My story as an anonymous kidney donor and my plea for your help

Back2Beastiality

I love how one cynical idiot can come post some random conspiracy with absolutely no payoff for the "scammer" and completely turn the tide on this guy who did something extremely nice.

CrispyPickles

The response you are receiving on Reddit is very disheartening to me. I know this comment will have people accusing me of naivete, but you know what? I don't care. I'd rather believe that there are people like you out there, OP, who would donate a kidney to an anonymous person and then raise money for ACL (with absolutely no real-life benefit to himself (Newsflash, Reddit community: Reddit karma does not transfer to real life)). I'm saddened by the majority response here. Everybody here is so jaded and afraid to be trolled that they will build up walls and tear to pieces anything that doesn't make sense to them. It's sad; people have learned this behavior through the experience of being hurt over and over. And I completely agree that we need to be suspicious of anyone asking for money. But this guy isn't even profiting! The medical community and patients are! So everybody just get off your high horses and realize that this isn't about you, and this isn't about calling out a fake. This is about bringing awareness to the desperate need for organs, and to cancer.

That being said, OP, I commend you. What you did was heroic and honorable. I don't think I'd have the guts (pun!) to go through what you went through for someone you'll never even meet, and I admire you for that.

And that being said, I just want you to know that you've inspired me to become a donor. I always wanted to be, but have just been too lazy to do anything about it. Now I realize how ridiculous of me that is. Especially since I ride a motorcycle. So if you take nothing else from the reaction of your shared experience, know that it has inspired somebody to do something, even if it is just a small thing in comparison to what you've done.

Take care, buddy.

RadicalFace

What the fuck is wrong with you people? This man did something courageous and incredibly selfless and you call him a fake and treat him like shit? Fuck you trying to be shitty little detectives.

Thanks for doing this man, you're amazing.

punninglinguist

Sigh

Our kidney shortage could be solved by making one simple change - shifting the DMV organ donation form from "opt in" to "opt out." To my knowledge, every country that has done this has solved its organ shortage problem.

iharding

You are awesome. Reddit are ass sometimes.

Throwaway_1336

As someone (23yrs old) who is scheduled to receive a kidney transplant within the next year, I thank you and all organ donors.

Although, I'm not sure I'll be sharing your story with the donor I have lined up. He's a bit squeamish when it comes to that sort of stuff. Although, ideas on how to thank him would be appreciated.

Peacefulmama

Thank you do very much. You have saved someone's life, you will forever have good karma. Or at least I hope so.

My fanged had been sick my whole life. He had received two liver transplants (16 years apart) and now he is on the list for a kidney. I understand you may not want to meet the person who now has your kidney. It would be a very emotional event. But do not say they may be a drunk. People who need organ transplants go through the same testing you did to give your organ. They would not be eligible to receive an organ if they were a drunk. They are terminally sick people, most are on the virge of death before they receive an organ. People who receive organ transplants do sometimes have a stigma surrounding them. This is not fair.

Thank you for what you have done. You helped a very sick person who will be eternally grateful to you.

KousKous

Wow, kidneys actually look like kidney beans.

I did not know that.

Musti_

How the fuck is this getting downvoted?

kwang10

First year medical student here. You are my FUCKING hero. That is all.

Reading reddit, you are really exposed to the wrongs of the world and it can be very overwhelming. But stories like your truly give me hope that we can all stand together and look past our differences one day and stop being assholes to one another.

Thank you.

nathexela

Do you think ppl should be able to receive monetary compensation for donating a kidney?

sweetbldnjesus

I am a post kidney transplant coordinator and have been for 3 years. I work with post op kidney recipients and living donors, responsible for their immediate aftercare, education and long term follow up. I have been in the OR during nephrectomies from living donors. Before my current job, I worked with organ donors for 3 years-also working in the OR and ICU. What you see in the pictures is a perfectly healthy kidney. The "black dots" are burn marks from the cautery, (aka bove) made when the surgeon separated the fat that surrounds the kidney. Possibly this donor had small cysts that were "zapped" with the cautery. A few, small cysts would not preclude someone from donation as they are very common. This is NOT the same as having polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in which the cysts sometimes are bigger than the kidney itself and often infected. His incision looks real. My program takes the kidney out through an enlarged hole near the belly button, but this isn't universal. It is also rare, where I work, for a donor to have complications, but it could happen. I think you are nuts for undergoing a big operation with a pregnant wife. Deaths are also rare, but happen. But that's your decision, not mine. I actually don't understand the big hoopla over proving whether or not this guy is on the level. Even if someone did go through such an elaborate hoax for what, karma points? $$ to a legitimate organization?? who cares? Also, altruistic donors are not rare. I challenge any and all cynical bastards out their to think about donating their kidney. There a 100,000 people out there waiting for an organ, most of them for a kidney. 18 people a day die waiting for an organ. Instead of busting this guys balls, go down to your local DMV and put "organ donor" on your driver's license, and don't give me any shit about how the hospital won't work to save your life if they see it's on there or how God won't accept you into heaven if "you're not whole" or any bullshit like that. If it is true, this guy did a more heroic thing that most of us will ever do. If he made it up, it IS pathetic, but it doesn't affect how I go about my life.

tldr; this guys seems on the money, who cares if he isn't and I oughta know. p.s. donate your organs.

technolady

Rather then give to the "JustGave" website wouldn't it be just as effective and safer if we gave to the American Cancer Society directly?

