Arden Shelton Shares a Kidney
If you hang out with our club member Arden Shelton, then you may have heard over the last several months that she intended to donate one of her kidneys to her sister, Debbie.
The gracious intent was always there but actually getting the procedure done was problematic. Obviously, live-organ transplants are pretty specialized and not taken lightly. Ultimately, the surgery was done at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (formerly St. Barnabas) in Livingston, New Jersey. ✎ I think we can all empathize with Arden in that throughout the summer, as the procedure kept getting canceled, delayed and moved around, poor Arden’s cycling plans were tenuous! We have all experienced these dilemmas to some extent.
Finally, on November 10, the transplant was done. Arden was reassured by the thoroughness (she noted “picky”) of the transplant team. The department had performed 2,500 kidney transplants, and they have a specific “Living Donor” department. Arden thinks she is one of the oldest living donors at the age of 74. Her chronological age apparently was of concern to the transplant team until they saw her level of fitness – fitness she attributes to bicycling!
Arden reflected that, “Everyone thinks I’m the hero for donating, and I just think it was a no-brainer to get my beloved sister fixed up and free her from dialysis! We are a great match, so it was just easy for me to be the donor (despite the fact that Mom always liked her better 🤩). Our parents would be so happy that we could do this.”
Arden arrived in New Jersey almost two weeks before the surgery. She and her sister spent time going to the Empire State Building, George Washington’s winter headquarters in Morristown, and Asbury Park Boardwalk on the Jersey shore (I guess that’s the beach?). Post-transplant, Debbie will be housebound for two to three months because of the anti-rejection drugs she will be taking for the rest of her life, which weaken her immune system. Arden should be home by the time this is published. Although Arden is miffed with her doctor who, at least initially, wants her off the bike for 12 weeks, she is appreciative of her bike club’s encouragement and prayers.
Ann Morrow, Vice President