The Watson family shares its kidney disease story to help improve understanding

By For This Week - Colleen Watson

Posted 1 hour ago

Warren and I met 21 years ago and have been married 15 of those years. Just after our second child was born in 2000, we found out that Warren was quite ill. The doctors were not sure with what at the time but after a lot of stressful tests we found out that he had kidney failure. My words to him were, “At least its not cancer.”

After long experiments with drugs to slow down the disease, many tests and trips to Ottawa and Renfrew, it became apparent the treatments were not working and there was nothing else the doctors could do for us at that time. In 2004 Warren was going to have to start dialysis.

Warren wanted to continue to work so he was unable to do his treatment here in Barry’s Bay so he traveled after work to Renfrew, had his treatment and returned home around 12:30 a.m., slept a few hours and returned to work the following morning for 7:15 a.m. This was his schedule every second day of the week. We missed him at the supper table many nights and our kids never got to see him at all on the day he had treatments until supper the next night because he would be up and gone to work the next day before they woke up.

We were unable to vacation like other families due to the dialysis and when we went camping, Warren would always have to leave for his treatment every other night. We were fortunate when a spot opened for him in Barry’s Bay in the evenings but that was short lived due to budget cuts.

Our life revolved around dialysis, but Warren never let it slow him down; he continued to volunteer as a minor hockey coach, we run the minor soccer league in Barry’s Bay, he volunteers at his kids’ school and he is also an Auxiliary police officer for the OPP.

Warren decided in 2006 to take a six-week course in Ottawa to learn how to do his treatments at home. While he was away, technicians came and set up all the equipment he would need to dialyse at home. The water bills were crazy! This made things a lot better, but it also meant he would need to dialyse every night. But a least he was at home and I did not have to worry whether he would make it home safe or not, especially on those stormy winter nights. We made the best of it adding a TV in our bedroom and sitting with him having many movie nights.

Five years passed and he was not moving up on the transplant waiting list. This was very discouraging. I always wanted to go for testing to see if I was a match to donate my kidney, but he never wanted me to because our children were so young. Finally I convinced him and went for the testing. It took about six to eight months of numerous trips for tests in Ottawa. Then the news came: I was a match and a very close match.

The surgery took place in March of 2009. Everything went exceptionally well. I went into surgery at 8 a.m. and was in my room by 1 p.m. that afternoon. Warren went in at 1 p.m. and was in his room by suppertime. I was released from the hospital two days later and Warren followed two days after. I returned to work May 1 and Warren returned to work after May long weekend.

Since the surgery, we have both been doing very well. Warren will need to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his life, but that is definitely a fair trade from having to do dialysis.

We extend a special thanks to all the doctors and nurses in the Barry’s Bay, Renfrew, Pembroke and Ottawa dialysis units for making our journey easier and for all the great care you have given our family. Our children always felt special when they visited their dad at your units. Special thanks to our surgeon, Dr. Blue. He is a very exceptional surgeon. I will always remember when he came to my room (not the nurse) after Warren’s surgery to see how I was doing and to deliver the news that Warren’s surgery was very successful and his new kidney worked immediately. It was very comforting to see the level of care he gave his patients.

Since the surgery, Warren and I have wanted to give back for the gift of life we received and do so by raising money for the Kidney Foundation through the “Walk of Life” that takes place September in Pembroke, and the past two years we have organized a Lob ball tournament with all the proceeds going to the Kidney Foundation. We do this because, having gone through the journey, we know how costly it can be for families and we hope this money will make things a little easier for other families.

I can’t express the feeling I have inside since the surgery. It is properly the second most special event in my life next to marrying the greatest husband in the world. Thank you, my love, for all the happiness you have given me over the last 21 years and for gift of three beautiful, wonderful children.

Sign your donor cards, you never know who you might save someday; it could be your loved one or child. “Recycle yourself become a donor.”

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