For the Love of Odin
Maria Bartlow and her daughter, Monica Franks, with me in studio.
If you missed their episode about Odin, click the arrow below to listen!
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I can’t imagine every recording as important an episode as this one. After all, what could be more important than trying to save someone’s life?
It was quite the feeling for me, in the moment, as the episode unfolded; for Maria and Monica, though, it’s something they live with and work through every day as they search for a kidney donor to help their son / brother, Odin. Their energy and optimism were on full display in the studio, as was the undercurrent of urgency in their search. It has inspired me to continue helping them in getting the word out about Odin and about how the living donor process works.
I’ve also decided to get screened for living donation myself and see what happens. I encourage you to do the same. Or, if nothing else, please send this post to anyone you know who might be interested in doing a screening themselves or could help in bringing more attention to Odin’s case. I’ve included all the links and information for screening at the end of this post.
A couple of other thoughts from the episode:
These facts - that the screening process is simple, that quick recovery from donation surgery is the norm, and that anyone who has donated a kidney jumps to the top of the donor list if they end up needing one later in life - were ALL new pieces of information for me. My guess is it is the same for many people, which is all the more reason to get the word out about this. Kidney donation surgery is quite common, and the process in place to help those who need them and those who donate them is strong and has withstood the tests of time. For me at least, this has all mitigated the fear I’ll admit I’ve felt before when thinking about what it would be like to donate. The more people with less fear about this, the better. Plus, as Stacy pointed out, the process can provide a lot of in-depth health information of great import, even if one ends up unable to donate. So it’s a win-win if each of us is willing to take the step of doing a screening.
For all the above reasons, I’m going to do a living donation screening myself. Who wants to do it with me? Click the contact button below and let me know and we can share experiences / information. I’ll provide regular updates on my application here and on future episodes.
I keep coming back to what Maria and Monica stressed about the need for families to communicate early and often about life choice / health care decisions instead of waiting for a crisis to hit first. The urgency they feel comes from not knowing sooner about Odin’s situation, and I appreciated how much they wanted listeners to learn from their experience and have health conversations early on when a new health challenge arises, if not before. I have had such conversations with my family before, and while they are not the most fun conversations to have, I am very glad I’ve had them and know what each member of my family wants and needs in their health care and choices. And if you are the one who has had a recent health change and are keeping it secret? Tell some people, especially family members you trust and know are looking out for your best interest - even if you know it’ll drive you crazy.
Please share this post / episode with your family and friends and reach out to me if you have questions or want more information about Odin’s case. The more people who listen, the more people who take the plunge and do a screening, the higher the chance Odin gets the kidney he needs, and his family can celebrate his new lease on life with him. I know I’d be doing everything I could do for my sibling if I was facing the same situation as Maria and Monica, and my guess is you’d say the same. And, I know they would step up and do a screening if I was in their situation. It’s yet another reminder that when it comes to matters of life and death, helping others by giving of ourselves can connect us to one another like nothing else, and can cut through all the things we often use to divide ourselves from each other and into opposing groups around whatever issue, belief, or practice. When it comes to living itself, all those other illusions just fall away.
But we have to choose to do that. My hope is that we will all make more choices like that going forward, since I think we’ve all had enough of division and lack of connection. I, for one, am glad for the reminder that Maria and Monica and Odin have given me.
Please check out, consider, and share the links below.
Thanks, all, and Chins Up for Odin.
Learn about the Donor Seeker program (via UC Davis Medical Center) here.
Here is all the info you need before taking the Living Donor Screening Questionnaire.
All the information you need on what the kidneys do, how the transplant works, etc.
