genericwhitemale11

Nope! Insurers are banned from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions thanks to the Affordable Care Act, and having one kidney counts as a pre-existing condition. Also, the recipient's insurance handles the entire donation process (as far as insurers go).

I actually am sober for personal reasons (never was an alcoholic, but reached a point where I had to stop drinking). But, kidney donors can continue to drink once they've recovered. Generally, it's recommended to drink in moderation. My mom's friend is a kidney donor and she can still 2-4 glasses of wine (or she does when she and my mom hangout lol).

Donor-side surgeons prefer the left kidney since the vessels are slightly longer which makes the operation easier, so most people who donate give up their left kidney unless their is some sort of issue with it.

Well, I'm an organ donor, so depending on how I die, you never know :~)

Honestly, the risk is so low, that I'm not really worried. I also don't have any genetic predisposition towards kidney failure, so I think as long as I stay healthy generally, I'll be good. If you wanna DM me, I'm happy to find a time to talk on the phone to answer questions 1:1 since you said you're interested in donating.