A phone call of hope

A phone call that I missed this morning got my attention. On my iPhone dial I saw that it came from area code 212, New York City. I recognized the number as coming from Columbia New York Presbyterian Hospital University Medical Center. The phone call could only mean one thing. The results were back. The type and cross match that is done to find out if a potential organ donor is an actual match was completed. I would soon learn if my potential organ donor is a match for me to get a kidney transplant.

My story began thirty-five years ago when I was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, PKD for short. PKD is one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases that eventually destroy healthy kidney tissue. There is no cure. The only hope of survival is dialysis or transplantation. My journey to transplantation began exactly one year ago when I was placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list.

Eager to know the type and cross match results, I returned the call to Columbia only to reach an answering machine. I left a message. It turned out to be several hours after the first call came that I actually learned the result of the type and cross match. While waiting, I was busy baking snickerdoodle cookies for a friend who was bitten by a dog. Since everybody knows cookies are a version of first aid, I wanted to take over some freshly baked cookies and a box of tea to cheer her spirits.

My Aunt B. always says to me, “Keeping singing, Jen.” So, I started singing while baking the cookies to help take my mind off the urgency simmering in my stomach.

A short time after I took the cookies out of the oven, I tried Columbia again and this time was connected with my transplant coordinator. The long awaited moment was at hand. I was sitting on the edge of my chair, pen in hand and paper in front of me ready to write down the results.

“Your donor is a match”, I heard my transplant coordinator say.

My phone call of hope had come! The transplantation process would continue and a kidney transplant would be scheduled at my donor’s convenience. My mind was whirling as I listened and scribbled the next steps I had to take. After we hung up I could hardly concentrate. I began calling family and friends who had been praying for me to find a living donor. My family couldn’t believe it happened so soon and were overjoyed from my good news. They were astonished by the way everything had fallen into place exactly one year to the day of being placed on the waiting list.

I was overwhelmed with gratitude to think that someone was even willing to be tested regardless of the outcome. It’s going to take some time to process how the donor will change my life and mine will change hers. But, I’m going to take it one day at a time. Today, I’m celebrating the good news about getting a preemptive (bypassing dialysis) living donor kidney transplant.

My mother used to tell me that my blessings weren’t from “luck” but from God’s hand upon me. Mom passed on a few years ago but I think she was right. It’s not really luck at all; it’s the faithful prayers of my family and friends who have stood with me claiming God’s promise to care for me. Today, he showed His faithfulness and love and care through a phone call of hope!

Until next time, Jennifer

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