Hello and welcome to the Gifted Life podcast where we have conversations about Oregon, tissue and hydonation. I'm Roy Steele. I'm Joey Boudreau. I'm Sally Chintry.
And we are the Voices here on the Gifted Life that we have a cool team that we get to represent, right? Each and every day they go out and make life happen. Absolutely. And speaking of making life happen.
What is this that we hear about you receiving an award in New York City? New York City. Yes. How's about it?
I was representing our cool team here at Lopa, Louisiana Oregon Procurement Agency, but PR News did a national search for those who excel in the PR world. And so Lopa got on up there and I got to be up there accepting an award on our behalf. Oh, Laura, I think you're being way too modest. I understand it was like the top women in public relations across the United States.
Yeah. It was something like that. Top women in NPR from across the country. But like I said, I was just proud to be representing, couldn't have done it without my boss Kirsten, Shalom's on our team, Sam.
So a lot of things that we do, you guys here at the podcast, what we do at LSU, that takes partnerships, takes relationships. So I'll accept on everyone's behalf and makes life happen. We like that. She deflects.
That's so nice. That's the favorite part about being there. It was neat. It was a whirlwind.
It was overwhelming. But I have to say the story that I came back with was that I think we were supposed to be there. I think we were supposed to be in that room because when we went to pick out our table, the person who came to sit with us was a transplant recipient, not once, but twice. And he was so proud that we were there, that our organization, what we do was being recognized in that room that day.
So shout out to Todd. Hopefully we can work with him this year in 2018 to help make life happen. But I thought that was pretty neat. And I said, man, yeah, we belong here.
So it was pretty neat to get that recognition. Everybody got here what we do here in Louisiana and what we're trying to do and move it forward. That was special. Yes.
Thank you. Thank you very much. Certainly. We're team.
Yeah, we're proud of you. We all work together. That's how we get there. That's how it works guys.
On this episode, we're also going to tell you how one person made a difference. This is quite an incredible story. Yes, it is. We're going to be talking to a gentleman who served our country both as a police officer and the Marine.
Not only did he do that, he did something even more special, right? Yes, indeed. This guy decided to be a living donor to help a friend, which is a fabulous way to give a gift of life. We're going to tell you how that story unfolded and how that story got to us here on the gifted life and we're going to share that with you and we hope that it inspires you to share with others, guys.
We try to make it as easy as possible. As usual, you can find us on Apple Podcast, Google Play or whatever your favorite podcast that might be. Yeah, and go back to Facebook, donate life, Louisiana. A lot of what we talk about here on the podcast can be seen there.
Twitter and Instagram, we're at Donate Life, LA. And don't forget, you can always give us a call. Do you want to know what that number is? Yes.
Do you know it? Oh, the top of my head's now. I think I still remember. It's been a few months, but I think I still remember.
It's 504, 648, 3477. Give us a call. That's the hotline. I'd like to say you've been doing your PJs like a two o'clock in the morning.
Leave a voicemail and we may use that audio here on the podcast. Our goal is to spur those healthy conversations about organ tissue and ideonation and you are an important part of that. You guys ready? Yep.
I'm excited to hear this story. Here we go. All right, guys. We have quite the story for you.
Joining us now, by phone is Christopher Baben. Hey, Chris. Hey, come on. Welcome to the gifted life.
We are excited because you reached out to us and it was around Christmas time and you started sharing your story. And so I guess I want to start with what prompted you around the holidays to reach out. Well, I can tell you that making a decision to become a living donor was obviously not one that I took very lightly, but it was one that I was committed to and really wanted to be able to get involved in. And I know that it's something that also I know there looks as an option for a lot of those that might need some type of organ transplant.
And around the Christmas time on December, I had finished my first post-surgery, full marathon, and with that reassurance that my health was back in mind, I really felt like I could be a voice for future potential living donors. I felt like when I did some research and stuff, when I looked into that and about a few years ago, when I started the process, there is a lot of money. I think the internet helps, you know, social media and all that definitely helps, but I just felt that on my heart to share my story that way, even if I can, through the success of my story, help one person receive the organ that they're looking for, that it would definitely do worse than I'm not normally the kind of person that, you know, talks about my personal story and that kind of thing. But I just felt if I wasn't going to be somebody to talk about the success of living organ donation, and I don't know who else would be.
Yeah. And clearly you've got giving the grain in your nature, you know, looking back at your story, I see that you were not only a police officer serving our country, but you also served in the military as a Marine. Yes, sir. That's your voice.
I hear that. That's how you travel, man. I was in the Army National Guard. I always have a piece of my heart out to those that serve, so I appreciate that.
I appreciate that. Chris, I have a question for you. I'm wondering when you made this decision, how did you and your family talk about this, or come to the decision that this is really the right thing to do? Well, I think it's probably how these situations normally come around.
