“When we first got my mom, Deanne Lockett, on a waiting list for a kidney transplant, we were told we could wait for up to 15 years. My mom was doing terrible, and was in a steady decline. She had no energy and couldn’t do the things she wanted to do.
“I kind of jumped on it and tried to see if I could donate to her, so I reached out to UAB. I just wanted to prove to her that I was serious about giving her a kidney.
“Dialysis is not a pretty experience for anyone to go through. Her arm was full of sores from all the needle sticks. She would have cramps and swell up and have blood pressure problems. She was limited in what she could eat. Her life was all about dialysis. We couldn’t take a vacation. Everything had to be planned around her dialysis treatments. Wherever we were, we had to make sure we were close to dialysis places. She had her treatments three days a week for three hours at a time.
“I was used to my upbeat, getting-around mom, and she just wasn’t happy anymore. You could see it. You didn’t know the pain she felt, but I know how hard it was to watch.
“When we knew we were going to be able to get the transplant, it was exciting for me. I knew it was something I wanted to do. I felt I was doing something that would help me help her.
“It felt so great to finally give. The doctors told me her kidneys were working fine and she was feeling good immediately after the surgery. I felt really excited and happy. It was well worth it.
“She still has a lot of lab work done and we get to see how well her kidney is working now compared to before the surgery, and it’s just great. She has a lot more energy. She’s not weighed down by dialysis. When she was on dialysis, she could barely stand up and she laid down most of the day. Now, she’s up and moving. She can get out and go into stores and walk around now.
“I think Mr. Chambers is just the greatest person to do what he did. He got into it wanting to donate to someone with Type 1 diabetes and wanted to donate to a child. Because he gave, two children received a kidney donation in this chain after him. He got to fulfill his dream and my mom got to receive her kidney. God just works in mysterious ways.
“It was also great to meet my recipient, Christy Harris. I was happy for her. I couldn’t give my kidney to my mom, but I was still able to help someone. She was happy I was that person for her like Mr. Chambers was that person for my mom. After the transplant, when I met Christy, she said, ‘Oh, my father is going to love you for this.’ It’s just great to see them happy and getting back to their old selves. Being tied to that dialysis machine, that was their lifeline. Now they get to have a little more freedom.
“UAB really made this whole experience nice. To be able to get around and meet everyone was great. If you felt a little bit nervous, they told you it was normal. Who wouldn’t feel just a little bit nervous about having surgery? But they were very open and honest, and I liked that about them.”
Jennifer Lockett - 40
“I was used to my upbeat, getting-around mom, and she just wasn’t happy anymore. You could see it."