Stepping In, Saving a Life: How Melissa Became a Living Liver Donor

The entire evaluation process was actually pretty seamless for me. Shortly after learning that I was a compatible blood type, I did the full work-up at Mass General, which included more blood tests, scans, and a psychological evaluation. It was a pretty intense three days, but I was elated to find out that I was a complete match. We just kept getting green lights along the way!

The only thing I can say is that I felt a strong sense of urgency. I wasted no time and planned my life around the testing process, from getting time off of work to booking my accommodations in Boston. I felt in my gut that this was a life-or-death situation, and I pushed for us to undergo surgery as soon as possible. Interestingly, once my friend was in the operating room, the doctors saw that her liver was in much worse shape than they had originally anticipated and, without a living donor, she likely would have passed away in a few months. We did the transplantation just in time.

Q. What was the actual donation procedure like? Can you describe the experience?

I can’t say enough good things about the team. My living donor coordinator, Alichia, was my extremely helpful and responsive point person from day one, and my surgeon is one of the kindest people I’ve met. 

I wasn’t nervous on the day of surgery because I felt very secure and a sense of peace. My confidence in the care team really contributed to that feeling. I had to come to the hospital early in the morning to prepare for the surgery, and the operation itself probably took about five hours. Brayden’s surgery was much longer. The day after surgery, my friend came to visit me in my room after only being out of surgery for a few hours. I was so amazed that she was moving around only a day after transplantation.

Q. How long did it take to recover after the donation, and what was the recovery process like?

I will say that I wish I had known how bad I would feel, but it’s hard to really know until you are in it. I felt a lot of weakness and pain in my abdomen. I was surprised by how much rest I needed. I’d expected to be more mobile than I was in the days following surgery. I think it took about a week before I could walk three miles comfortably.

My Mass General pain management team was incredible and figured out a pain care regiment that worked well for me. I did not experience any relapses or complications. I was able to return to work just six days after surgery, since my job is sedentary and I have the flexibility to work remotely.

Q. What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a living donor?

The transplant experience will humble you in so many ways. Know your ‘why’ — why you are doing it and why it means something to you. It will motivate you throughout the whole process. I won’t sugarcoat it, it’s uncomfortable the first week after surgery. But know that this too shall pass. Eventually, you start to feel better and you’re left with the memory of helping someone, maybe someone you love, live.