It's a Match

(clicking) (guitar music) Ooh, all sorts of goodies.

Index cards, which I need for studying.

Thank you.

Oh, an American University shirt.

-Thanks, babe.

-You're welcome.

It's gonna fit perfectly.

(vocalizing) -Oh my God, gel pens.

-Oh, yeah.

Oh my God, it's been ages since I've used gel pens.

Oh my God, and they're rainbow color, like mixed color.

Oh, that's so cool.

Man, just got me all sorts of stuff.

-This is like Christmas.

-I did.

Oh, you got me one of these because I always complain how rough my feet are.

(Lori) No, I was thinking 'cause you had the dry skin on your hand, that that would get that off.

It probably will.

Red Vines, those are my favorite.

-I know.

-Thanks.

(vocalizing) -You're not done.

-Okay.

(vocalizing continues) "I'm making you choose between me and that damn dialysis machine.

No matter what, you'll always have a piece of me.

Tattoos are overrated-- let's get matching scars."

No way.

Oh my God.

(ding) (crying) Oh my God.

(sniffling) This is amazing.

(crying continues) I have to call my mom.

Oh.

-Do you like it?

-I love it.

It's so cute.

(chuckling) Ah.

-Thank you.

-You're welcome.

(Alana) Oh my goodness.

(upbeat guitar music) We just thought that our friends and family would be super happy about it and just share it, but we didn't think perfect strangers would just come and, like, comment on it and reblog it and share it.

It kind of, like, got really big really fast.

(clicking) We did an interview with In Touch Weekly.

It's in the real life section, and it's kind of cool.

I've never been in a magazine before and neither has Lori, I don't think.

So, it's just nice to have, like, our own page or two pages.

Two pages.

It's funny just reading it 'cause I already know the story, it's me, but it's just funny reading it.

You're like, oh, okay, if someone who doesn't know what's happening and they're reading it, like, "Oh, this is such a sweet story, I love this," or like, "Oh, I think I saw this online," you know?

So, it's kind of cool.

(giggling) (heartbeat thumping, zapping) (uplifting music) (crinkling) One for you and one for me.

Yeah.

(Lori) The first thing that crossed my mind when Alana told me that she needed a kidney was holy ...

This girl, who I kind of just met but was starting to really become interested in, needed a kidney.

I was in total shock because you just would never guess.

She doesn't fit the bill of what you would expect, you know, a sick person to look like.

(Alana) So this is just my blood pressure.

You can see from all the blood work the last few days.

My veins aren't very happy.

(Lori) Alana's lupus definitely scared me a little bit... 109 over 73.

(Lori) ...but I still really liked her.

I still really wanted to get to know Alana.

So despite the fact that it scared me, I didn't think it was right to, you know, not still date her because she has lupus.

This is just all the tubing that I need for it.

The red line goes to the bag that's always on top of the machine.

The machine actually warms up the bag so that when it goes into my body, it's not super cold.

You have to be careful not to touch that or this with your fingers.

And I twist it on, and then you have to, like, break-- I think it's called a frangible.

I don't know, but it's kind of satisfying to hear it break.

So the next one goes to the other big bag I have.

And, then, break it, make sure it's good.

And then the blue one goes to this pink bag here.

It's a different solution than these, but it takes out more fluid and toxins during the day.

And this is the drain line, so everything that drains out of me during the night goes into a bag.

And I just keep it under the bed because it's about maybe like 40 pounds, thirty-five pounds of fluid.

(Lori) Something I take for granted and do all the time is watch a movie and fall asleep on my couch because I'm too lazy to get up and brush my teeth, um, and she can never ever do that.

(Alana) This port goes into my stomach.

I usually tape it during the day and stick it in my waistband because it's easier for that to be there.

It's very important to always have the cap on and keep it clean, not to touch it with dirty hands or anything like that.

And that's pretty much it.

(Lori) She does have to spend ten hours a night connected to a machine every single night.

Is it weird that you're only gonna have to do this -six more times?

-Kind of.

I'm so used to doing it all the time, every day.

So, yeah, it's gonna be weird, like, not having to do it after this.

