我拿腎臟“換”摯友

Inskeep： Earlier this summer， we heard from commentator Jeff Moyer， who was about to donate a kidney to the daughter of a friend. Today， he tells us how the surgery went.

Jeff Moyer： Two weeks after our surgery， when my right kidney became Julie’s， I carefully peeled off all my remaining bandages. There they were： amazing，bright new scars， real battle ribbons. Julie’s surgeon noted—and I repeat humbly—that my kidney was a splendid specimen. It began functioning while Julie was still in surgery. A few hours later， as I was being moved from post-op to my room， I learned Julie was nearby. Our stretchers were pushed together， and Julie clasped my hand. A nurse wept when she saw us and when I asked， captured the moment with her cell phone camera. I am blind， so I can’t see the picture myself. But I’m told that before surgery， Julie was pale. But in the post-op photo， her cheeks are pink.

The next day， Julie was hooked up to considerably more medical machines than I， and required a n e m e r g e n c y transfusion. Unaware of Julie’s crisis， I lay hot and sticky， and 1）itched mightily from a newly discovered 2）morphine 3）allergy. The nurse said I would soon forget the pain. True. I now only remember feeling like I really needed a shower and a few tubes removed.

I was genuinely surprised by my leaden fatigue， even though the surgeon predicted six to eight weeks for recovery. It would take that long for my 4）sutured stomach muscles to heal. Every day I have less pain， more energy， and more restlessness to get back to normal.

Julie’s surgical pain diminished， even before she went home. Her back pain ceased after three weeks， and she resumed driving. She has lost water weight， and put good pounds back onto her thin frame. After years of decline， Julie has regained normal kidney function. She has been back to work for over a month.

Kidney donation surgery is harder on donors than recipients， and harder on male than female donors. But my discomfort will soon end， while Julie will take anti-rejection meds and diligently protect her donated organ for years to come. Kidney donors usually go on to lead normal lives. We learn that we have courage and patience if the healing is slow. And we get to experience this 5）unsurpassed gratification.

Julie and I have become friends for life. We share the thrill of this medical victory， and abundant gratitude for the many people who made it possible. Inskeep： Commentator Jeff Moyer is a writer， musician， and an advocate for disability rights.

英斯基普：今年初夏的時候，我們從評論員杰夫·莫耶那里聽說他正要給自己一個朋友的女兒捐出一顆腎臟。今天，他會告訴我們手術的情況。

杰夫·莫耶：我們手術兩周后，那時我的右腎已經成為了朱莉的，我小心翼翼地剝去了身上還未拆除的繃帶。它們就在那兒：太牛了，嶄新的傷疤，毫不摻假的綬帶。朱莉的醫生稱贊著——而我則謙遜地復述醫生的話——我的腎是一個“卓越的樣本”。朱莉的手術還未結束，它就開始發揮效能了。幾個小時之后，我從術后復蘇室被送回病房的時候，我被告知朱莉就在我旁邊。我們的擔架床被推到了一起，朱莉拉住了我的手。一個護士看到我們的時候哭了，我請求她把那一刻用她的手機攝像頭拍下來。我眼睛失明，所以不能親眼看到那張照片。但是他們告訴我，在術前朱莉的臉色蒼白。而在術后的照片上，朱莉臉頰紅潤。

第二天，朱莉需要比我多得多的醫療器械支持，也需要緊急輸血。由于剛剛被發現對嗎啡過敏，我渾身發熱并黏糊糊地躺在病床上，身上皮膚癢得厲害，我并未覺察到朱莉所處的危機。護士說我將很快忘記疼痛。的確是的。我現在只能記得當時的感覺是我特別需要拔掉身上的幾根管子，沖個淋浴。

雖然醫生預計我要六到八周才能康復，但我還是由衷地為自己沉重的疲乏所震驚了。光是縫合的腹部肌肉創口就需要六到八周的時間才能愈合。每天我的疼痛都會減輕一些，擁有更多的精力，同時迫不及待地想要回到正常的生活。……