Meet a Donor - Story #1: Andy
My good friend & neighbor put me in contact with Andy, a donor who had some great perspective...
1. To whom did you donate, and what was your prior relationship?
I worked with Jeffrey at a financial firm. When I changed firms, I kept in touch to try to recruit him along. We are also both Cubs fans and talked about that a lot.
2. What motivated you to donate?
When we worked together, one day the whole Chicago office got an email about a guy named Doug who was taking a few days off to donate. I remember saying to myself "Some day if someone needed me to donate, would I do that? Yes." To me it was sort of like asking myself that question we all ask: "If I saw someone drowning, would I jump in and help?" So, when the time came, I remembered that internal conversation. Initially I had planned to donate to a woman named Marni (who also needed a pancreas) and she took a cadaver donation (needing more than just a kidney).
I contacted Jeffrey, who I had in the meantime heard had kidney failure, and was on dialysis. I suspect he thought I had Cubs news when I called him one day, but I said, "You have a few minutes?"
3. Did you have any doubts or fears?
Not really. I'm kind of a risk taker and tough guy. But donation is easy and painless.
4. What was the process leading up to donation?
I had to go to a center at Northwestern Hospital, which had a very successful, growing program. I peed in a cup and did some other tests.
5. Where was the surgery performed?
Northwestern Hospital, downtown Chicago. March 16th, 2012. I got out the next day on St. Patrick's Day. Went home and took a nap though.
6. What was the surgery experience like?
Easy. Out the next day.
7. What was the recovery like?
Pretty easy. For a week or two I wanted to take a lot of naps. I couldn't work out for 8 weeks as a precaution, so I walked a lot.
8. Any other reflections on your experience?
Sometimes I feel like I have good karma b/c of it. I used to work in financial services and business. Now I'm a sportswriter, and get to interview a lot of famous athletes. Abby emailed me the other day, when I was on a trip to the Bahamas to cover golf.
1. To whom did you donate, and what was your prior relationship?
I worked with Jeffrey at a financial firm. When I changed firms, I kept in touch to try to recruit him along. We are also both Cubs fans and talked about that a lot.
2. What motivated you to donate?
When we worked together, one day the whole Chicago office got an email about a guy named Doug who was taking a few days off to donate. I remember saying to myself "Some day if someone needed me to donate, would I do that? Yes." To me it was sort of like asking myself that question we all ask: "If I saw someone drowning, would I jump in and help?" So, when the time came, I remembered that internal conversation. Initially I had planned to donate to a woman named Marni (who also needed a pancreas) and she took a cadaver donation (needing more than just a kidney).
I contacted Jeffrey, who I had in the meantime heard had kidney failure, and was on dialysis. I suspect he thought I had Cubs news when I called him one day, but I said, "You have a few minutes?"
3. Did you have any doubts or fears?
Not really. I'm kind of a risk taker and tough guy. But donation is easy and painless.
4. What was the process leading up to donation?
I had to go to a center at Northwestern Hospital, which had a very successful, growing program. I peed in a cup and did some other tests.
5. Where was the surgery performed?
Northwestern Hospital, downtown Chicago. March 16th, 2012. I got out the next day on St. Patrick's Day. Went home and took a nap though.
6. What was the surgery experience like?
Easy. Out the next day.
7. What was the recovery like?
Pretty easy. For a week or two I wanted to take a lot of naps. I couldn't work out for 8 weeks as a precaution, so I walked a lot.
8. Any other reflections on your experience?
Sometimes I feel like I have good karma b/c of it. I used to work in financial services and business. Now I'm a sportswriter, and get to interview a lot of famous athletes. Abby emailed me the other day, when I was on a trip to the Bahamas to cover golf.
9. What would you say to someone considering donation?
It's very easy. If you are at risk (later health considerations, diabetes, etc) doctors will not let you donate anyhow. Plus, it's not often that you have the opportunity to save someone's life and improve their ability to live.
Andy also wrote a story for the Chicago Tribune about a friend who approached him when he said he was scheduled to donate. Andy said it had a fun angle b/c Chris is a Cubs fan and the 5 year old recipient was a White Sox fan. Read Andy's Article Here
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