Update: Johnson, Brother Doing Well After Kidney Donation
Severna Park Middle School custodian Dovell Johnson donated a kidney to his brother, and they are both doing well post-surgery.
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More than a month after Severna Park Middle School custodian Dovell Johnson donated a kidney to save his brother’s life, both men are doing well.
“I’m fine and it went wonderful,” Johnson said. “My brother is doing fine too. They kidney worked for him kind of fast. The doctors doing the follow-up say it is functioning perfectly.”
Johnson, 23, donated a kidney to his brother, Rhondell Jones, on Nov. 13, and Johnson’s co-workers at Severna Park Middle School rallied around him and offered an abundance of support.
When Johnson didn’t have enough sick days for his recovery time, members of the staff donated their sick days to Johnson so he would have enough time for his recovery. They also brought him meals while he recovered.
“I can’t thank them enough,” Johnson said. “They brought me all kinds of food. I had everything—the taco salad was the best but they brought me so much.”
Johnson will return to work on Thursday and said he can’t wait.
“I miss it so much,” he said. “On my gosh I miss the whole staff, the teachers, the kids, the lunch ladies—I miss everyone. It’s like I am not doing my daily routine.”
Jones is recovering well form the surgery. Johnson said the brothers talk everyday and Jones will be cleared for work soon.
“It was just a wonderful process. I feel great that I was able to save my brother’s life,” Johnson said. “I can’t thank every individual person, but I want to thank everybody so much. I want to thank everybody in my neighborhood, at my work, my friends and my family. They helped so much.”
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Debbie Davis
8:01 am on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
It made my heart so happy to read this story! God Bless both of you! I have a cousin that has been on dialysis for almost 5 years. She is just waiting. Please pray for her.
Bryant Haines
3:59 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Wow, Debbie. 5 years is a long wait. I know that's a difficult challenge. I have two boys, aged 10 and 15, who were both diagnised with end-stage kidney failure last year. I was shocked to learn that there are 115,000 Americans awaiting a kidney and that the average wait is 50 months. The other part of the challenge - regardless of how good you think your insurance is - is the cost of the care and transplant. We setup ActiveCharity.org to help raise the funds for my boys (and then others we can help once we get them covered), and we partnered with KidSney.org to help raise awareness of the need and process for volunteering to donate a kidney. I'll say this too - the meals that were brought to Dovell and Rhondell (the young men in the story) make a tremendous difference. It has helped so much for my family when friends from church and the community bring meals over - especially on dialysis days!
JP
1:02 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
Hello,
Is ERD covered by medicare for children ? Once an adult has ERD and for 3 years after transplant Medicare helps. We have had two transplant experiencs with UMMC in Baltimore. In 1995 my husband tested a pancreas and kidney transplant. Then, in 2008 did at home P/ Dialysis and was blessed to get a kidney in 2009. It took 7 months and many calls. We had 12 friends and family tested and none of us could donate. He received an expanded critia older kidney. I wish you luck and thank you for helping to educate others. More living donors is the key to success. That is why Johnson is an incredible man.Thank you for sharing his story.
JP
1:03 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
criteria