Nuo is the gift of a lifetime, I received from my brave mom. From the day she learnt that I will need a kidney transplant, she was the one most open to do one of the greatest humanitarian act of donating one of her organs.
None of us were however, too excited because we was concerned about her age - even the doctors were. We were not sure if she will be fit enough to donate and more importantly, be able to lead a healthy life post donation.
Universally, doctors statistically rate the success rates of a kidney transplant as follows:
Interestingly enough many of my family members shared the same blood group as me - O+
Yet after series of tests and stress, turned out Nuo was meant to be the one.
Call it her determination to help me/ her destiny/ despite some concerns owing to her age, the transplant team decided to clear my mom to be the donor for me.
Her/ Nuo's age at the time of transplant - 69 years old falls under the category of being a 'marginal donor.'
The flip sides of receiving a kidney from a marginal donor is, it might take longer to function normally post transplant, the function might not be optimum and of course the longevity would be something to think about.
Faced with the option to begin dialysis or doing a 'pre-emptive' transplant and my mother being the only option for me, we decided to go ahead with the transplant and give Nuo a new role in life - in a new place which hopefully it will eventually like and call home.
None of us were however, too excited because we was concerned about her age - even the doctors were. We were not sure if she will be fit enough to donate and more importantly, be able to lead a healthy life post donation.
Universally, doctors statistically rate the success rates of a kidney transplant as follows:
- Twin siblings
- Siblings with same blood group
- Parents with same blood group
- Cousins with same blood group
- Others (un-related and/or distant relatives) with same blood group
- Altruistic donor with different blood group - yes this is possible but involves a lot of complications.
Interestingly enough many of my family members shared the same blood group as me - O+
Yet after series of tests and stress, turned out Nuo was meant to be the one.
Call it her determination to help me/ her destiny/ despite some concerns owing to her age, the transplant team decided to clear my mom to be the donor for me.
Her/ Nuo's age at the time of transplant - 69 years old falls under the category of being a 'marginal donor.'
The flip sides of receiving a kidney from a marginal donor is, it might take longer to function normally post transplant, the function might not be optimum and of course the longevity would be something to think about.
Faced with the option to begin dialysis or doing a 'pre-emptive' transplant and my mother being the only option for me, we decided to go ahead with the transplant and give Nuo a new role in life - in a new place which hopefully it will eventually like and call home.
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