We had a good family friend of ours. Actually, my brother-in-law's best friend's wife was the recipient of my kidney. And close-knit family, you know, where you guys did your farm, that was familiar with the South Louisiana, how close families would come. And when I met my wife years and years ago, this was a couple that we met, and became friends with, and never really knew much about her having polycystic kidney disease, and the genetic issues that she had.
It wasn't something that she walked around and talked about. But when it came to the surface that her kidney function had declined enough that she was going to either need to start dialysis, or go on a transplant list. It was just something that kind of popped in my head like I've heard of people donating a kidney a lot, not just from good average or people that have passed away. I told my wife about it, and she said, well, let's look into it.
And we didn't know if we should tell her right away that we were looking to it, or see if I was a match first. And we kind of just started that conversation, and then everything just kind of transpired from there. But it was just heavy on my heart, I guess, that I felt like maybe I could be the one to do this. And I'm a believer in God, and just kind of prayed about it and put it in his hands, and just kind of got walked right through the process.
So it wasn't a decision. I took it from my family, took it lightly, but it was definitely one that kind of popped up on it, that I was willing to accept. And I've worked out tremendously well. That's great.
So you talked about starting that process of matching, because as we've talked about it on the gift of life in the past, kidneys are the most specific as far as the matching is concerned. It's not just if you're a similar height and weight and blood type. There are more things that go into kitty, donation and matching outside of just that is a specific antigen matching that takes place as well. So oftentimes people go through the process and unfortunately aren't that matched like you were.
So first, tell me how long that process took, and then second, I'm really curious what kind of emotions that you have when you were informed that this was something that you can actually do. I actually did a phenomenal job with making sure that I was informed and the information that I had. And I did actually talk to Irish hip, ankle forward, just a single life and I let her know that I was going to go through the process. And first of all, make sure that my health was in line before they would even check to see if I was a match.
So I had to do some blood work and get some things done to make sure my kidney function was good. Just eliminate everything. And then from there, once my health was in line enough to move forward with deciding whether or not I was a match. I had spoken with my donor coordinator.
You get to find a donor coordinator at Ashner's multi organ transplant institute and she was always available when I needed her capillary and form. But she let me know, okay, you're health good enough. It looks like you might be able to be a donor. Let's go through and see if you're a match for your specific recipient.
Because you can register to be a living donor for an anonymous person that you don't know. I started the process, obviously, for a specific recipient. And the emotions at that point, you know, I heard from initially it's excitement. I'm glad I'm going to be able to help somebody to, I've got a low anxious, you know, trying to waiting on that process to decide to be told whether or not I was a match.
And, you know, it's just incredible the way that things work out. And I went through and then decided, you know, get the testing. And I don't even remember what all the testing was. But they do check antigens and all these different things that everybody doesn't reject the kidney and stuff like that.
And through that testing, it was discovered that we were a match on so many different levels, more than the average. And we, as far as we know, aren't related at all. But we're a very, very close match, which obviously was approved by the doctors and surgeons to continue to move forward. Consciousness at that time turned into more excitement, but there was still a lot of testing to be done.
And, you know, it's incredible the way that things work out because my recipient's mother had been struggling with cancer and health was not doing very well. And they give me all of the information and they allow the donor to communicate with the recipient. A lot of that's been protected donor just in case at any point I want to, you know, back out of the process for whatever reason, you know, they don't want anybody to ever feel pressured. So they always gave me the information.
And I'm sure her, you know, she was also anxious, but also waiting to hear from me on different, different tests through the process went. And, you know, the day that I found out that I was, you know, approved in a match and was going to be able to move forward in the process, was a very tough day for her and her life with her mother because that was the day they found out that her mom was going to have to go on the process. So it was a very incredible way, the way it worked out and just the timing of it all. And, you know, I'm thankful to it.
But the, from there the process went fairly well, went through a lot more testing. They do a lot more than just blood testing and stuff. They do ultrasound and inject and die in the kidneys and, you know, 24 hours, 48 hours, hearing collections, all these different things. But one, to make sure that they're going to give a recipient a kidney that is healthy, but also to make sure that I'm not in any kind of jeopardy once the surgery's over.
Right. And the process at that point, you know, was pretty ex-treatment. And then before we knew it, we had a last couple of meetings with, we met together at New Orleans, at Ochsner's before the finalization of everything. And then we had the surgery on June 6th, 2016.
So Chris, how has this impacted the relationship between your families now? When I say your family's near the recipient, her family, you and your family? We are a lot closer. It's quite a gift, Chris.
Yeah. You know, with my recipient and her husband, I, you know, knew them obviously beforehand, but I stand a lot more time with them now. I think we're a lot closer. It's not something that we get together and talk about, you know, very often.
