"I had two kidney diseases that I was diagnosed with about nine years ago. I was going to a doctor in Tuscaloosa who discovered the diseases. My kidneys actually kind of rebounded at one point. I was on several different medicines, which helped them improve a little bit. I was doing my daily activities and going to work.
"My kidneys actually stayed normal for about five to six years. But the doctor told me I could have a relapse at any time, and sure enough, I did. And this time they never rebounded. They kept going down.
"I noticed several things were wrong with me and went back to the doctor, and they told me they were failing. I started to go to the dialysis clinic. I went on dialysis a little more than two years ago.
"I was very active, and that’s what made dialysis so hard on me. To be honest, I felt guilty because of my kids. We were always doing something, whether it was going to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, going to the zoo or taking a weekend trip somewhere — we were always doing something. Being hooked to that machine took away a lot of those quick road trips and things we liked to do. If we tried to do a trip, I’d have to load the machine and carry all of those bags. I just felt guilty because the kids wanted to go do things, and I just could do it.
"And then the physical part of it; I was sleepy all the time. It had gotten to the point where I wanted to sleep 24 hours. I just couldn’t get enough sleep. That was horrible for me. I just couldn’t understand how someone like me, who liked to do stuff all the time, could feel that way. All I was focused on was lying down and going to sleep. It was bad.
"When UAB called and said we were on the list, I was excited.
"The crazy thing was, when we were going through orientation, they told us that the donor-swap program averaged around 12 months to get a match. They called us about a week-and-a-half later. It shocked me.
"Now after the transplant, every now and then I will get tired and lay down, but I think that’s part of the healing process, because my energy is definitely back. I can tell a huge difference already. I don’t want to lay down all of the time. I want to get out and go do things again. I can definitely see a difference.
"As far as the chain goes, I don’t know how to put the chain into words. It’s amazing. The fact that so many people have an opportunity now to change their lives is just unreal. I know it’s going to change my family’s life. To be part of the chain, for me to be in something like this, it’s exciting and unbelievable at the same time.
"I was very pleased with the care I received at UAB. Everybody was really nice to us and very professional. And we’ve told a lot of people, whether it’s through Facebook or word of mouth, about the opportunity the paired kidney chain at UAB has given to us. It’s giving me a chance to live my life again."
Thomas Freeman - 21
"The fact that so many people have an opportunity now to change their lives is just unreal. I know it’s going to change my family’s life."