Gina's Story

Gina Maas didn’t think twice about donating a kidney to her son Austin.

Name: Gina Maas                                                  
City/Town: Portland, Oregon                               
Age at Donation: 57                                              
Occupation: Registered Nurse                                        
Date of Donation: July 9, 2020              
Hospital and Location: University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics; Iowa City, Iowa

Did you know your recipient?    
Yes, he is my 25-year-old son.

What made you decide to donate?
My son was terrified and in for the fight of his life - as a mom I was terrified and felt the world crushing down on me - and I needed to do everything I possibly could to help him. My first thought was - I’ll give him one of mine.

Was it a tough decision?
Absolutely not -  it was my son and I would do anything for my children - and I never once thought that I couldn’t do this. From the minute he told me the news over the phone while I was at work, I said I will give you one of mine. I only need one anyways.

 What were your biggest concerns about donating?
It’s weird to say - but I absolutely had no concern about it for me - I just kept taking one day at a time and continued with all the testing that was needed.  I just hoped and prayed that this surgery would be a success for my son - and honestly I wasn’t even too concerned about that. I totally believed that this was going to work. I had total faith that everything was going to be ok for both of us.

Miles from her son and COVID raging, a mom’s determination to help her son won out.

Gina and Austin were all smiles after successful surgeries.

How did your family and friends react when you told them you were going to donate?
They were amazed I think at my determination and supportive of my decision. When it came time to actually schedule my trip to Iowa - my family was very supportive in multiple ways! ❤️

How did your surgery go?
Surgery went very well - as planned! I had laparoscopic surgery and it lasted a couple of hours.

What was your recovery like while you were in the hospital?
I was in for two days. I would have stayed longer if they would have let me! I dealt with some nausea and vomiting. Other than that, some weakness and pain.

What was your recovery like at home?
Not being at my own home was difficult. I had to travel out of state for the surgery!  I stayed with my brother initially and then stayed at several other places during my recovery in Iowa. In the beginning the nausea was the worst part and then the pain was runner up. Once my nausea subsided, it was easier for me to focus on my strength and exercise. I stopped taking the pain meds day two after being home and just took Tylenol.

What was the most difficult part of recovery?
Getting past the nausea. For some reason, my nausea continued for several weeks off and on. Once my nausea improved, it was just getting stronger so I could get back to work. My work days last about 13 hours and I’m on my feet for probably 12 of them.

When did you return to work?
I took off eight weeks off. I spent four weeks in Iowa and the rest back at my place before returning to work. When I returned home, I worked at getting my strength back, taking walks daily and increasing my exercise every day.

How long was the process from making the first contact about donating until your surgery?
It was around nine months. My son went into the hospital September 12, 2019 and learned he was in kidney failure September 25. I got on the donor list immediately as did numerous family members and friends. I had my first blood work done at the end of October 2019. Those results showed I had to work on my blood sugar levels, which were borderline high, putting me at risk for diabetes.

The day I found out about my blood work I got rid of all simple sugars in my diet and three months later - February 2020 - I was tested again and my levels improved. I was able to move forward with further testing, then I found out I was a match! Surgery was July 9, 2020.

Is there anything about being a kidney donor that's surprised you?
My recovery at first was harder than I thought. I thought I would go in and bounce right back within days. I guess that’s the nurse in me - very optimistic! It was difficult in the very beginning. Now that it’s over, it was worth everything I went through.

Would you do it again?
Absolutely! To think that I was able to save my son’s life - is an amazing feeling. He was better almost instantly - was a miracle before my eyes! ❤️