Friday Ramsey, Living Donor

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We were your typical couple, just Dave and Friday, anxiously waiting for the birth of our second child in 1981. Timothy arrived on Oct 22, weighing in at 9 pounds, 15.5 ounces. My pregnancy had been typical, no major red flags.

Shortly after his birth, he was having respiratory problems, and it was determined that he should be life flighted to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City for evaluation. Upon arriving at the NICU, he was diagnosed with Beta Strep and immediately started antibiotics.

After a 10-day stay, we took our beautiful baby boy home. Life was good for a while.

When Tim was in the fifth grade, we noticed that he had stopped growing and had little to no energy. Back we went to Children’s Mercy, where a simple blood test revealed that he had kidney issues, which led to an appointment with the nephrology department. The diagnosis was that the Beta Strep he was born with had damaged his kidneys and that long term we were looking at a transplant. Dr. Bradley Warady, head of the nephrology department, suggested if at all possible, a living donor would be the best option

The time came when Tim’s kidney function dictated that he needed a transplant. Dave and I were both tested. God blessed us, and I was a match! On September 22, 1997 Tim received my 45-year-old kidney.

Despite a few hiccups in the first year, the transplant was a success. Once again life was good.

Tim finished high school, graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a master’s degree, started a career, and purchased his first home.

Now doctors will tell you that the typical life expectancy of a donor kidney is 5 to 7 years – any longer than that and you are just lucky. We were more than lucky. Tim understood early on the importance of taking care of his health, taking his medication on time and watching what he ate and drank.

But once again life would throw us a curve. In 2012 we found out that he was in need of new kidney. This time his sister, Carra, with the support of her husband, Randy, started the process of becoming a donor.

Before that process could be completed, Tim’s condition deteriorated to the point that his name was placed on the national transplant list. On October 11, 2012 we were blessed again when he received a call that there was a donor kidney with his name on it. The first time we had time to plan everything. This time we scrambled.

While we were celebrating, we were very much aware that another family had suffered a loss and was grieving. I pray every day asking God to bless the family that made the decision to donate so that my son and many others could live.

I often have people tell me that my donation was heroic. But as his mother, I would have moved heaven and earth to keep him well. The true heroes are those who make miracles happen by deciding to become a donor.

Believe in miracles, help make one happen and become a donor today.