Road to recovery

It was 1979 when Anthony Carroll’s first kidney was removed. Anthony was at the vibrant age of 20 when doctors found the malignant tumour. They gave him no choice but to remove the whole thing.

Anthony was energetic and beginning to pave his way for a long and fruitful career as a clients’ consultant within the Insurance industry. He bounced right back with a speedy recovery. It was his career choice, rather than his lost kidney, that he would later attribute to the toll on his health.

Eventually, he says, he felt burnt out from work related stress and responsibilities. When diagnosed with renal cancer in his remaining kidney 38 years later, it became desperately apparent that he needed a change of pace.

Anthony would have to undergo a partial nephrectomy (the removal of the affected part of his kidney) in an effort to preserve the salvageable remainder of his kidney.

Post-surgery, Anthony was given his first ever blood transfusion, but soon started feeling noticeably low in energy and nauseous. He’d been given a urinary catheter which started blocking and was causing him great pain. After 24 hours in constant agony, an ambulance ride to the hospital and a CT scan, Anthony was told his kidney was bleeding significantly, as well as over-producing urine.

In order to relieve the amount of stress Anthony’s body was undergoing at the time, he was given a second blood transfusion. Although his health soon started showing signs of progression, his nephrologist medical team advised him he was anaemic and needed an iron transfusion to help him replenish his haemoglobin levels.

Anthony’s health has been affected considerably since the operation, but his spirit remains strong and his courage intact.

“I decided to lighten my load of responsibilities and stress, for my health”, says Anthony. “I’m grateful to the donors for their good deeds – it’s thanks to them I was able to start on the road to recovery.” If there is someone out there considering becoming a donor, I’d tell them it’s a really important thing to do. It sounds much worse than what it actually is, and the process is handled very professionally – don’t let your fears keep you from doing such a great deed. Remember, it saves lives.”

To find out more about how you can become a blood donor, click here or call 0800 GIVE BLOOD.