Middletown resident donates kidney, helps save his brother’s life; Podoletz honored at ceremony

Nicholas Podoletz watched not less than a dozen individuals die who he had gotten to know throughout his 4 years present process kidney dialysis therapies.

One, a 33-year outdated girl, Podoletz remembers “chit-chatting away with for 4 hours.”

“That’s not a fairly sight my buddy, not a fairly sight,” he stated.

However Podoletz, 63, not wants kidney dialysis, because of his youthful brother, Jeffrey, of Middletown, who donated a kidney to Nicholas in June. Nicholas struggled with hypertension and diabetes, which made the donation obligatory.

Jeffrey, 61, who lives in Pineford, was acknowledged for his donation Feb. 22 throughout the annual Residing Donor Recognition Ceremony “Items of Life, Acts of Love,” held in King of Prussia by the Reward of Life Donor Program. Jeffrey is amongst 40 pairs of donors and recipients from the area who had been celebrated on the occasion.

Jeffrey is a dock employee on the Yellow Roadway Corp. truck terminal close to Carlisle. Nicholas labored there, too, till his well being received too unhealthy. His kidneys ultimately shut down, placing him on dialysis.

Someday Nicholas stated, “‘Jeff, I’m not gonna make it.’ That’s once I determined to donate,” Jeffrey stated.

Jeffrey had gone to a seminar about kidney illness. He wakened the subsequent morning, known as a hotline he discovered about on the seminar, and stated he needed to donate his kidney to his brother.

The method took a bit greater than two years. Nicholas was in such unhealthy well being, together with additionally being diabetic, that the docs needed to wait till he was wholesome sufficient for the transplant.

That ready was the hardest a part of all of it for Jeffrey.

“I used to be examined, all able to go, however it took awhile to get him straightened out,” he stated. 

The brothers underwent the transplant at UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg on June 18.

“It wasn’t unhealthy in any respect,” Jeffrey stated of the surgical procedure and his restoration. The worst factor was him lacking seven weeks of labor.

He was prepared to return in 5, however the docs stated no.

Earlier than the transplant, as Nicholas received worse and worse, Jeffrey fearful that if he known as and Nicholas didn’t reply, his brother can be mendacity on the ground of his home in Carlisle.

In occasions like these, Jeffrey would take off work to go and ensure Nicholas was OK, or go see him throughout his more and more frequent journeys to the hospital.

Now, as a substitute of dialysis and three or 4 medical appointments every week, there’s no dialysis for Nicholas and hardly any appointments in any respect.

Jeffrey can inform the distinction between then and now simply by how Nicholas solutions the telephone, the vitality in his voice that wasn’t there earlier than. He’s not depressed.

Nicholas nonetheless has well being issues, particularly now with the coronavirus. He’s self-quarantined out of issues over his well being, and Jeffrey can’t go to him at dwelling.

“I’m immune poor, so if I get it, I’m lifeless,” Nicholas stated of the coronavirus.

The brothers have at all times been shut, however it’s a closeness that’s onerous for both of them to place into phrases.

“It’s what it’s,” Nicholas stated when requested about what his brother did. “It was good of him to do this. He’s my brother, you understand what I imply?”

“It’s type of embarrassing” being known as a hero for this, Jeffrey stated. “The nurses, the docs, the (transplant) coordinator — they’re the actual heroes. For those who ask me particularly now with the coronavirus, even the grocery retailer clerks — you’ve received to offer them numerous credit score.”

Dr. Danielle E. Ladie carried out the transplant.

Jeffrey encourages everybody who can to enroll as an organ donor. Only one organ donor can save the lives of as much as eight individuals, he stated.