubbish and I was resisting doing any work too soon. Early nights and puzzle books passed the time along with the extended DVD trilogy version of Lord of the Rings (great films!!!) and Green Wing series 1 & 2 (the funniest thing that has been on TV in a long while).

So now it’s 2 weeks since I’ve been home (well, not my home, my parent’s home) and the discomfort has almost gone and the weather is improving and I can get out and about a little more. I’m getting back into my freelancing web work and am getting better at crosswords.

My sister is still doing fine, all tests looking very good, so hopefully it’s all been a success. There is always the risk that there might be rejection of the kidney, but for now it’s all going well and looks to be good for the future too.

I don’t feel any different than before the op, and as long as keep healthy I won’t notice only having one kidney at all….. which is nice.

If you are, or someone you know is, about to go through this procedure, I am happy to share my thoughts and experience, so just ask. I’m sure my sister will too. As everyone keeps saying to me, it’s a great thing to be able to do for a member of your family or a friend (you don’t have to be related to donate a kidney). I just see it as something I was able to do, and was glad to be able to do it.

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