“I was very fortunate because I had several people test to donate,”
said Giroux. Her husband was one of those tested and when he turned
out to be a satisfactory candidate, he planned to donate one of his
kidneys to his wife. Unfortunately, his own health issues prevented
him from becoming a donor. “He was very disappointed,”
Giroux said. “It was something he could have done for me.”
At that point, Woolwine decided to become involved. She was having
some routine lab tests run and asked that she be tested for donor
compatibility. When her results came back favorably, Woolwine proceeded
to the next phases in the donor testing process. She’s been
to UCLA five time since September to receive medical tests and even
psychiatric evaluation. ”I joked that it’s okay if my
mind is shot, as long as the rest of me is fine,” Woolwine said.
But psychological tests are just as crucial for potential donors as
physical tests. Although a person can live a perfectly normal life
with just one healthy kidney, medical staff must make clear to donors
all that is involved with giving up an organ, from surgical risks
to long-term impacts of such a decision.
“It’s very emotional,” Woolwine said. “The
whole process that they put you through makes it hard for people trying
to help.”
It is fortunate that Giroux has good medical insurance which covers
not only her costs, but the donor’s costs. “Dr. Halverson’s
office has been incredible, too,” Giroux said. “They’ve
worked so hard for us.” Woolwine added that because UCLA is
a teaching hospital, its donor program is able to absorb some of the
costs of such expensive procedures.
Preparation for both patients has taken months. Giroux has been on
a special renal diet. Woolwine’s requirements have actually
been more strict than her friend’s. “Two weeks before
the surgery, I can have no carbonated beverages. Two days before,
I’m on a liquid diet. The day before, I have to drink a special
fluid to clean out my system,” Woolwine said. “Wendy doesn’t
have to do all that.”
Woolwine’s operation will take three to four hours. In order
to remove her left kidney, her intestines must be lifted out of the
way by the surgical team. Once they have clear access to her kidney,
it will be removed and taken to the operating room next door, where
Giroux’s medical team will prepare it for immediate insertion.
Woolwine will have her organs put back into proper place before she
is sutured closed and sent to the recovery room as Giroux’s
own four-hour surgery begins.
Surgeons will leave her failing kidneys in place and attach the donated
kidney directly below her right one. “As soon as the new kidney
is connected, it takes over and the old kidneys just shrivel up,”
said Woolwine, who has spent the past months studying kidney transplants
and viewing documentaries about the procedure.
Both women are married and have very supportive families. Giroux has
two children in their 20s and Woolwine’s three children range
in age from 11 to 21. “My husband is pretty good at letting
me making decisions about what I think is right,” Woolwine said.
“The 11- and 13-year-olds don’t quite get it. They don’t
really understand how it changes everything.”
Woolwine said that she usually heals well and expects to recover quickly
and receive gentle cuddles from her girls during that period. “No
driving for the first week,” Woolwine said. “Then, after
my one-month checkup, I could be released back to work.”
Giroux is scheduled to spend five days in the hospital after the transplant
and will stay in the area another week for the daily testing required.
“The key to keeping a kidney is medication,” she said.
“They will have to test me daily and adjust the anti-rejection
medication to get it just right.” Once the perfect dosage is
found, Giroux will come home for the remainder of her three-month
recovery.
Another Ojai resident who received a kidney from her sister six years
ago offered encouraging words to Giroux. “She must believe in
miracles and she will be fine,” said Lourdes Carranza. “Follow
your doctor’s instructions and take your medication, even if
you’re not feeling good,” Carranza also advised.
Carranza said she and her sister are both doing well. In fact, Carranza
is expecting a baby this summer. “It's a beautiful thing, to
give something of yourself to save another,” said Carranza about
Woolwine’s sacrifice. “I will pray for them.”
According to Woolwine, UCLA performs about one kidney transplant each
day. “It’s amazing what they can do these days,”
said Woolwine. As for her generosity in donating a kidney to Giroux,
“When you know you can do something to help someone, I just
think it’s what you’re supposed to do,” Woolwine
said, hugging her friend.
“The gift of life,” said Giroux, returning Woolwine’s
embrace.
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