Hello all.
Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 2:29 am
Hello All,
First, apologies for my anonymity, I don't want my family knowing my thoughts yet! Here is my situation.
A family member on my wife's side is in her late 60s and has rapidly deteriorating kidney function. At the current rate, she expects to require dialysis / transplant within 5 years or so. Because of her age, she isn't hopeful of being the recipient of a donor on a general waiting list from a deceased donor.
From her immediate family, nobody is a blood match apart from me (I also realise there is more to compatibility than just blood type) . I'm a fit and healthy man in my 30's and am considering offering to donate to her.
However If I do it, I would like it to be very soon, whilst she is still fit and strong, rather than waiting for her to deteriorate. Would the NHS be open to doing a transplant when the patient is not in a critical situation yet?
I fear that if we wait, she would be well into her 70s by the time she REALLY needs the transplant, and getting older and weaker to go through such major surgery. I figure if we do it now, her quality of life could be improved for the next decade or 2. If we wait, there wont be much point.
I also worry about the ethics of donating from someone relatively young to someone much older. It doesn't bother me so much (its my kidney - I can do what I want with it!) but I know some people would look upon her as being selfish for taking an organ going on 70 years old. Is this an issue?
Anyone here have experience of this type of situation?
First, apologies for my anonymity, I don't want my family knowing my thoughts yet! Here is my situation.
A family member on my wife's side is in her late 60s and has rapidly deteriorating kidney function. At the current rate, she expects to require dialysis / transplant within 5 years or so. Because of her age, she isn't hopeful of being the recipient of a donor on a general waiting list from a deceased donor.
From her immediate family, nobody is a blood match apart from me (I also realise there is more to compatibility than just blood type) . I'm a fit and healthy man in my 30's and am considering offering to donate to her.
However If I do it, I would like it to be very soon, whilst she is still fit and strong, rather than waiting for her to deteriorate. Would the NHS be open to doing a transplant when the patient is not in a critical situation yet?
I fear that if we wait, she would be well into her 70s by the time she REALLY needs the transplant, and getting older and weaker to go through such major surgery. I figure if we do it now, her quality of life could be improved for the next decade or 2. If we wait, there wont be much point.
I also worry about the ethics of donating from someone relatively young to someone much older. It doesn't bother me so much (its my kidney - I can do what I want with it!) but I know some people would look upon her as being selfish for taking an organ going on 70 years old. Is this an issue?
Anyone here have experience of this type of situation?