(Lori) Are you gonna miss it?

(Alana) Um, I think the only thing I liked the most is the little blue thing you have to crack.

(Lori) Yeah, that's true, that's, like, super-- (Alana) It's very satisfying, but, no, I don't think I'm gonna miss it.

I did not expect to find a kidney on Tinder.

Um...

Most of the time I don't even expect to find, like, a girlfriend or anything like that, -to be honest.

-Goodnight, babe.

(Alana) So, to find a kidney and a girlfriend, I'm pretty lucky.

(guitar music) (female vocalist) At one with the earth At peace with yourself May the sun never set on you Or the feeling of a boundless love -Hey.

-Hey.

(Sarah) Hi, Alana.

-So are you nervous?

-Not so much.

I think I'm getting more excited.

It's kind of like the feeling of, like, going on vacation, like a cool vacation.

Like, yes, I'm finally gonna get a kidney 'cause I've been waiting for, like, ever.

(Sarah) Yeah, it took a while for it to sink in when you called and told me.

I think I was like, "Oh, wow, that's great."

I don't even remember what I said to you.

(Alana) You said, "Holy ..." (laughing) Like, the first thing you said... Now you know I was shocked then.

(Alana) "Holy ..." I first found out I had lupus when I was 12.

I started to get really bad joint pain.

My hands were, like, really swollen and really big, and I was really tired all the time.

I needed help getting dressed and just eating because I was just in so much pain.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease where your body's immune system is overactive and it can't tell the difference between the common cold and your own body's cells.

Only being 12, I didn't understand, so my parents and my doctor tried to relate it to something I knew, so they made the analogy as lupus as a soccer game and that my body's cells were scoring against my own goal.

(somber music) I would not say that I'm the average 25-year-old.

I've seen more doctors than most 70-year-olds.

(soft whooshing, buzzing) (Stephanie) Alana is one of the kindest people I've ever known, and why does she have this disease that at times has felt like is slowly killing her?

Why does this have to happen to her?

And I--there is no answer.

(Sarah) It's been a difficult path.

I don't know what was worse.

When the hip bone had been eroded and you were in so much pain, and I drove you to the doctor's office and every bump on the road made you cry out.

And then the doctor moved your legs to see how your joint was working and you screamed.

That was the most pain I'd ever seen you in.

But the single worst night was when your heart function dropped and they didn't know if you were gonna make it through the night or not.

(Stephanie) I remember you were incapable of driving, so I drove us to the hospital.

And we were talking about you dying and how we were going to throw you a funeral, and--and... -What you would want.

-...what you would want.

(Sarah) And how does one even go about it?

(Stephanie) Because we never talked to you about it because this had never been a--you know?

And all of a sudden, your death was staring us in the face and... (melancholic music) It was hard.

(Sarah) There's something terrible about your child suffering.

There's this helplessness of, you know, "I'd give everything to make her okay and I can't."

-Thank God for Lori.

-Yeah.

Yeah.

(shouting) (Lori) I am very physically active, and I've been doing competitive cheerleading for 17 years now and I love it.

There's just this insane teammate relationship bond that builds when you know that you're literally trusting each other to catch you when you fall.

(woman) Nice.

(Lori) Some of the hits I've taken over the years could have been dangerous if I'd only had one kidney.

So, things like kickboxing or martial arts that were always kind of part of the plan when I aged out of cheerleading, which I sort of have, aren't really an option anymore.

I know that I shouldn't be doing any kind of contact physical activity after the procedure.

It's just not worth the risk of hurting the remaining kidney that I'll have left.

So that's, you know, a small sacrifice that I'm gonna have to make, but I'm more than willing to make.

I spent much of my college career coordinating blood drives, and it just always made a lot of sense to me to donate things that I'm not using or things that I don't need, especially things that could literally save a person's life.

(man) Lori, there's veggie eggrolls... (Alana) Is there any, um, like, soy sauce or anything like that?

-Thank you.

-Oh, Lori, you have the rice.

(Alana) When Lori's parents first found out she was gonna give me a kidney, they were not super happy about it.

