Woman marks 50th anniversary by donating kidney to husband
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa -- After 50 years of marriage, an Iowa woman found the perfect gift for her husband: one of her kidneys.
The Mason City Globe Gazette reports Jan Maulsby donated the kidney to her husband, Mike, on Thursday.
"Celebrating 50 years of marriage is a big deal in itself, but it's the ultimate gift to be able to give something like this to your spouse," the couple's daughter-in-law, Christina Maulsby, said.
Family members said both Jan and Mike Maulsby of Clear Lake, Iowa, are recovering well after the surgery.
Mike Maulsby has been undergoing dialysis treatments for about a year, and he has been waiting for a kidney donation for about five years.
So several family members were tested to determine if they could donate. Son Grant Maulsby was a match, but doctors didn't think he should donate because of his own health.
But Jan Maulsby was eligible to donate to her husband.
"Mom stepped up because he (Dad) didn't want to wait another year," Grant Maulsby said. "With Dad suffering last year with dialysis, it shows the love the two have for each other."
Grant Maulsby says his parents are expected to leave the hospital after the holiday weekend, and his dad's new kidney is functioning normally.
Mike Maulsby will have to stay in Minnesota for about a month of additional procedures at the Mayo Clinic after the transplant.