For most of us, the question of whether or not we would donate a kidney to a family member is easy to answer. If there is a way that we could save the life of someone we love, wouldn’t we jump at the opportunity?
But one woman’s admission that she deliberately chose not to help her grandfather proves the question isn’t so clear cut.
She shared the story in the Facebook group I Dream Of Being This Petty , which is a place for people to live vicariously through the petty revenge of others.
Rather than admitting to pettiness, the woman wondered if she was in the wrong.
She explains that when she was sixteen, her grandfather needed a kidney transplant and she was the only match.
But he died because she refused to donate.
Obviously, the idea of letting a family member die instead of donating seems terrible at face value.
Many of us wouldn’t even give it a second thought. Of course we’d want to help if we were a match.
But when she explains her reasoning, the issue becomes less clear-cut.
According to her, her grandfather was a member of the KKK and a pedophile. While there’s no way to “prove” this, one can assume that in a question of life or death, she didn’t refuse on a whim.
She also makes it clear that the decision was a firm stance against her grandfather.
In fact, the very day he died, she registered as a living donor and has since been matched with another person in need of a kidney.
Kidney donation is a big commitment.
Sure, we have two and can live long lives without one, but it’s not just about that. Living donors need to consider the costs of the procedure, from medical costs to lost wages during recovery.
They also have an increased chance for future kidney issues that could be complicated by not having a second organ to help out.
By immediately signing up as a donor, it’s clear that it wasn’t the surgery or commitment that prevented her from helping her grandfather. She wasn’t simply a flighty, ungrateful teenager.
However, her boss has called her a “dick” for not saving her grandfather’s life.
So while she doesn’t seem particularly regretful, she does wonder if her boss was right.
Responses in the group were mixed, but many people applauded her conviction in the face of what was likely a lot of family pressure.
So what do you think of the situation?
Personally, I’m on the side that says she had the right to her decision and shouldn’t feel guilty about it.
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If I knew the person I was being asked to donate too had done such horrible things, I would reconsider too.
As one commenter said:
“That’s your kidney so you do whatever you want with it. You have no reason to reduce your lifespan for a bad person. I wish I had this level of courage because I’d certainly not handle people guilt-tripping me.”
h/t: Unilad
