How Sully Is Rocking 1 Kidney

Purpose in Life         

It was harder for me to define the purpose then to identify the task. That was the case at the age of 57 when I became an altruistic donor and is now the case as I put pen to paper. I knew that donating was the right thing to do, but I never gave much thought as to why it was the right thing to do. I wanted to share my experience, but for what reason? So after a little over a year, I offer my story to enable both an awareness of living donation and hopefully a future bond with brothers/sisters that I have yet to meet.

I hope that my experience reaches those that are exhausted and might feel helpless in the fight against kidney disease. Additionally, I hope that it reaches those that are simply waiting to be in the right place at the right time.

A Family Effect

My heart breaks for those that have experienced the effects of kidney disease, both as a patient and as a caregiver. Kidney failure is more than four hours of dialysis three days a week. The other 20 each day often expose a quality of life that is in a downward spiral. Spouses and children feel helpless and scared.

Life Changed

I had never been exposed to end-stage renal disease before my spouse was diagnosed in 1997. Dialysis began in 2001 followed by a transplant in 2002 from her sister. That transplant unexpectedly failed and she began dialysis again in Jan 2017. This time there was no direct match. I realize now that it was not by chance that I learned of living donation through the University of Washington. Having witnessed her go through this once before, living donation was the lifeline for our family. My spouse received a kidney from a non-directed donor in April of 2019 and both are doing very well. I became a non-directed donor in January of 2020 and have never met my recipient, but I believe that was the spiritual intent all along.

The Journey 

Prior to surgery, I never gave much thought to donating because we were in survival mode. After surgery, I was focused on recovery. I felt fairly recovered after a year when something unexpectedly was loaded in my rucksack. That something was asking me why I became a living donor. The answer seemed easy: it was to help my spouse. Although correct in every aspect, I discovered that there was something more to the answer.

Purpose in Life      

I learned that help is an important task along the journey, but having to answer the question of why was the start to understanding and fulfilling a purpose in life. Living donation has enabled a beautiful spiritual journey. We have the opportunity deliver the kindness in mankind and exercise humanity as part of the human race. Do we risk our moral existence by not seeing and helping those is need?

So how am I Rocking 1 Kidney? Unexpectedly, I have come to appreciate that nothing in life is simply a coincidence. Living donation has enabled me to unlearn life and for that I am grateful.

To those that are still fighting for a loved one, please reach out when needed and know that that there is hope.

To those that are contemplating living donation, just look up because we are already in the right place at the right time.

My hat is off to Jen Reeder for her vision with Rock 1 Kidney. With humility and respect, I say “Thank You” for the opportunity to share my story.

— Sully