I remember Daddy throwing his hands up and saying, "This is too much, too fast," like, for him to process.

And he walked into the other room and just sat down and was like--like with this "oh my God" face on.

(Joe) I'm sitting here normally, Mommy is standing next to me, and she says, "I got news for ya."

And it was, "I'm seeing this girl Alana and I like her."

Okay.

All right, okay.

"She has lupus."

Okay.

"And I'm seriously thinking about giving her a kidney."

Boom, boom, boom!

I said, "How many punches do you think I'm gonna stand here and take, kid?"

(Donna) When you first told me, a million things went through my head.

"Is she manipulating my daughter?"

Um, "Is Lori just infatuated with her?

Is this just something new and she's not thinking rationally?"

Well, yeah, she should've, like, kind of introduced it slowly, like, "Hey, I'm seeing Alana," and then instead of going right into it, like maybe a week later, maybe meet me and then I probably would've told you, you know, like, "I have some health issues," and then kind of bring it up.

So, when she came and saw me and she's like, "I told my parents everything," and I was like, "You didn't.

You did.

No!

Why did you do that?

They probably think I'm, like, after your kidney!"

(Lori) So, in my defense, I had a very smart plan in my head to not talk to you guys about this until I'd met with a doctor and, like, you'd met Alana, but I needed the medical history and I needed you guys to give it to me, and I needed to know who had a renal failure and whatever, and I was like, "All right, they're gonna figure it out," so I had to bring it up.

(Joe) Our first instinct was, "Wow, this is a little bit fast.

You just met this person."

But Lori has never done anything haphazardly.

She's not a reckless person.

Lori's been on the bone marrow donor list for years and years, donates blood consistently.

So, it kind of formulated into Lori's personality that this would be something she would do for someone.

You were a miracle for us.

Premature labor, NICU.

We were very lucky to bring you home.

Very lucky.

We sweated out just about everything that you've gone through since then.

I mean, we sat here worried about wisdom teeth.

I mean, we worry, we're nervous.

So when you said, "Hey, Dad, I'm gonna give away my kidney," that was a big one.

But, then we met you.

We understood your story.

And then we fell in love with ya, and that made it... ...important.

(Donna) And once I started to say, "Yeah, this is really Lori, you know, it's not something crazy, it's not an infatuation, it's not somebody pressuring her," I started to get comfortable.

She won us over very, very quickly.

So to say in a couple months' time that we love Alana is nothing short of the truth.

-We love Alana.

-It still worries me, but I'm very proud of you for that.

-Thanks, Mommy.

-I'm nervous.

For weeks after I'm gonna be nervous, but I will never be as proud.

That's for sure, I will never be as proud.

(mellow music) (indistinct chatter) (Alana) I'm trying to remember all my surgeries, -and it's really hard.

-Ooh.

(Alana) That's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and I don't know when that was.

Like, 2000... (blowing raspberries) ...12-ish?

-I'm gonna bring you back.

-Okay.

(Stephen) You guys have a very, very busy day.

(Dawn) This is Lori.

And, Alana, if you just want to have a seat right there.

(Alana) Okay.

(Stephen) So, you were surprised, huh?

-Surprised, what?

-Open up that box.

(Alana) Oh, yeah, definitely.

I had no idea.

I just thought it was just a nice... (Stephen) I saw it, I shared it on my Facebook page.

-Oh, yeah?

-Yeah.

And my friends are like, click, "That's great, that's great, that's great."

(Dawn) Can you believe we're here?

I mean, it's been years, right?

(Alana) Yeah.

Literally years, yeah.

-You got a good friend?

-I do.

(Stephen) A good friend.

(Lori) Alana and I were driving home from our third or fourth date, and we were just talking about kidney donation because I was asking her questions, and then she told me about her worst day ever.

Last year, she had the flu and was in the hospital, and she got the call that she was being taken off the list and they had a kidney for her to receive immediately, but because she had a fever and was sick, she wouldn't be able to take it.

When she told me that, something just clicked in my head that I could go get tested.

And then, after getting tested and realizing I was a match and really learning about the procedure, I definitely knew that it was what I wanted to do.

