Having spent lo these many years being an unabashed proponent of the “right to repair”, I’ve decided the time has come to put my money where my mouth is and apply those principles for myself in the most literal sense by swapping out a major organ. Thankfully, the part is standardized, and the repair guide is widely available for professionals in the field. Although I’m a big believer in getting your hands dirty and not being afraid to attempt a repair on your own, I think it best to leave this one to the experts. Unfortunately, the supply chain isn’t ideal, so acquiring replacement parts is a challenge. Thankfully, an incredibly kind soul has come forward to offer me a compatible part, at no charge.
In all seriousness, I’m relieved, excited, nervous, and most of all, grateful, to say that I’ll be receiving a kidney transplant in just a couple weeks time. Out of respect to the donor’s privacy I won’t mention who is donating or their connection to me (just in case they want to remain anonymous), but this is such a selfless and enormous gift that I sometimes get choked up just thinking about it. I will never be able to thank them enough.
The surgery I’ll be having will be done using a relatively new technique, involving robotics. I’ll be just one of a half dozen or so patients to have received this specific procedure. Once I’m out of surgery I’ll stay in the hospital for several days, will remain near the hospital for an additional week, and then will return home for another couple months of recovery (with frequent follow-up trips to make sure things keep working as expected).
At that point, a new chapter of my life will begin. There will be lots of lifestyle changes as a result, but many of them for the better. I’m excited to have more energy, more personal time, and more freedom to travel, spend time with friends and family, and be more involved in projects that matter to me.
I’ve made it 29 years on these two kidneys, but they’ve done all they came here to do. I’ll be turning 30 with a new kidney, a new perspective, and in many ways, a fresh start.
