‘Incredible gratitude’ for new kidney

Johnny Bell and his wife Tanya, at home on Shag Valley Station, are loving life with his new kidney. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery
Johnny Bell and his wife Tanya, at home on Shag Valley Station, are loving life with his new kidney. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery
It was the call Johnny Bell never really expected to receive.

But when his phone rang late one night last year to say a donor kidney was available and asking if he wanted to go ahead with a second kidney transplant, he did not hesitate.

Mr Bell (53) had been living with chronic renal failure while farming Shag Valley Station in East Otago. His mother, Louise, donated a kidney in 1989, but it failed in 2006 and he had gone on to dialysis.

As part of being on the transplant list, he supplied monthly blood samples, which he described as like buying a Lotto ticket.

The call was met with disbelief and was better than a Lotto win, his wife Tanya said.

It was a nervous time as the new kidney settled in.

Then it was ‘‘straight out of hospital into the tailing pen’’ — ‘‘maybe not quite ideal’’, Mrs Bell smiled.

He was enjoying his new freedom, including no fluid restrictions and the ability to have a break away from the farm without taking a caravan fitted out to accommodate the dialysis equipment.

Initially, he was on dialysis during the day, and he reckoned it was probably quite exciting for their three children in those early years as he was ‘‘captured’’ and they would enjoy doing board games and homework together.

But it was not helpful when trying to run a farm, so he later chose nocturnal dialysis, every second night.

‘‘I don’t think the kids missed out on a lot ... They didn’t get the holidays to Surfers or whatever.

‘‘On the other hand, I never missed a rugby game. I might have missed some hockey games, as my daughter would keep reminding me,’’ he said wryly.

Mrs Bell said her husband had always been very self-disciplined which made it a lot easier.

Being on dialysis was ‘‘not the end of the world’’, Mr Bell added.

‘‘You’ve got a treatment that will actually keep you alive ... You could easily feel sorry for yourself but there’s too much to live for.’’

He felt ‘‘incredible gratitude’’ towards the deceased donor and their family, and the couple encouraged people considering being donors to have discussions with their families.

Mr Bell also urged people to be aware of kidney health.

Today is World Kidney Day. The Otago Kidney Society is offering free blood pressure checks and information at The Warehouse in South Dunedin on Saturday between 10am and 3pm.

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