(Dr. Waltzer) I'm gonna have you lie back, and I'm just gonna feel your belly.

-Ooh, cold hands.

-I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Okay, that's the PD catheter.

-Yeah.

-Good, okay.

A donation from a living kidney donor has been shown statistically to have a much higher rate of success than a kidney donation from a deceased individual.

Here you can see your right hip replacement with the screws going into the bone, and the kidney will be put right in here, in this area here.

A kidney transplant definitely carries with it its own unique risks.

There's the surgical risk of the anesthesia and the common risks of bleeding or infection.

There's the risk of rejection of the kidney.

There's the risk of side effects of the immunosuppressive medication.

There's always a risk to Alana that something could happen with her heart because she does have some compromise in her heart.

But all these risks will be very, very carefully watched for and hopefully avoided.

-Lori and Alana for you.

-Hi, hi.

(Alana) You never know if you're gonna be okay.

You never know if you're gonna go into surgery and just be like, you know, worse off than you were before.

(Dr. Darras) 'Cause of Alana's history, there are antibodies that made it harder to match a kidney, which is why she's been waiting for a kidney until you came along.

And life expectancy is double to triple for almost any patient getting a transplant versus staying on dialysis.

(Alana) If my body does reject Lori's kidney, then I will have to go back on dialysis, and I'll be put back on the transplant list waiting for a new kidney.

But Lori won't get that kidney back.

Once I reject it, it's gone, like, that's it.

So, you know, I'd be really upset because it'd be a waste of a perfectly good kidney.

-Is that me?

-Yeah, that's you.

This is what you look like on the inside.

So you've got one kidney here, and the left kidney is here.

-Oh, look at that left kidney.

-Cool.

(Dr. Darras) And if each kidney does 50 percent of the work, when we take one out, your remaining kidney will grow to compensate.

(Lori) My concerns for the surgery are much more for Alana's part.

(Dr. Darras) For the transplant patients, the biggest risks are cardiac, your heart, or infection.

(Lori) She has a heart condition and that makes any surgery just inherently... ...more risky.

(Dr. Darras) The other thing, though, is heart function usually gets better after a kidney transplant, sometimes by a significant amount.

That is another reason to really push to transplant.

(Stephen) She should be wearing a cape because she's like a superhero.

You know, and 'cause you're actually saving two lives.

-You know that?

-Why?

(Stephen) When you give Alana a kidney, you're freeing up another deceased donor kidney -for somebody... -For somebody else.

(Stephen) So, saving a friend's life and you're saving a stranger's life.

-Woo!

-Yeah!

(Lori) I'm very flattered that people think that I'm doing this amazing thing.

I certainly don't feel like a hero.

She needs a kidney and I have two.

(Stephen) You're gonna be in pain.

I'm not gonna lie to you about that.

During the surgery, they're going to inflate your bowel cavity with gas so it's easier for the surgeon to get the kidney out.

(Dawn) You will probably be a little bit more uncomfortable than Alana will be.

(Lori) I have a question about her immunity.

Am I allowed to kiss her still?

-As long as you're not sick.

-Okay.

(Stephen) As long as you still want to, I mean, that's cool.

(female vocalist) Oh, my love I've been waiting for you And I hope that you've been waiting for me too (guitar music) -I like your mug.

-I like your whipped cream.

(Alana) Ooh.

(Lori) This is bomb.

(Alana) This is really good.

(Lori) Look, I don't want you to feel like there's any unevenness here, and I don't want you to feel like I did this for you and now you need to be attached to me just because of that.

Like, you really can break up with me if you want to.

(Alana) Okay, sounds good.

(Lori) I mean, I feel like even if we were to break up shortly after this or something, -which I hope we don't... -I know, same.

(Lori) Like, if at some point it didn't work out, I still feel like we would always be part of each other's lives.

(Alana) Yeah.

You can always text me, like, "How's the kidney?"

(Lori) That's true, it'll always be a good excuse to talk to you.

-You know what?

-"You taking care of my kidney?"

(Alana) Yeah.

We should have a name for it, though.

Does that sound weird?

(Lori) I don't know.

What would you name a kidney?

