Justin Lewis
I am forever grateful to the family who made the hardest decision a family could ever have to make.
In 2017, I started showing signs of kidney failure due to diabetes. By March 2021, my kidney function had diminished to around 15%, prompting talks about dialysis. After discussing with my local nephrologist, we decided that peritoneal dialysis would yield good results for me while I waited for a donor. My transplant team decided a kidney-pancreas transplant would be the best option. I started dialysis in March 2022, full-time at home, and received 3 calls during my wait as a backup recipient.
Late in the evening of June 2023, my wife and I got THE call. My coordinator told me she’d call in the morning with more updates around 9 am. We continued as normal until our phone rang at 7:30 a.m., telling us to head to the hospital. What a whirlwind of emotions to have this call. My wife and I made the 2-hour trip to the hospital, where I was immediately taken back and prepped. Around 2:00 p.m., my wife asked the nurse for an update. After being told to head back to see me, my wife and parents were told the transplant is viable. I don’t remember much about that day, but the subsequent days after resulted in a kidney-pancreas transplant that worked. My transplant surgeon was fantastic. My transplant nephrologist is the best! All of my kidney functions have returned to normal, as well as my pancreatic functions. No more dialysis, no more insulin pump.
I am forever grateful to the family who made the hardest decision a family could ever have to make. I consider them family, even though I’ve never met them. I strive every day to be a better person than the day before, not for myself but for that family. It’s my way to honor their sacrifice. I hope one day in the future to meet my donor’s family.
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