WHEN Kay Williamson wanted to have a baby there was one problem.
For years Mrs Williamson had been suffering from kidney failure and doctors had told
her on no account must she try for a baby.
So that’s when devoted husband Ian stepped in - to donate one of his own kidneys to
save his wife and allow her to complete the family she’d always longed for.
Amazingly his kidney proved to be almost a perfect match for Mrs Williamson and now
as she cuddles her baby son Jack, now 22 months, she knows she has a lot to thank
her husband for.
Mrs Williamson, an air stewardess, who lives near Bridgwater in Somerset, said: ‘I really
have got the best husband anyone could ever hope for.
‘He never hesitated to step in and save me. We knew that it was the remote chance that
he would be a match for me as we are not related, but amazingly it turned out to be a
good enough match.
‘He not only saved me, but it meant I could now get pregnant and have my son.’
Mrs Williamson’s nightmare began in the summer of 1998 when she began to suffer bad
headaches.
She went to her optician and he discovered the blood vessels in the back of her eyes
were enlarged - a sign of high blood pressure, which can cause kidney failure.
She was referred to a renal specialist at nearby Taunton Hospital in Exeter where she
was told she was suffering from reflux nephropathy, where valves between the kidneys
and bladder fail, which would eventually case them to fail.
Mrs Williamson, 42, said: ‘I was shocked when I heard what I had, but I thought I had
years left before they would fail.
‘But a second opinion at Southmeade Hospital confirmed the diagnosis and doctors
there said they hoped my kidneys would just last another two years.
‘It was devastating as I knew that because my kidneys were failing, there was no way
that I could have another baby.
‘Ian and I had our daughter Rebecca, now ten, but it had taken us four years to
conceive her. I didn’t realise at the time, but my kidney problems had caused the
lengthy delay.
‘I’d always wanted two children, but now it didn’t seem possible that I would be a mother
again.’
The doctors began to search for a kidney donor. Her sister Jenny was tested but proved
not to be a match. Then Mr Williamson decided he wanted to be tested to see he could
be a donor.
His first blood test revealed that the couple were the same blood group.
Mrs Williamson said: ‘I tried not to get too excited as we knew it was a remote chance
that Ian would prove to be a good enough match.
‘He was my only hope, but there was several stages of testing to be completed and we
never thought that he would pass all the tests.’
Five months after the tests on Mr Williamson’s kidney had begun, Mrs Williamson’s
kidneys finally failed completely.
She said: ‘I was on a flight at the time and I just couldn’t breathe as my lungs were filling
up with fluid. As soon as the flight landed back in Bristol Airport I was taken straight to
hospital and put onto a dialysis machine.
‘Luckily a few weeks before, a letter had arrived on the doorstep from the hospital
saying that the transplant could go ahead, so I knew the doctors were now prepared to
use Ian’s kidney to save me.’
The transplant took place at Southmeade Hospital in July 1999. Surgeons removed Mr
Williamson’s kidney, then Mrs Williamson was wheeled into the same operating theatre
where it was transplanted.
She said: ‘I was wheeled into the same recovery room as Ian, side by side. But I don’t
really remember it. We were both in a lot of pain afterwards, but I was so thankful he
had saved my life.’
After their recovery, doctors gave the couple the all-clear to try for a baby, but warned
her if she fell pegnant with twins then the pregnancy would have to be terminated as it
would put too much strain on her kidney transplant.
She said: “The doctors monitored me extremely carefully and even checked how many
eggs my body had released each month before I was allowed to go ahead.’
Baby Jack was born in September 2002 at Southmeade Hospital, weighing 5Ib3.
Mrs Williamson said: ‘It was such an emotional moment as I held him in my arms. I
knew it wouldn’t have been possible to have him if Ian had not given me his kidney.
‘He’s truly a wonderful husband.’
Mr Williamson, 46, an air steward, added: ‘I never hesitated to save Kay. I knew my
kidney would give her her life back. And now our wonderful family is complete too.
The couple have now fully recovered and have regular check-ups to check their health.
Mrs Williamson said: ‘My kidney functions are checked every four months and Ian has
to have an annual check up too. Luckily the transplant has turned out well and we both
feel great. He not only gave me his kidney, but an amazing son too. I feel tremdously
lucky.’