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 Julies， I carefully peeled off all my remaining bandages. There they were： amazing，bright new scars， real battle ribbons. Julies 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 cant see the picture myself. But Im 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 an emergency transfusion. Unaware of Julies crisis， I lay hot and sticky， and itched mightily from a newly discovered morphine 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 sutured stomach muscles to heal. Every day I have less pain， more energy， and more restlessness to get back to normal.

Julies 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 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(shù)的情況。

杰夫·莫耶：我們手術(shù)兩周后，那時我的右腎已經(jīng)成為了朱莉的，我小心翼翼地剝?nèi)チ松砩线€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(yī)生稱贊著——而我則謙遜地復述醫(yī)生的話——我的腎是一個“卓越的樣本”。朱莉的手術(shù)還未結(jié)束，它就開始發(fā)揮效能了。幾個小時之后，我從術(shù)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(shù)前朱莉的臉色蒼白。而在術(shù)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(yī)療器械支持，也需要緊急輸血。由于剛剛被發(fā)現(xiàn)對嗎啡過敏，我渾身發(fā)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(xiàn)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(yī)生預(yù)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(chuàng)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。

朱莉在回家前，術(shù)后疼痛就已逐漸減輕?；丶胰芎?，朱莉的背部疼痛消失，已能重新開始駕車。她減去了體內(nèi)的多余水分，纖細的骨架間也重新結(jié)實起來。朱莉的腎功能在經(jīng)歷了數(shù)年的衰退之后，又恢復了正常。一個多月前，她已重返工作崗位。

在腎臟捐贈手術(shù)中，捐贈者要比受者、男性要比女性承受更多。但是我的不適將很快結(jié)束，然而在接下來的數(shù)年時間里，朱莉卻要服用抗異體排斥藥物，努力保護體內(nèi)的受贈器官。腎臟捐獻者大都會過上正常的生活。如果治愈的過程緩慢，我們得有勇氣和耐心。最終我們將體驗這種無與倫比的滿足。

朱莉和我成了一輩子的好朋友。我們分享著這場醫(yī)學勝利所帶來的興奮以及對于使這場勝利成為可能之人的感激之情。

英斯基普：評論員杰夫·莫耶是一位作家、音樂家以及殘疾人權(quán)利維護者。