In fact ACS (who I used to be a programmer for in California) would even get more money as we all wouldn't be paying a 2 dollar service fee to JustGave.org.

CajunQueen

I like the idea of donating anonymously, but I can't help but wonder if somebody in my family would need that kidney later on. Does that ever bother you?

But kudos on such an act of kindness!! That's some real life karma.

nathexela

Who paid the medical bills you incurred?

Renovatio_

Would you do it again?

billraydrums

BadgerMatt, can I buy you a beer somehow? You so fucking rock.

Francesscaconti

So proud of you AND your wife. Did you have a girl or a boy and I wish you a life filled with hope, health, prosperity and love.

judgeme

I'm registered as an organ donor. It is my stance that anyone who is eligible to be on the donor list but chooses not to be on it should also be put at the very bottom of the recipient list regardless of their need or urgency. What's your take on it?

travellersspice

Jesus, you people will believe anything you're told, and then believe anyone who tells you not to believe the first thing. The story may or may not be 'enhanced', but the site through which the donations are made, is legit, and the money goes directly to the charity.

say_huh

I just wanted to say you are an awesome human being. My dad is currently on several transplant recipient lists. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Purjinke_Shift

I have never thought about donating a kidney (or any other body part for that matter) while still alive. The idea strikes me as something I would be very much be interested in. I am 100% positive my health is too poor to do this, but thank you for sharing your story. You saved a life by risking yours, and you have the scar to prove it. You are a hero, sir.

drrockandroll

Now that you only have one kidney, are you able to drink alcohol?

irascible

Rock on good sir!

anonizmus

I've wanted to do a non-directed kidney donation for years now. Last year I finally thought I would be able to. The biggest thing that had been stopping me was that my schedule was always so busy I didn't have the 1-2 months I would need to recover. This last year, however, I had deliberately carved out a month of my summer break to do this. In the spring went through all the tests. The doctors concluded that I was in great health and would be a good candidate for donation EXCEPT that I don't currently have real health insurance. I don't have health insurance because my employer doesn't provide it. The worry here is that there might be a complication with the donation and that this complication might not be covered by the recipient's insurance, especially if it came a long time after the surgery (I'm guessing that your complications were all still covered by the recipient).

I would still like to donate, and I don't know when I will ever have 1-2 months of downtime that will allow me to do it.

Somebody already asked about compensation for donations. I think we should grant insurance to anyone who is willing to donate, maybe for 10 years at medicare rates. Most people who are on dialysis are on medicare and, if I remember correctly, it costs about $20,000 a year to keep someone on dialysis. It just makes sense to me to allow someone like me to PAY for medicare (even though I'm approx. 30) for 10 years of health insurance. This would save taxpayers $200,000.

I also could really use health care. I have some non-kidney related health issues that have gone untreated that I'd really like to take care of but can't afford to.

If you or anyone else knows of a way for me to get health care now this would free me up to donate. Otherwise I'm waiting patiently for 2014 when hopefully I will be able to have affordable health care.

geminimindtricks

An absolutely selfless act, I wish I was half as good a person as you are... Here I am, too much of a bitch to donate blood and there you are, undergoing months of pain (FUCK, I hate needles!) to save the life of someone you don't even know and never will. I feel like I don't even know the meaning of the word 'sacrifice'. A thousand admirations, OP!

Oort1

Dude, I have gallstones right now! I'm gonna have surgery in a couple weeks. They're such a pain. Glad to see that went well for you. BTW, anything I should know?

cheapmonday

This post is inspiring and I've thought about kidney donation many times. I think I will talk to my doctor about going through with this. You are a courageous man. I hope I have the strength to do this as you have.

piratepixie

Have an upvote!

admiraljohn

First of, the fact you did this for a total stranger is awesome... the one and only reason I haven't done this myself is the nagging fear that, down the road, a family member would need a kidney transplant and I wouldn't be able to give them one.

But anyway, that was incredibly awesome of you to do this.

chemmon1

My grandfather has been alive for the last 15 years because of someone like you who was willing to donate a kidney after he went into full kidney failure due to Wegener's. I thank you for your selflessness!

cookeyummmmm

Sorry about the asshats.

Now tell me about the wound vac, please? I am completely fascinated by it.

feuerkugel

"None of us is as dumb as all of us." Way to jump the gun you white knight idiots.

