More Q&A

Just thought I would toss in a few more Q&A/comments

Q: Are you nervous about this?
A: Yes, yes I am. Hopefully this will eventual return into balance with the excitement. Then again, I'm glad that I won't be waking up in an empty room sitting in a tub of ice with a cell phone beside me.

Q: How much do you get paid to donate an organ?
A: Zilch. The operative word here is 'donate'. As a matter of fact, there's expenses on this end as well that the recipient's insurance doesn't cover. Things such as travel expenses and PTO. So basically, when a person does this, they are also giving their time and actually some of their finances. So its best to be prepared. But in the event of hardship, the Georgia Transplant Center does step in and cover many expenses such as rent and bills.

Q: What will you do if you get injured in the remaining kidney?
A: First if the pain is bad enough, I'm gonna yell. Second, I'll go to the hospital. But seriously, in light of a lot of things that could happen, this has crossed my mind and the doctors have stressed the importance of being extra careful and staying healthy.

Q: What if you need a kidney transplant down the road?
A: I'll will have to go through the same process that the recipient is going through with hopes that there will be someone to be there for me in my time of need. Plus there's a slight advantage, from what I'm told, for folks who have previously donated. I realized yesterday that some of the team, in a round about way, tries to really talk you out of doing this. I like this. I have until I'm sedated to change my mind. But my mind is made up.

One more observation: There's this lady in the pre-admin department who really reminded me of my grandmother, Mary Fruster. She had almost the exact same skin tone, facial structure and there was even something familiar about her laugh. But what really got my attention was that she had drinks and snacks hidden behind her desk for patients and their families. My grandma used to do that, except she had her stuff under lock and key in this pantry type room. Whenever I'm outside doing something that causes me to pause and enjoy what is around me, or when I go somewhere that she has never been; I pause and enjoy some of it for her as well. Yesterday, I stopped and paused for her.