(Alana) Hmm.

Kyle the kidney.

Kayla the kidney.

Kyla.

Something with K. -What if we named it Bean?

-Bean?

Bean.

Like, "How's Bean doing?"

I'm like, "Bean's good.

Bean's tired.

It's been making a lot of urine lately."

(laughing) It's very romantic.

(Alana) But you know I'm not gonna break up with you.

(Lori) I don't know, do I?

Do I know that?

You might just get the kidney and get out.

No, I'm just kidding.

(Alana) But I do feel like, you know, how do you pay someone back for giving you an organ, you know?

-I'll take 14 kisses.

-You'll take 14 kisses?

Wow, I'm getting off real easy.

At least.

A week.

Okay.

(soft guitar music) No, but really, all kidding aside, like, you know... How do you repay someone for this?

-You don't.

-You don't?

It's a gift.

(vocalizing) (crinkling) (Alana) Tonight is really special because it will hopefully be my last night of dialysis.

If I was better at math, I'd probably be able to figure out how many hours I've spent of my life doing this.

15,000 hours, something like that.

Ooh, I'm nice and light today.

(beeping) (whirring) 110 over 74.

(beep) I'm so used to doing this.

I feel like I know this is gonna be my last one, but I don't think it's really hit me yet.

So, yeah, it's kind of weird.

After the surgery, I'll have ten hours a day back in my life.

I'll be able to travel wherever I want to, whenever I want to and, like, sleep wherever I want to, which I know sounds weird, but, like, I can just pass out on Lori's couch if I wanted to.

All right.

The machine was like my anchor and, like, the tubing was my chain.

I don't know, like, everything is gonna change.

Last fill, one of five.

(machine buzzing) (soft music) (cellphone vibrating) Oh, Lori is here, yay!

Okay.

I didn't think she was gonna make it.

You can come in!

Hello.

I'm on my last treatment.

(Lori) Ah!

It's so exciting!

(Alana) Thanks to you.

(Lori) Oh!

I'm excited.

When did you get on the machine?

(Alana) Um, 6:30.

(Lori) I can't wait for her to not have to worry about that ever again.

I want her to just have that security of knowing that she has functioning organs.

(Alana) I think I'm gonna leave here by 5:15, so we'll probably just get there at 5:30.

(Lori) Okay.

Well, I'm gonna get cold feet and ditch, so... Just kidding!

Just kidding.

(Alana) I mean, you can--it's not too late to back out.

-I'm not backing out.

-Okay.

-Pretty set.

-All right.

(Lori) I think my biggest fear with the surgery is that as far as actually medically helping her, like, I'm kind of maxing out here.

(Alana) I love you.

-You ready?

-I'm so ready.

-Okay.

-I'm ready.

-I love you.

-I love you too.

(Lori) Like I joke that she's stolen my heart, but, like, I can't give her that.

I can give her a kidney, but if something were to go wrong with her heart, like, there's nothing that I can do to help her, and that is what really scares me.

Bye!

(Lori) Bye.

(guitar music) You guys ready?

Let's make some noise.

(woman) I love you.

(indistinct chatter) -Gonna do awesome.

-Thanks.

I got the easiest part.

(indistinct chatter) (car door closes) Oh, do you need me to hold something?

Yeah, hold my heart.

Hold my heart into my chest.

-How's that?

-Okay.

(Alana) I was thinking about it last night when I was trying to go to bed, and I don't know, it was just like, whoa.

I'm getting a kidney.

Like, this is really real, this is happening.

(soft music) -Got everything?

-Yeah!

(female vocalist) The creature at the foot of my bed -Hi.

-Hi.

(nurse) And tell me what you're having done today!

(Alana) I'm getting a kidney transplant!

(nurse) All right!

Happy day!

(Joe) No, no, you sit and relax.

-You sit, Lori.

-That's all right.

(Sarah) She looks like she's ready for a shower.

(Lori) Yeah, I get a back one, I'm good to go.

(laughing) You okay?

(crying) Aw, Papa Bear!

It's gonna be okay.

(Joe) Oh, I know!

I'm just so proud of you, that's all.

