Police officer donates kidney to save a stranger
Joan Grealis
Sixty-five-year-old Joan Grealis  has kidney disease. When  she  got sick five years ago  doctors discovered that  she  had hyperoxaluria  or oxalate crystals in both  her  kidneys -- the result of a biochemical reaction that occurred when  she  had surgery in  her  20s.
Grealis and her husband  Gary  have been together since they were teenagers. But neither Gary nor their two adult children was able to donate to Joan. "They were all tested  and for various medical reasons  they couldn't donate "  Grealis  said.
Practically minded   Grealis  even made cremation plans. "I don't know if I would have done that normally at my age  but it just seemed like I should do this " she recalled.
Joan Grealis  left  and Anna Cuthbertson were strangers until Grealis' need for a kidney brought them together.
The kidney  Grealis  received the week of November 16 came from an anonymous man in Southern California  but she considers Cuthbertson her donor.
"I feel like we are linked for life "  Grealis  said. "I may not have gotten her kidney  but without her doing what she did  I wouldn't have gotten a kidney  either."
"I got done first  and I remember sitting up in my bed like every time the elevator doors opened " Cuthbertson recalled with a laugh. "I was waiting to see when  Joan  would show up on the floor. But  her  surgery got done pretty late  so I saw Gary and  her  kids first  so it was exciting -- like we've all been through something exciting together."
As for the person who ended up with Cuthbertson's kidney   she 's OK if  she  never finds out who he or  she  is.
"I don't want the person who ended up with it to feel obligated to me in any way. I don't want them to feel like I'm watching how they are living their life "  she  reflected. "I hope they're doing well. I hope that it's successful  and I hope they can do what they want. I have everything I need."
And  Grealis  is already feeling stronger. The pain in her legs is gone  she can get through the day without napping  and she has more energy.
"I'm looking forward to all of 2018  actually "  Grealis  said. "I have a lot I want to do."
[TGT]has kidney disease. When  [TGT]  got sick five years ago  doctors discovered that  [TGT]  had hyperoxaluria  or oxalate crystals in both  [TGT]  kidneys -- the result of a biochemical reaction that occurred when  [TGT]  had surgery in  [TGT]  20s.
[TGT] and [TGT] husband  Gary  have been together since they were teenagers. But neither Gary nor their two adult children was able to donate to Joan. "They were all tested  and for various medical reasons  they couldn't donate "  Grealis  said.
Practically minded   Grealis  even made cremation plans. "I don't know if I would have done that normally at my age  but it just seemed like I should do this " she recalled.
Joan Grealis  left  and Anna Cuthbertson were strangers until Grealis' need for a kidney brought them together.
The kidney  Grealis  received the week of November 16 came from an anonymous man in Southern California  but she considers Cuthbertson her donor.
"I feel like we are linked for life "  Grealis  said. "I may not have gotten her kidney  but without her doing what she did  I wouldn't have gotten a kidney  either."
"I got done first  and I remember sitting up in my bed like every time the elevator doors opened " Cuthbertson recalled with a laugh. "I was waiting to see when  Joan  would show up on the floor. But  her  surgery got done pretty late  so I saw Gary and  her  kids first  so it was exciting -- like we've all been through something exciting together."
As for the person who ended up with Cuthbertson's kidney   she 's OK if [TGT]she  never finds out who [TGT] or  she  is.
"I don't want the person who ended up with it to feel obligated to me in any way. I don't want them to feel like I'm watching how they are living their life "  she  reflected. "I hope they're doing well. I hope that it's successful  and I hope they can do what they want. I have everything I need."
And  Grealis  is already feeling stronger. The pain in her legs is gone  she can get through the day without napping  and she has more energy.
"I'm looking forward to all of 2018  actually "  Grealis  said. "I have a lot I want to do."