MIAMI (WSVN) – A South Florida father is on the road to recovery after receiving a kidney donation from his daughter.
Sixty-two-year-old Patrick Bachelier went into surgery for a kidney transplant from his 28-year-old daughter, Jacqueline Bachelier, at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, May 29.
It was his second kidney donation following the first one from his sister in 2014.
But it started showing signs of failure.
“I was really feeling worse than I’ve ever felt before,” said Patrick. “My body was double the size I am now.”
Patrick had symptoms of extreme fatigue, jaundice and high blood pressure.
“He didn’t look well. I didn’t know how much time he had, honestly, and it’s hard for a child to look at your parent and say that,” said Jacqueline.
Fortunately for Patrick, the lifeline he needed was found extremely close to home.
Jacqueline turned out to be a perfect match for the second kidney donation.
“I got the phone call, and my heart was so overwhelmed with joy,” said Jacqueline.
“My daughter gave me the golden kidney,” added Patrick.
Despite the perfect match, doctors said the surgery still had its risks.
“When you’ve already undergone a transplant, your immune system is very active, so there’s a higher chance of rejection,” said Dr. Giselle Guerra. “To find the type of match Mr. Bachelier found is amazing.”
The surgery went without a hitch, and now Patrick and his daughter are thankful for the gift of life ahead of Father’s Day.
“In our case, it’s special because it’s my dad,” said Jacqueline. “Also, he’ll always have a piece of me.”
“That’s the reason why she did it, because we care for one another,” added Patrick. “We love one another. We care for one another.”
For information on the importance of becoming an organ donor, visit this website.
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