-I'm proud of you, too.

-Just so proud of you.

-I really am.

-I'm sorry, where is Alana?

(Dr. Waltzer) Are you ready for your big day?

-I am!

-Okay.

-I'm very ready.

-Okay, we're all ready for you.

(Alana) Good.

Are you awake?

(Dr. Waltzer) I'm awake, I got a good night's rest.

(Sarah) That's one of us.

(laughing) -The important one!

-And everything is set and prepared nicely for you.

-Are you excited?

-Yeah, it's like a good surgery!

-It is.

-It's like a happy, -celebratory surgery.

-Yeah, it is!

(indistinct chatter) (Joe) Weee!

(Lori) Exactly.

(laughing) (upbeat music) -With the hair.

-The hair net.

-Yeah!

-Welcome to our cubicle!

-Sit right here.

-Will you take a picture of us?

(Alana) Oh, no, can you take another picture?

-Yes, I can.

-Oh, yeah, her hair was out of place.

(laughing) (camera shutter snapping) (Stephanie) We need a countdown like three, two, one!

-So cute.

-Oh, yeah!

(laughing) -A little surprise.

-Yeah.

(Stephanie) Lori.

Thank you so much for doing this for myself and my sister.

(Lori) Aw, no!

Thank you for being so welcoming into your family.

(Donna) No making the mommy cry.

-Aw!

-Lori... -I love you.

-I love you too.

(lips smacking) -Thank you, baby.

-You're welcome.

(Alana) This is the best gift ever.

You know that, right?

(indistinct chatter) -I love you.

-I love you too.

(Lori) Okay.

(Donna) My baby.

I love you a lot.

Love you so much, sweetheart.

(Lori) I love you, Mama.

(Donna) You're gonna do great, I'm proud of you.

(Lori) Thanks.

(indistinct remarks) (Joe) Dear Lord, keep the surgeons' hands steady.

Make this kidney be the wonderful gift it's meant to be.

Grant each long and healthy and happy lives.

We ask this in Your name, through Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

-Love you, Papa Bear.

-I'll see you soon.

(Lori) Thanks.

Let's do it.

(soft music) -Yeah.

-You have a good girl there.

-Yeah.

-All right, baby, we love you.

-Go for your ride.

-Bye, Lori!

-I love you!

-I love you too!

-See you on the other side!

-Yeah, you'll do great!

-Thank you so much.

-Yeah, we'll take care of her.

(Joe) Thank you.

Today's gonna be a great day.

(Sarah) (unintelligible) I'm ready.

(nurse) All right.

(nurse) All right, it's a beautiful thing -you're doing today.

-Thanks.

(nurse) Let's do this.

-This is just nerves.

-It's nerves.

(Sarah) This is your baby, I understand!

(nurse) Welcome to OR 10!

(Alana) Which OR is Lori in?

-The one next door.

-Oh, okay.

(soft, tense music) (Sarah) Time passes strangely when your kid's in surgery.

There are times when it's flying by, and you look at your watch and you're like, "Oh, my God, we've been here for two and a half hours already!"

-Now or no?

-Unlikely.

I'm trying to minimize the incision.

-Okay.

-All right.

(Sarah) And then there are times when you feel like you have been in this room waiting all day.

(machine beeping) (sighing) (Dr. Darras) Dawn, we're ready to take the kidney out!

(Dawn) I'm on it, I'm on it.

(beeping) (Dr. Darras) Okay.

-Thank you.

-All right.

(Donna) We just received some word that Lori's kidney is now out.

And I hear that it's beautiful, and I think they are getting ready to do the final preps on Alana to put the kidney in.

(doctor) Here we're just trimming some of the excess tissue off of the kidney.

I just want to continually hear that she's doing well and that everything is going according to plan.

Because as a mom, you know, anything can go and-- I don't really want to...

Your mind can play tricks on you, and just having the doctors say that it's okay and everything's going in the way it's supposed to is comforting.

(doctor) All right.

-Lori, hi!

-Hey, welcome back.

(nurse) All right, Lori, take deep breaths for me, okay?

Good job.

(Lori) How is she?