FranklinFox

The people on this site are absolutely disgusting sometimes.

I applaud you for what you did.

kjvincent

Damn, you did a very noble thing. Sorry about all the complications but good for you for going through it and supporting a good cause.

ALightBreeze

Thank you for doing what you did.

I have a few questions though:

Why didn't they stitch you up as opposed to letting it heal open like that? Didn't they dramatically increase your chance for infection ect. by not closing the incision?

Also you obviously don't seem to be against live donation but I know of more than a few donors/recipients of organs who think that live donation is "an act of barbarity" (their words not mine), whats your take?

Just another reminder that if every driver in the US opted into donation we could solve this problem, and similar problems with other organs, more or less overnight. It's easy and quite harmless and you'll be doing a lot of people a lot of good by adding your name to the donor list.

Anti-people

Can you still get on the grog with one kidney ?

Travis-Touchdown

Serious Allegations. Don't donate to this guy until you read this!

Edit: It seems unlikely that this accusation is true, now.

nathexela

Did you know about kidney donation chains beforehand? Was that an option for you?

(BTW, thank you for the donation, even though it wasn't to me. (And no, I don't need a kidney.))

veedonfleece

seems legit.

jamovies

Wow. Either your surgeon has tiny hands, or human kidneys are a lot bigger than I imagined!

Dayman1

Umm is this an AMA?

yeshim

Hey guys, I had cancer too, give me money! No seriously, 4chan was goofing up this post an hour or two ago. Don't give this slimeball any money. Who knows what that scar is from. You wouldn't really do a MRI to test renal function; unless you used a gadolinium contrast, which is contraindicated with renal impairment. MRI doesn't provide the contrast needed to be a useful metric of kidney function, unless you were looking for some sort of renal cancer, in which case a CT would work better. Either way, there are much better measures of renal function. Don't be duped. Donate to ACS instead.

P.S. Most people who donate anonymously have a loved one who was lost to the disease in question. Their story typically begins with "My brother went through 2 years of..." or my "I watched my mother go through dialysis for...."

Jforsyth

Do you want to meet the recipient of your kidney? Was the donation anonymous by choice or by the transplant center's procedures?

Also, are you worried about any damage to your kidney? You mention that diseases tend to affect both kidneys, but what about acute trauma to one side of the body? Do you plan to get regular blood tests done to check for renal problems in light of your donation?

firemtl

Normally id downvote for asking money but ill do an exception.

Your story does not really inspire me to do the same thought.

Why did you even go forward? I mean...

peu4000

I had a kidney removed, though mine was dead. Luckily they were able to take it out laparoscopically so I don't have a giant gash. I didn't get any pictures of mine unfortunately. They said they had to puncture it to drain it so they could remove it from my body.

asherrd

If I didn't drink so much I might consider doing the same thing. Probably not though, as I am a huge pussy. Good on you.

cin_vhetin

You should post a small AMA here. And the plea in another subreddit so that you'll have more exposure.

NolFito

Aren't there long term possible issues of only having one kidney doing the work of two? Specially if you are on the younger side (30-40~y.o.)

mgkimsal

Is the original story still somewhere? All I'm seeing is a short "EDIT". :/

LostOverThere

I don't have anything to ask, but I just wanted to say Thank-You for doing this.

HyperspaceHero

DO NOT DONATE TO THE KIDNEY PERSON. IT IS FAKE.

itsjibba

Assuming his story checks out, the OP is certainly a generous and admirable person. That said, what he did was extremely foolish and should not be emulated. We all have two kidneys for a reason -- sometimes things go wrong with one of them. Many of us will find ourselves glad to have a spare down the road. Have a kidney stone? Might be painful, but your spare will make sure you die from it. Have a more serious issue with your kidney? Take it out, you've got one more.

Quite simply, it's insane for an expecting father to take a significant cut in his life expectancy. Sure, things may be fine, but what if he had died in surgery? He could lose decades of expected life, and his child could have grown up without a father. He made it through the initial period after surgery, but he's not out of the woods yet. What if he dies from a kidney stone in ten years because he has no spare? My own father had kidney cancer -- he was able to have half of one of his kidneys removed and is now healthy. Had he given one kidney away in his youth he could be dead now.

If you want to make a bold move to help a stranger, give blood or maybe even bone marrow. Register as a an organ donor. You don't need to be a martyr.

kildest

HAH HAH! Unfortunately this is so buried now, no one will see it, and no one will retract their statements. Did you get a mod to respond yet?

Vzzbxx

So how would you react if you found out that the guy who got your kidney was in prison? And he was in prison because he had raped a whole family then gone on a terminator style rampage downtown with a minigun, spraying crowds with bullets killing hundreds, finishing by raping all the children in a school bus and sucking their bodies dry of blood. And the only reason he needed a kidney was because drinking 5 gallons of blood really fucks your kidneys up. Would you still have done it? (You mentioned that all life has equal value).

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