Being an organ donor is not for everyone. But some people do have a desire for one reason or another to donate organs. One of the greatest needs is for kidney donors.
Instructions
1. Call your local hospital or kidney dialysis center. It will have a person who is an expert in organ donations. You will be given an appointment to come in so you can fill out the paperwork necessary to begin the process of organ donation.
2. At the first official meeting at your local hospital or kidney dialysis center, you will complete the necessary paperwork. You will need proof of your age, and sometimes a psychologist or counselor will be available to ask questions. Donating an organ can be a trying experience, so the medical personnel want to make sure the donor knows what she is getting herself into. You will be given a time to come back for a full physical and blood work.
3. See a doctor. He will go over your entire medical history. You will be checked for any contagious diseases, for cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease and for kidney problems or kidney stones. These issues will probably eliminate you from donating. Other things, such as being overweight, may not be an immediate elimination from donating a kidney but will be checked.
4. Have blood work done. The doctor will perform a complete blood count and will check for blood type. She will also match your blood to six tissue types necessary for an organ to be the best match. The doctor will perform tests to make sure your kidneys are functioning properly. One such test is an arteriogram, where dyes are sent through the veins and reach the kidneys, which filter the dyes. The doctor will be observing through an MRI to make sure the kidneys are properly filtering. Other tests might include a CAT scan or ultrasound to make sure there are no problems with the kidney or that there are no kidney obstructions. A urinalysis will be performed to make sure the kidneys are filtering waste properly.
5. If you are approved, you will be put on a donor list. When and if your kidney is needed, you will receive a phone call telling you when and where to arrive for the surgery. Medical procedures have advanced, and the removal of the kidney will probably take place via laparoscopy, or keyhole surgery--a small incision near the belly button. If necessary, the kidney will be taken through a traditional incision in the abdomen.
Tags: make sure, doctor will, kidney will, blood work, center will, dialysis center, dialysis center will