I woke up from the surgery sobbing... I had just donated my left kidney to a stranger to save their life. This is known as an altruistic or Good Samaritan donation, and it is fair to say that it is an unusual thing to do.
What fascinates me is that while most people accept that my reasoning is compelling, they still say they would never donate a kidney. It is telling that I never ask them why: an unwillingness to give a kidney to a stranger is the default.
I finally feel pride that I did something that was not easy for me... I found the experience mostly miserable. I am not sure what I expected, but it was pretty much a standard medical procedure.
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