The Most Precious Gift
When Gill Redmond’s husband became ill for want of a new kidney, she realised she had the solution to the problem…
Last summer, I gave my husband, Mark, one of my kidneys. “At the age of 51, Mark was seriously ill with kidney failure. He’d always been a very fit guy and it was a shock to see him sleeping on the sofa for up to 13 hours a day.
“Mark had been diagnosed with Berger’s Syndrome, a kidney condition, in 1995, when he was aircrew in the Royal Air Force. At that stage, it didn’t affect him but seven years later, he experienced a drop in kidney function and, from then on, it became difficult for his kidneys to flush out toxins.
“As the condition progressed, I noticed a massive change in Mark and so did our daughters, 18-year-old Neve and 15-year-old Katie-Anne. He was even too tired to take our dog for a short walk.
“Mark’s condition deteriorated until his doctors told him that his only chance of survival was a kidney transplant, ideally using a kidney donated by a sibling. However, as Mark’s an only child, his name was added to the transplant list and he was told he’d have to undergo dialysis until a suitable kidney came along.
“We had a serious problem but I had the solution – my kidney. After checking that my blood group was compatible and that the transplant surgery would not be detrimental to my health, the doctors at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary gave the go-ahead.
“I was very excited. I wanted them to wheel me in immediately, whip out my kidney and enable our family life and my lovely husband to return to normal.
“However, Mark wasn’t so keen. He didn’t want to put me through any unnecessary suffering or place me at risk.
“Thankfully, the renal team at the hospital explained to Mark what was involved and stressed that, as I was fit and healthy, the
“The girls and I named him Tigger as he was bouncing all over the place”
risks, other than those associated with general anaesthetic, were negligible.
“We were scheduled for transplant surgery in August but a rapid deterioration in Mark’s condition led to this being brought forward.
“I went in to the operating
theatre at 8.30am and came out three and a half hours later minus a kidney. Mark was wheeled in at 12.30pm and the transplant procedure was completed.
“When I came round from the anaesthetic, my surgeon told me that, as far as they could tell, the transplant had been a success. That was a wonder ful relief – and I knew Mark was definitely on the mend when one of the nurses told me he kept harassing them to find out how I was doing.
“When we were moved into the same ward, it was great to see my husband with all this newfound energy. The girls and I named him Tigger as he was bouncing around all over the place!
“One week later, we were discharged from hospital and returned home. Since then, I’ve not noticed any difference from having one less kidney and Mark is doing incredibly well. All his vitality and enthusiasm has returned and we’re currently renovating our house, which involves knocking walls down and digging ditches.
“Mark’s not quite back to
his previous level of fitness but he’s working on it. That’s one reason we’re doing the Etape Loch Ness, a 60-mile cycle ride which raises funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and other good causes.
“Training is going well. This time last year, Mark couldn’t drive 60 miles without stopping so undertaking this 60-mile cycle ride along hilly roads around Loch Ness will show just how much difference his new kidney has made.
“That’s the other reason we’re doing this cycle ride – to highlight the shortage of organ donors and encourage people to sign up to the organ donation register. We’ve witnessed the incredible difference living organ donation can make, while one deceased person’s organs can save seven other people. What a legacy.
“We’re really looking forward to the Loch Ness Etape. We don’t want to do it in a record time. We just want to get through it – together. That’s how we tackle everything.”
To find out more about the Etape Loch Ness, visit WWW.ETAPELOCHNESS.COM