If you don’t know anything about me, then you probably have no idea that I am a Living Kidney Donor. I gave away my kidney at the quick lube…but more on that story another time!
I donated my kidney altruistically in 2013 at Memorial Hermann Transplant Center in Houston, Texas. My recipient is still doing great, ten years later…with a beautiful new wife and numerous grandchildren that he might not have lived to see were it not for his new kidney.
But my donation didn’t just change his life, it changed mine in such huge ways! Not in bad ways, the only big change I can think of from donating is that I can’t take NSAID pain relievers, but that’s nothing, really, compared to what donation has given me. Throughout the entire donation process, I was in absolute awe of my transplant coordinator, Helen. All I knew was that I wanted to do her job one day.
I don’t think it was on the first visit because I had a giant migraine from fasting and anxiety that I could hardly think, but I started right away asking Helen how I could do what she does. She talked about nursing school, ICU work, and so much more. I was nearly 40 and had dropped out of college when I was young to have kids, what in the world was I thinking!?
I did my research, lived a little life, learned that we don’t have any transplant centers where I live but that Organ Procurement Organizations are everywhere and I could get involved with mine, LifeGift, as an Ambassador of Hope – what we call our volunteers – right away. So literally as soon as I got home from the hospital, I called LifeGift and signed up as a volunteer.
THAT is where I learned about the Transplant Games of America!!!
The Transplant Games are kind of like the Olympics, but for Transplant Recipients, Living Donors, and Transplant Family Members. There are things for the general public, but the event spreads awareness about donation and shows, with living proof, that recipients and donors can live full, healthy, amazing lives post donation!
I have been talking about the games since 2013. I have been training since December of 2022. Today, I finally registered!!
I was tempted to only sign up for the 5k race, since it is my first one, but I have been training for the 20k. I have zero delusions of winning, but I am planning to do my absolute best and have a wonderful time doing it!!
So, here we go…Birmingham or BUST!!!
Until our next adventure, keep wandering and wondering!! 🌟