„Because of one decision – I am here, along with my two wonderful sons.”
Indrė Simonovienė is the first woman in Lithuania to give birth to twins after a kidney transplant.
„I was diagnosed with kidney failure at the age of 21. The cause was never identified – according to the doctors, I was only the second case in 20 years where it was impossible to determine why my kidney function started to fail. One possibility it could have been medications I had taken earlier.”
When the kidneys fail, people experience numerous negative effects. One of the symptoms is fluid retention in the body: „I had about ten extra litres of fluid in my body, and I was completely swollen – legs, arms, sides. I spent six months in the hospital, and my physical health was extremely poor. However, I have a strong character, and I never give up. Even then, I kept telling myself – everything will be fine.”
But the road to „fine” was long and challenging: „Because of the illness, I had to pause my studies since I was going to Vilnius three times a week for dialysis. I also couldn’t work because I had to protect the arm used for dialysis. Although I felt better than other patients during the procedures, the treatment was exhausting – I lost weight, my hair was falling out, and I felt weak and frail.”
Dialysis ended when Indrė received a call from the transplant centre informing her that a donor kidney was available. „Even though I knew in theory how everything would proceed, the reality was unsettling. Optimism helped me through that time – I kept thinking positively and believed that life would get better. That day is very special to me; I’ll never forget it. I don’t even work on that day each year – it’s my second birthday, a sacred date.”
Regaining Life
After the transplant, Indrė got her life back. She quickly started planning her future and resumed her studies, completing a degree in business management. Then she pursued another passion – working as a hairdresser and makeup artist, and now she runs her own beauty salon in Trakai called „InSi Beauty House.” „I want to show by my example that you can live a full life despite illness – raising children, building a business, instead of sitting around thinking about how bad things are. Quite the opposite! When you stay busy, you feel needed – for yourself, for society, and then there’s no time to dwell on illness. You just live.”
A Decision That Gave Three Lives
Indrė’s personal life also changed after the transplant – she met her future husband and got married. „Doctors told me that if I wanted to have children, now was the time because my kidney could handle it. I told my husband that either we try now, or we might never have this chance.” The young couple decided to seize the opportunity and started planning for a pregnancy.
„We didn’t have to wait long for the good news, and when we found out I was expecting twins, we were speechless,” Indrė recalls. „We were briefly shocked, but then the feeling of happiness and joy took over.” Although Indrė knew the pregnancy could be complicated, she felt great until week 32. The twins were born via cesarean section: „The most important thing is that they were born healthy. Everything else is in the past. I am incredibly grateful to the donor’s family. Because they decided to support organ donation, I am here, and so are my two wonderful sons.”
A Donor Gave Hope to Me and My Son
Laima Kuckailienė is the first woman in Lithuania to give birth after suffering from diabetes since childhood and undergoing a kidney transplant. Laima emphasizes that in her case, the transplant gave not one but two lives: „Thanks to the donor’s family, my son Nojus Richard was born. This is a miracle for our family and a story of hope for all those who are seriously ill and waiting for a transplant. That’s why I’ve promised myself to share my story. Despite the difficult course of my illness, it had a happy ending – I’m now an active member of a patient organization, leading the Alytus chapter. Organ donation, the will of the family, and the professionalism and care of the doctors truly offer a full life.”
I Was Convinced That Dialysis Was the End of Life
Laima has lived with type 1 diabetes for 40 years. The disease was diagnosed during childhood when she fainted at the age of 8, leading to an emergency hospital visit where diabetes was confirmed.
Diabetes affects many organs and systems, and by the age of 25, Laima was diagnosed with kidney failure. As her kidneys worsened, she required dialysis. She remembers that period as extremely difficult, lacking energy and needing her husband to carry her to the treatments: „I remember that time with horror – every other day my husband would carry me in his arms to dialysis, and I would cry the whole time because I was convinced this was the end of my life.”
Strength Came from a Psychologist and Patient Organizations
„My doctor, seeing my emotional state, referred me to a psychologist. That conversation helped a lot – the future didn’t seem so bleak anymore. Moral strength also came from members of the Alytus patient organization, which brings together people on dialysis and those who have undergone transplants. That’s when I began to believe that life wasn’t over yet.”
It was through this association that Laima learned more about organ donation, life after transplantation, and the opportunities it gives patients. Today, living with a transplanted kidney, she actively works to help other patients understand kidney diseases, their treatment options, and organ donation.
A Dream Come True
After the transplant, Laima’s life improved, which encouraged her to dream about motherhood. She sought information about women who had given birth after transplants, finding hope in their stories. „About a year and a half after the transplant, a medical consultation determined that my health was good enough to plan a pregnancy. It required a lot of effort from the doctors – to protect the baby and manage my diabetes, they carefully reviewed and adjusted my medications. Everyone’s efforts and our strong desire to have a child paid off – we now have our son Nojus Richard.”
Now 13 years old, Nojus Richard knows his story. „We’ve told him everything. We explained that we waited for him for a long time, and he came into our family not just because of his mom and dad but also because one person’s death allowed for the donation of organs, which were transplanted to me. He often participates in organ donation events and is an active and happy boy,” Laima shares.