My Sister My Friend

My Sister My Friend (CATHERINE SMITH AND ELAINE JEWETT-DONOR)

It all started back when my sister was 19 years old. She got step throat and never finished all of her medication, as she felt better she didn’t think she needed to finish it. Lesson learnt, always complete all medication as prescribed….it is so important to finish it so this doesn’t happened, but who would have known…Each day I watched my sister getting sicker and sicker from this kidney disease.

I was 21 at the time and she was 19, I said to her: “Sis I am going to give you a kidney when the day comes you need it.”

Well in 2004 she was getting sicker and sicker, and started making many trips to the doctors. I went to alot of appointments with her. Then while on one appointment we were asked to go to a meeting regarding transplants, it was only a information meeting but I was so excited, even though she wasn’t ready for a transplant. We went to that meeting a couple of weeks later, and I knew at the moment I was really going to do this, it was my dream coming true, I was going to help save life, not just any life but my sister my friends life….

We came home from that meeting and I was on the phone requesting the information to be sent to me. I received the forms 3 days later, well that same day I filled them out and mailed them right back. So I waited a few days and heard nothing, so again I was on the phone asking when do we start testing.

Within a few weeks it all started, it was real and test after test I called wanting the next test. I guess I was the one pushing for this more than my sister…There was a lot of tests to do, and a little extra due to our family history. So the day of the last test, I was on the edge.

I remember I was on lunch break at the mall and my cell phone rang, it is funny now when I think back to that day, being told in the middle of a shopping center the transplant was in 2 weeks from that day. EXCITED lol just a bit

Well reality set in, I was so excited this was all happening, it was 2 weeks after my sister’s 47th birthday and 6 days before my birthday.So I waited the next 2 weeks, I already waited over 20 years … We had to go to another province for the transplant.

The night before we stayed at a hotel, we talked and laughed and cried, my sister Cathy scared to death and me dancing with excitement.We checked into the hospital the next morning Feb 13, 2008. I was still full of excitement and she was worried about me, I assured her I would be fine….

The surgeon came in later that afternoon and explained the procedure to me. When he said he was taking my left kidney I questioned him, it was just I was left handed and assumed that was my stronger kidney.

A few hours later, my husband and I met the surgeon in the elevator and he looked at me and said ” He took another look”, and was going to take my right kidney, I have no idea to this day why I questioned the surgeon, but it was good I did, the left kidney would not have worked, I believe it was all the prayers and GOD who changed his mind, but I am so glad because the left kidney would not have worked.

The surgery was the next morning at 6:00, I was up and waiting, you would think I was going to go on a trip…lol

My husband and my Mom asked if I was NERVOUS, my reply “NOT AT ALL”, and if I could I would do it all over again. But the main reason for this is just to let people know DONATING SAVE LIVES.

All I can say is “PEOPLE PLEASE DONATE IT SAVES LIVES. I DID IT AND I FEEL GREAT AND LOVE MY SISTER WITH ALL MY HEART…. That was 4 years ago in February and she is still here with us today !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CHEERS

ELAINE JEWETT- ORGAN DONOR

“To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.” – Brandi Snyder