This article originally appeared in the December 2015 issue of SELF.
“I need a kidney transplant.”
For Kayla Davis, then 25, posting that plea on Reddit was a last resort.
At 22, her kidneys failed.
Doctors immediately put her on dialysis: She was tethered to a machine for nine hours every night.
Kayla’s desperation for a donor is heartbreakingly common.
For Kayla, that ruled out her family, friends and boyfriend.
So she didn’t really expect anyone to respond to her post.
Jennifer was scrolling through Reddit one night after work in 2014.
Kayla’s post caught her eye.
JENNIFERI saw the worddialysisand thought, That’s no way for a 25 year old to live.
I saw the chance to do something really special.
So I typed to her, “I’ll call the clinic tomorrow.”
KAYLAWhen I saw Jennifer’s comment, my heart skipped a beat.
KARRIE MOYER, R.N., living donor transplant coordinatorWe’re still talking about this at the hospital.
But I wasn’t sure this time would work out.
I sent my blood to Karrie and went on vacation.
Then I got a message saying my antibodies were compatible with Kayla’s.
I excitedly told Kayla and kept her posted on all the tests that followed.
“Donors are typically family members or close friends.
And then there are the Jennifers.
This helps rule out ulterior motives like financial gain, coercionor even unrealistic emotional expectations.
Our goal is to be sure the donor knows what it entails and what they’re getting into.
JENNIFERThey had me in for a psych test.
The psychologist asked, “Why are you doing this?”
I said, “Kayla needs a kidney, and I have two.”
He asked me again.
I responded, “This world is rough.
If we all thought about other people’s needs, we’d be in a much better place.”
When we finally met, she mentioned that she’d only been to the hospital for blood work.
So I stayed very still.
JENNIFERWhen I saw how pale and thin she was, I knew I’d made the right decision.
“It hit me: This healthy, vibrant woman is preparing for major surgery.For me.”
But I’d made a promise to her.
DR. MERCHENThe donor surgery takes place first.
Then the recipient surgery starts about an hour later.
As the recipient surgeon, I prepared Kayla for a groin incision.
When the clamps are removed, the kidney turns from gray to pink as the blood flows into it.
I’ve done this hundreds of times, yet I still marvel at that moment.
JENNIFERWhen I woke up, I felt like my body had been slammed against a wall.
When I later saw Kayla, it was like someone had turned on a light inside of her.
She had become a total chatterbox.
KAYLAWithin a day, I was energized in a way I’d never experienced.
Once I was discharged, I realized I no longer felt cold, itchy or tired.
JENNIFERAfterward, Chris and I agreed that Kayla had to be at our wedding.
She was family now!
The day before the wedding, she and I had breakfast alone together.
I thank Jen for so many things, but that feeling is what I’m most grateful for.
Photo Credit: Tactile imagery by Twinset Studio
