By Crystal Hayduk
Most teachers use Christmas break to rest, travel, and even prepare lesson plans for January, but Amy Whitesall, a special education teacher, donated a kidney.
By becoming a living donor, she gave the gift of life to her mother, Denise Whitesall, a Chelsea Police Department dispatcher. The successful surgery took place at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor on Dec. 21.
Amy traveled a long journey to kidney donation since Denise was diagnosed with kidney disease ten years ago. “When she was first diagnosed, I gave her a can of kidney beans and told her when the time came, I would give her one of mine,” she said.
Late last April, doctors told Denise to expect kidney failure in the spring of 2018; but less than a week later, circumstances changed that prediction. “I broke my shoulder and was given three pain shots during my emergency room visit,” said Denise.
It wasn’t long after Denise returned home that Amy realized something was terribly wrong. The pain medication wreaked havoc on Denise’s fragile kidney function, requiring her to begin dialysis on May 17. “I can’t say enough good things about the dialysis team at [St. Joseph Mercy] Chelsea,” said Denise, who received treatments three times a week.
Denise’s name went on the transplant list immediately. Both women received extensive evaluations – not just lab tests and physical examinations, but interviews by therapists and psychologists. Because Amy is Denise’s daughter, doctors also had to determine her likelihood of inheriting the condition that caused her mother’s kidney disease.
In July, Amy received the good news that the two were as close to a perfect match as the doctors had ever seen. “The donors are always notified first, just in case they want to change their minds,” she said.
But Amy had no intention of changing her mind. She had already planned to surprise her mother with the news that they were a match – by purchasing a Christmas ornament at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth and presenting it during a dialysis session. “I picked the beach chairs because that’s our thing – we love to spend time at the beach. We couldn’t do that last summer because my mom couldn’t go in the water with her dialysis port.”
The two rode an emotional roller coaster as they waited five more months for the surgery. They used the time to maximize their health so their bodies would be in the best condition possible for the transfer. They wore surgical masks when they went out because even catching a cold virus would have disrupted the plan. “I wanted the operation to happen as soon as possible because my mom was hooked to a machine for four hours a day, three days a week. I wanted her to get back to living a healthy life as quickly as possible,” said Amy.
Because Amy and Denise have always been each other’s primary support, they had to give up those roles once they were both recovering from surgery. “Friends from First United Methodist Church helped a lot with meals and rides, watching our dogs, and even staying overnight,” said Amy.
Their faith was important in helping them through the experience. Amy said, “My fears were only for my mom. I told God it didn’t matter what happened to me if my mom would be okay.”
As can be expected of a mother, Denise’s concern was only for her daughter. “I worried about Amy – that something might happen to her or that she would have trouble recovering. I was at peace for myself. I knew that it would work out the way it was supposed to.”
Following the surgery, with a functioning kidney, Denise recovered relatively quickly, feeling healthier than she had in a long time. Amy’s recovery has been more challenging, and she’s had to give up roller derby, one of her favorite activities.
“No more contact sports,” said Amy. “I have to be aware of things that go into my body and how they may affect my remaining kidney. But I would do it again in a heartbeat. It’s wonderful that I’ve given my mom 20 more years.”
And what do a mother and daughter with a new lease on life do next? Plan a summer trip to the beach, of course.
For more information about kidney health and transplantation, visit www.kidney.org.
Thank you for the article. It was very well written, and so important to bring organ donation to the forfront