And it's not something that I ever, you know, ever have expected anything in return for. But we've definitely grown our relationship between my wife and I and her and her husband as well. So it's quite a bit and we're a lot closer. There's a connection there that obviously I don't share with anybody else.
And it's very special. Wow. Here on the gift of life, we always talk about one person making a difference and today that person would be you. We love to hear the motivation behind someone doing something so selfless and that's amazing.
So we get through the surgery. We save someone's life. You guys are cracking along and you continue to push the limits because you're using to be a marathon guy, a triathlon guy, and you're still able to do all this more. Right.
My biggest challenge for myself following the surgery was, you know, staying inactive for a little while to make sure that I could recover properly. I did pretty well. I think I got close up on a couple times. That's what we do, Chris.
That's what we do protecting you guys. And I would have been just like you trying to get out there. Right. Yeah.
I'd run a couple of marathons and got kind of heavy into those and doing it myself after I got out of the Marine Corps. It was something I mentally challenged myself with wanting to do again. Not just for myself to prove to myself that I could maintain an active lifestyle. But I knew that once I had achieved being able to run a full marathon again post surgery that that would be kind of the benchmark that would allow me to share my story.
And not just in time, yeah, I'm just a healthy as I was before, but you know, actual proof that I'm as healthy as I was before and continue to be. And that's a lot of reservation somebody might have before they would get involved in a process like that would be how much it's going to impact me in the future, you know, which is very normal. I had the same thought. You have a high benchmark.
This is running a marathon. I know I was reading and I was like, oh, I'm tired. Just reading about this guy already. You inspire us to go out and do more.
I was curious as a fellow. I would like to call myself athlete because I do crossfit for the last six or seven years. I was wondering when I was going to come up with. But I do like to run myself, you know, but I don't do the marathons, but I like to run, you know, five to 10 miles, 10 Ks and things like that.
I'm curious how your training has changed or has it changed at all since you've donated? Has it, has you had to pay more attention to certain things, certain electrolytes lose whatever differently than you did before any training for marathons? You know, by the doctors asked there was hydration, you know, just making sure that I'm hydrated, running days on running days just in general, you know, having, you know, one kidney versus two that staying hydrated is important. If he's just a kidney, you know, ability to do his job and that kind of thing.
So as far as the running itself, that would probably be the only thing that I'd say I've paid the closest attention to. It hasn't really changed because I've always paid pretty hydrated, but it's something that I make sure to pay even closer attention to. But nothing else changed other than, you know, kind of being out of running for a good eight weeks, you know, obviously my fitness declined a little bit during that time. So kind of getting back to the fitness level where I wanted to be just through normal training, but nothing, nothing was really different other than making sure I was hydrated.
You've got me convinced. So, so I'm trying to shave some time off. So now that you've got less weight of that kidney, have you, are you faster? That, that, that has to be it.
It's got to be. You figured it out. Right. I'm just never with my best time.
That's awesome. That's awesome. Continuing to push the limits. Ah, well, Chris, you know, you mentioned weeks of kind of low activity here on the gift of life.
We always say, hey, if you have any questions, send them our way. And folks have been talking about living donation. I think you helped do that. We posted your story in December.
And I got a lot of people talking on some of the questions that they're asking about. If you're, if you're comfortable answering payments insurance, length of the hospital stay, what did you do about work? Those kinds of logistics that some would have to think about before doing what you did and giving the gift of life as a living donor. Are you comfortable sharing?
So far as the insurance throughout the entire process, my recipient had had her own insurance. I had my own insurance as well. But her insurance, the recipient insurance covered all of my doctors, their, their, their, their insurance in my lab, everything that I went through, her insurance covered it. I don't know if that's been no one.
I don't know if that's how all insurance is worked. I know that's something that Ashman's their care wrote though. And they would never, any, any burden on me, not only for the insurance, but even to figure it out. Ashman and I'm sure other trans women would be very similar.
They took all that on when I was going to the doctor, you know, I would go to the Ashman or sometimes in that urge to not have to go all the way to New Orleans for certain testing. And I would give them my information in a form that was sent to me in the mail that says, I was a potential living donor, like contacted person to discuss my insurance. And I didn't have to show an insurance card. You know, they had that process very well managed.
And I was never a third performing. I was fortunate enough to work for a very good employer for the time off, you know, a couple of days or a day here or there throughout the couple months to get blood work and stuff done was not an issue. And then I was out of work for the two weeks with the surgery. I have, you know, I had a best job, so a fairly, fairly low, low active job during the day.
So I was able to return to work after two weeks. And the hospital say, I'll tell you, they used to let people lay up in the bed for a while, but that was not at all the case. And you moved out into the years and medical industry, they discovered that the sooner you're active, the better. So I got out of surgery one afternoon, the afternoon of June 6th and that evening, very late that evening, I made a lap around that floor with a nurse before going to sleep at night.
