Potential kidney donors have to go through a testing phase to ensure that they are an acceptable match for the recipient, are healthy enough for donation, and are mentally and emotionally able to make a good decision on whether to donate. This testing phase can be done over an extended period of time or can be accelerated over a short period. I did my testing over two visits.
My first visit was a short one. I met with the transplant coordinator who explained a little more about the process. She answered my questions, checked my weight, and took my blood pressure. My body mass index (BMI) needed to fall below a certain level in order to be considered healthy enough to donate. My BMI was below the maximum but I learned that my recovery would be faster and easier if I were a little lighter (more on that at a later date).
Blood pressure is one of the critical tests. High blood pressure puts a strain on your kidneys which could cause problems down the road. At this point I had already reported that I didn’t have any high blood pressure issues but the transplant center must also register two low blood pressure readings over two visits to be absolutely sure. I have never had a problem with high blood pressure and I registered my first normal reading.
I went from there to have an electrocardiogram recorded to check my heart. They hooked a 12-lead EKG up to various parts of my body. It was a quick test but did feel like something out of a science fiction movie. From there I went to have blood work and a urinalysis performed. Great fun! Unfortunately I didn't realize I was going to be doing the urinalysis so I had used the bathroom just before going in for the tests. Oops! Luckily I was able to give them just enough to get their 4 vials for the testing.
That concluded the first round of testing. I scheduled round 2 for a few weeks later.
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