Son Gives Mother The Gift Of Life For Mother's Day
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - With Mother's Day around the corner, many children are thinking of gifting flowers or simply going to brunch. But one South Florida man decided to gift his mother more than she could ever ask for.
"I was scared at first but I knew it was the right thing to do because she raised me and she's my mom, so I'd do anything for her," said Paul Morrison, 21, about giving his mother his kidney.
About ten years ago Paul's mother, Gloria Morrison, was diagnosed with acute kidney disease. After being on dialysis for about two years, Gloria decided get on the kidney transplant list.
Gloria never thought her youngest of three children would end up being her kidney donor.
"At the time he was 18, so I really wasn't looking forward to him doing it," she said. "But he was at one point putting me in my place saying, 'Mom, this is how it works and how it's going to be.'"
"If I had to do it again I'd do it again," said Paul.
The doctor's at Jackson Memorial Hospital that performed the operation describe the situation as a win,win for her. "The survival of a kidney is much longer from someone living than someone deceased," said the program's Medical Director Dr. Giselle Guerra.
"I knew one day she was going to get better and this day came and I'm glad it did," said Paul.
Gloria's plans for this Mother's Day is to focus on recovering and spending time with her family.
"All I can do is be thankful for what he has done for me. I really appreciate it and there's nothing more I could ask for," said Gloria of her son's donation.
For Paul, doctors said that at first he will have fifty-percent kidney function. Eventually, though, the one kidney will grow and compensate for the missing one giving him about seventy-five-percent kidney function.
