Hi! I am Lynnette and I have lived in Raleigh, NC, for nine years. My cousin, who is also my kidney recipient, inspired me to become a living donor. Giving the gift of life is a very humbling experience. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Because my cousin lived in another state, I traveled away from home for my donation and stayed there to recover.
The day of our surgery was surreal. I remember every detail like it was an out of body experience. As a donor, the hospital treats you as royalty. I received the utmost care and attention. Even with a smooth recovery, however, I was surprised how long it took to regain energy. I am grateful for all of the support I received from others, as I needed help with my small children to pull off an out-of-state surgery.
I would recommend to anyone thinking about donation to be in the best physical shape and overall health well before donation and maintain this afterwards—recovery is much easier when your physical health is good! I also recommend having a support network in place to help care for you and your family. I could have not done this without my husband, children, friends, and family. Having them around to celebrate is the best! My cousin has been a rock. Having our relationship strengthened has been a blessing.
I strongly encourage anyone interested to become a living donor. There is truly nothing like it!
