Transplant Center

Patient Testimonials

Kidney Transplant Patient Clorice Adams Grateful to UMMC Transplant Center for the "Gift of Life"

Clorice Adams

At the age of 19, I became an insulin controlled diabetic. At the time and in the years to follow I wasn't feeling bad so I never followed doctor's orders as far as eating the right foods. I was managing two stores and I didn't really have time to eat properly. I was not taking care of my diabetes; that's what led to the kidney failure.

At the age of 38, as a result of my diabetes, I suffered congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and sugar levels over 1000. I was in and out of a coma, had blindness that led to an eye implant and suffered kidney and pancreas failure that led to dialysis. My gums had weakened so bad that my teeth started separating. All my hair had fallen out and I lost so much weight that my clothes on my body hung like clothes on a clothes hanger. You might ask what next? I was totally incapacitated!

For three long years I suffered painful needles, long, lonesome hours and frequent painful cramps during dialysis. Finally, I just took myself off of dialysis, even though I knew the purpose was to prolong my life until a kidney was available for transplant. I did call the transplant coordinator to find out how far down I was on the waiting list. She said, "The list is 900 people long and you are number 250." I wondered how long it would take for me to reach the top of the list. She said, "two years."

Two weeks later, not two years, God started coordinating my life for me. On June 1, 1999 around 4 a.m., the transplant coordinator from the University of Maryland Medical Center called to say she had a kidney and a pancreas for me. I dropped the phone and for me this was the first time in my life that I was able to praise the Lord with a foot-stomping shout. I was overwhelmed.

Unaware of how much time had passed, I returned to the phone and to my delight, it wasn't a dream. The coordinator was still there just as happy as I was. She expressed how eager she was to meet me because no one ever reacted like I had. After I hung up the phone, I remembered my pastor saying, "God will put no more on you than you can bear."

I know this is truly the work of the Lord because normally when a kidney is available three people are called to see who best matches that kidney and there was no one else there, only me. Also it is very rare to receive a kidney and pancreas at the same time.

I get very emotional about the person who had to die in order for me to live, but I know that sometimes unexpected accidents happen. The family of the deceased donor did not want to be contacted, so I prayed for God to bring that family peace and understanding and that he would let them know how grateful I was for this gift of life. I am so thankful for unselfish people. I want them to know the doctors said I was receiving one of the best kidneys and pancreas' they had every transplanted.

After the transplant, everybody treated me great. When I first got out of surgery the ICU nurse couldn't believe I was sitting up and talking. They said I got one of the best kidneys there was. In fact, the kidney I received was 95% compatible to me. They (the nurses) were more excited than me. Every time they came into the room they were laughing and joking with me and they said, "There she goes, she got the best kidney and pancreas that we ever had" and they just made me feel really good. I felt like I was on cloud nine. The hospital was quiet and nice and pleasant, and I got plenty of rest.

I thank Dr. [Stephen] Bartlett [an internationally known transplant surgeon and the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine] and his surgical team at the University of Maryland Medical Center for a job well done. Dr. Bartlett made sure everything was done in order and properly and I had no complaints whatsoever. He was like a guardian angel. I would recommend University of Maryland to everybody because they treated me great, especially Dr. Bartlett and his crew.

Since I received my transplants, I have worked diligently to raise funds to support the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland. I feel that the donor is a "citizen of heaven" where I want to be one day and that he or she lives through me.

Since the transplant, I am no longer diabetic. But I would like to encourage anyone who is diabetic to do whatever it takes to control your diabetes. Make sure you are following the diet, exercise and medicine program prescribed for you. Reflect on all I have been through simply because I didn't believe or take the time to do what was required of me to manage my diabetes. Please be wise so that you can take care of yourself and possibly help someone else.

I would like to send out special thanks to Dr. Bartlett and his staff. I would also like to thank my family and everyone who donated to the National Kidney Foundation on my behalf.

If you would like to make an appointment or talk to someone about our services, please call 410-328-5408 or 1-800-492-5538.

This page was last updated on: May 29, 2007.