PEOPLE WORTH WATCHING
THE GIFT OF LIFE By Jennifer Bieniek
If you would have told me eight years ago that I would be in a permanent teaching position (at the school of my choice), have a two-year-old daughter, and be happy and healthy, I would never have believed it. Organ donation not only saved my life, it has increased my quality of life ten-fold! I always wanted to become a teacher. As the oldest child and cousin in my family, it was natural for me to be taking care of and “teaching” the little ones how to swim, build forts, read, etc. Although I was hired as an occasional teacher during a particularly difficult time to secure a permanent position, I continued supply teaching, supplemented by other part-time work. During that time, my health was beginning to decline, and I was diagnosed with kidney disease. I was told that one day down the road I would need a kidney transplant – little did I know it would be sooner than later. The doctors told me I should start looking for a living kidney donor, as at that point the wait list for a kidney was upwards of eight years. I did not feel I could ask anyone – that is just the type of person I am – but I had an
outpouring of support, with family, friends, and even some strangers saying they would be tested for me. It was very humbling to experience that kind of love and support. Both of my sisters and my mother volunteered to be tested first. I am extremely lucky that both of my sisters were matches, one of them being a 100 per cent match. It was a much longer process than we all expected, with numerous tests for both of us, appointments with social workers, doctors, and so on. In the meantime, my health declined so much that I needed to start dialysis, a process in which your blood is removed, cleaned, and returned. Many days, I did not think I would make it through. I experienced extreme fluctuations in blood pressure, fluid retention followed by rapid fluid loss, muscle degeneration, migraines, nausea, and more. I prayed that I would one day know what it was like to just feel okay again. After nine months on dialysis, everything was approved. We went into surgery April 5, 2012, a day I will forever remember and be grateful for. My sister’s kidney worked perfectly from the first day, and I have never looked back. While my sister did not feel so great immediately after the procedure, she was feeling like herself again in a couple of weeks, and she has been great ever since. Eight months later, I had a pancreas transplant to protect that wonderful kidney and allow me to stop needing insulin injections altogether! This was from a deceased donor, a young man who had made his wishes known to his parents that if anything was to happen to him, he wanted to donate his organs. He is forever my guardian angel! I was fortunate to find out the identity of my donor, which is not information that the hospitals will share with you in Canada, and although I have not met his family,
26 CATHOLIC TEACHER | MAY 2019
in our many messages back and forth they do refer to me as their extended family. After some recovery time, I felt like a brand new person. I secured a permanent teaching position, and finally felt I was doing what I should be: inspiring young minds to always be kind and to enjoy learning. And through the gifts of modern medicine and my donors, as well as the incredible support of my husband and doctors, I was able to have my daughter two years ago, which is nothing short of a miracle, as she is one of the first and few babies born to a mom who has received kidney and pancreas transplants. She is happy, healthy, and the light of my life. Through events and gatherings with the Trillium Gift of Life and the Canadian Transplant Association, I have had the opportunity to meet so many people, young and old, who would not be here today if they did not receive a life-saving organ transplant. There are so many people who are full of life, and dedicate their lives to “not sweating the small stuff” and promoting the message that organ donation works! April is Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month. On April 8, people participated in Green Shirt Day, in honour of the Logan Boulet of the Humboldt Broncos, who inspired incredible reaction across Canada when his wishes to donate his organs were honoured after his passing. Please consider checking your donor status on beadonor.ca (as signed cards are no longer valid) and most importantly, please let those close to you know your wishes. Jennifer Bieniek is a teacher at St. Mary’s school in Collingwood, and a member of OECTA’s Diversity Advisory Board.