He Held On To Life with His Brother's Kidney

After learning that his kidneys failed after the sudden numbness in his hands and feet, Şuayip Tiyaloğlu (56) held on to life again with the kidney taken from his brother Zekeriya Tiyaloğlu (46).
Şuayip Tiyaloğlu (56) living in America went to the doctor with complaints of numbness in the hands and cramps in the legs that developed suddenly while driving. Doctors said that one of Tiyaloğlu's kidneys completely failed and the other was working at a capacity of 5%. Sharing his illness with his family in Turkey, Tiyaloğlu's 8 siblings wanted to donate their kidneys. Since he was healthier and younger, the family decided on the youngest brother, Zekeriya Tiyaloğlu. Tiyaloğlu, who preferred Turkey for a faster treatment process, was transplanted with his brother's kidney in an operation performed at Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital. Saying that he is grateful to his brother, Şuayip Tiyaloğlu emphasized that his illness does not show any symptoms.

“I used to Play Football, and I used to Drive”

Expressing that he feels very good at the moment, Tiyaloğlu said, “Before my hands and feet froze, I was getting on with my life. I was working, driving, swimming, and playing football, and I had no complaints while doing this. I did not have a headache or feel tired. But I was drinking a lot of water during the day, and the doctors said that the water kept me up.”

“I Will Always Be Grateful To My Brother”

Stating that his family was mobilized with his wife and 6 children due to the disease, Tiyaloğlu said, “When I went to the doctor 5 years ago, they told me to follow my kidney. I didn't follow it because I felt good and moved on with my life. 5 years later it came out. I went to the hospital and found out that I lost my kidneys. One of them was working at 5 percent, and they tried to raise it, but it did not work, I started dialysis in May. When I learned about my illness, I shared it with my family and everyone lined up to donate their kidneys. My whole family gave me support. My brother voluntarily requested that he be tested first. When everything was found to be suitable as a result of the tests, I was treated with a kidney donated by my brother. I am very grateful to him. His health is fine now, I will always be grateful. From now on, the first thing I will think about will be my health, I will not postpone my check-ups.”

“There Was No Obstacle to Kidney Transplantation”

Explaining the treatment process of the patient, his doctor, Yeditepe University Hospitals  Kidney Transplant Clinic Manager, and General Surgery Specialist, made the following statement: “Mr. Şuayip lives in America. He was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure as a result of some complaints and started dialysis as of May. He preferred to be treated in Turkey, and when he first came to us, we tried to understand which treatment was ideal treatment for him. In the analyzes made, we saw that there was no obstacle to kidney transplantation.”

“Transplantation Went Smoothly”

Stating that they went through a problem-free transplant and post-transplant follow-up process, the General Surgery Specialist said, “At the moment, his kidney functions are normal, he came out of the process of kidney failure. From now on, he will continue his life by following the program that patients undergoing kidney transplants should follow. His brother was a kidney donor candidate, his medical evaluation is very important. After the tests we did, we saw that his health was suitable for kidney donation. He was treated with a kidney transplant. We are at a very good point in organ transplant surgery, which is pleasing for Turkey.”

“Feeling Good Doesn't Mean You Aren't Sick”

General Surgery Specialist, who stated that they often encounter the situation that the disease does not give any symptoms until the last moment, said, “If you are a person who has never had a test or go to a check-up, it usually appears suddenly. Organs have the ability to endure to the last point in the body. In slowly developing problems, the body tries to adapt to this problem. Therefore, do not think that you do not have any problems just because you do not have a complaint. The fact that you feel good doesn't mean you don't have any problems.”

Water Is Vital

Stating that people consume less water, General Surgery Specialist made the following statement: “In fact, water has a vital importance for all systems in the body. People in Turkey generally consume insufficient water. A person who is 70 kilograms and 1.70 meters tall should consume an average of 2 to 2.5 liters of water per day. Of course, the water requirement changes depending on the water loss. On a day when we sweat a lot and lose fluid, our need for water will naturally increase.”

25 Thousand Kidney Patients Are Waiting for Transplantation

Emphasizing that the ideal treatment for chronic kidney failure is organ transplantation, Yeditepe University Hospitals General Surgery Specialist said, “We want organs to be donated from people who lost their lives to be the main source. We perform more than 4.000 kidney transplants per year in Turkey. Of these, 3.500 are from living donors, and 500 are organs donated by people who lost their lives. 25 thousand kidney patients are on the waiting list, 500 organs donated to these people per year are not enough.”