I think you're just built differently, not one, you know. I'm winded just talking to you here, seated. So you have children, Chris? Yes, I have a step daughter, she's 13.
Yeah. And so moving forward, like how do you talk about that with children? What would you tell someone if they asked you for advice about doing exactly what you did? You know, I think the advice, you know, would be to make sure that, you know, you do something that you're comfortable with.
You know, I was, you know, blessed with a giving heart. And I tried to, you know, I tried to do as much as I can for people. So that was never really a hard decision for me to decide whether or not I wanted to move forward. But as a donor throughout the process, you're protected so much and have so much opportunity to back out of that process, if it's not something you're comfortable with.
And, you know, I would hate for somebody to go through and become a living donor when they really didn't want to. But I think that a lot of people would discover that they really would be, you know, blessed enough to be able to be a living donor for someone. And, you know, just try to help others. One of the biggest, you have to meet with a counselor before and you have to take psychological exams and different things just to make sure that this is really what you want to do.
And it's not going to be any repercussions after. You know, it's not something that you're expecting something in return for or whatever the case may be. But, you know, it was a process I went into, you know, wholeheartedly wanted to be a part of. That's really what would be my biggest advice to somebody.
It's just follow your heart, follow your passion. You know, it all works out. Wow. Well, here on the gift of life and at LOPA, we always try to inspire folks.
We try to share stories. And so we are so grateful that you decided to share yours. And then we want to share with you, Chris, that on December 28th, we shared a picture of you running in a marathon. It's not Joey.
I thought we were trying to find out. I want to Joey, but he doesn't do those marathons. But you're up there. We shared your story.
And that reached over 9,000 people just through our outlet, which is incredible. So we talk about one person making a difference. You were touching hearts with your story. So you coming forward, you're sharing your story.
That's what we're trying to encourage people to do. You did that. So we want to say thank you, Chris. I thank you so much.
We appreciate it. We hope that we talk to you more in 2018. We want to hear about your next marathon. Maybe you and Joey can team up, train Sally.
You can hop on that train too. I will be cheering you guys on on the loudest page and out there, Chris. I don't know. I joke you agree.
I don't know. I just beer at the end. So Chris, if you continue to share with us and we'll continue to share with folks, donate Life, Louisiana is our Facebook page or here on the gift of life. Keep going out and making a difference, man.
You really are changing the world and changing hearts. Thank you so much. Thank you all so much. I really, really appreciate it.
Getting my kind of reach is exactly what my intention just not even necessarily to make somebody feel as though they needed to be a living donor. To promote the process of living donation and the ease of doing it. You know, being able to influence maybe just one person, I think, would definitely have a huge impact. I definitely appreciate you all for putting that on social media for columns today and then talking to you all a little bit.
I definitely appreciate it. All right. We're partners, man. Now you're stuck with us, Chris.
When you run that marathon, we're going to send you our pictures. We're going to put it on there because we can't run with you. I would pass out. Yeah, you would.
You like you, man. We appreciate you. Thanks for what you do. We'll talk soon.
As always, on the gift of life podcast, we like to honor a hero. On today's episode, our hero is Randy Falgu. We hear about Randy from his family. Our beautiful son passed away following a massive heart attack.
He was born in New Orleans in 1964. He was happy and loving. He had two brothers. He was an animal lover and a music lover, and he had so many friends.
We donated his organs, and we do hope that by donating, many will benefit. We are proud that someone will be able to use his eyes to see and enjoy the world where you're missing Randy each and every day. And now we pause to say thank you, Randy, for the gift of life. Another episode of the gift of life coming to a flows you heard from Chris Babbin on this podcast.
Thanks to Chris for being a part of this podcast. He actually reached out to us, messaged us on Facebook because he wanted to talk about living donation. He wanted to share his story, the positive impact that he made. And we talk about one person making a difference.
He's doing it, but we want to hear your story too. Yeah, your question, a story can inspire others to give the gift of life. And remember, you can find us on social media, email us or even call and that number is 504648347. Leave us a voicemail.
Your story or question is important and we'd like to hear from you. Yeah, maybe email your thing info at lopa.org. We just want to communicate with you. We want to share your story because you could inspire others.
One person can make a difference. That person could be you today. Now go out and do something that you don't normally do to help us make life happen because we know that you can. Register me.org as the national register.
You can sign up today if you haven't already. We hope that you have a good one. Thanks for joining us. This is a production of the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency, Lopa.
And gifted life is hosted by Lori Steele, Joey Buudro, and Sally Gentry. Our producers are Kirsten Heinz and Shalom Caraway. We are recorded, engineered and mixed in our memory Louisiana studio by Troy Perez.