-How is she?

-Aww.

(nurse) She's still in surgery!

-She's getting the kidney now.

-Lori, take deep breaths -for me, okay?

-They're sewing it in.

-Here, I'll take a... -Sure.

(Stephanie) I'm really grateful that she is getting this kidney, but there's a part of me that is utterly terrified that this isn't gonna work.

(Donna) Lori's getting ready to come out in like 10 minutes.

(laughing) You all right, you feel it now?

(soft music) Oh, goodness.

(Stephanie) I'm so afraid that I'm gonna be in the waiting room and they're gonna be like, "Oh, we opened her up and we found that the kidney wouldn't take and she's still gonna have to be on dialysis and, well, now Lori's lost a kidney, and...

I'm really worried about this surgery.

-It's like a roller coaster.

-Yeah.

(nurse) You're doing great, okay?

How's Alana doing?

How's her surgery going?

-She's doing good?

-Everything went well.

(Dr. Darras) Hi!

So everything went very smoothly.

It went exactly the way we wanted to.

And she'll be in the recovery room shortly.

They were a very good match, so-- (Donna) We heard the kidney looked pretty good, huh?

(Dr. Darras) It's a nice, petite kidney just like her.

You know?

Transplant is ongoing.

They're in a process of hooking up the blood vessels right now.

It could be up to an hour and a half before the transplant is finished, so once they get to that point, then Dr. Waltzer will come out.

(Donna) Okay, great.

-Thank you so much!

-Okay?

Okay.

-Very good.

-I'm gonna give you a hug.

-She's gonna do well.

-Thank you.

(Dr. Darras) She'll do very well.

And what's the--how's the story supposed to go?

They live happily ever after, right?

(Donna) Yes!

(Dr. Darras) We love those stories.

-Okay.

All right.

-Thank you so much!

-Thank you!

-Thanks!

(Donna) We're halfway there, Sarah, halfway.

(nurse) How's the pain now?

Not great.

(nurse) I'm gonna give you some morphine through your IV, okay?

(Lori) I'll have two margaritas.

-Preferably frozen.

-Aww.

(machine beeping) -There we go.

-There you go!

-There we go.

-There you go, Dawn!

We promised you.

(machine beeping) (Lori) Did you see our In Touch article?

-You were in In Touch?

-We Met on Tinder and Now She's Giving Me Her Kidney!

(nurse) Really?

Oh, my God, I totally thought that was a hookup site, so good for you!

(Lori) A lot of LGBT people use it as a dating site because it's really hard to meet people if all your friends are straight.

(nurse) Tourniquet's gonna be a little snug for a minute, okay?

-Mhm.

-So wait, how long ago -did you guys meet?

-Four months.

-Four months?

-Five months?

(nurse) Oh, wow, and you're already giving a kidney?

(Lori) Eh, she deserves it.

(nurse) You're a solid person.

(mellow music) So I imagine the families have met already.

-Yeah.

-Since we're making such big moves.

(Lori) Yeah, we figured it was necessary to do like a dinner.

(nurse) I think that that was probably the appropriate decision.

(nurse) Alana, you have a new kidney!

(indistinct remarks) (Dr. Waltzer) Hi, how are you?

We just finished with the surgery, everything went very well.

The kidney started making urine right on the table, so that's very, very favorable, obviously.

She didn't receive any blood during the surgery, everything was very stable.

So we have every reason to be quite optimistic.

(Stephanie) The kidney is in Alana and she's producing urine, which is great.

It means it's working.

-Now we can breathe?

-We're not done yet, but this is a really good sign.

(nurse) It's all done.

You're in the recovery room, okay?

(indistinct chatter) (indistinct whispering) -It's in.

-Ready?

One, two, three.

-Okay?

There you go.

-Yeah, that's a lot better.

(nurse) Yeah!

(Lori) Hi, Mama Bear!

-How you doing?

-Good.

-I have your ChapStick.

-Oh, thank God.

-Can you open it for me?

-Sure.

So did you hear any updates yet?

-No.

-Well, we heard so far -that the kidney is in Alana... -Yeah?

(Donna) ...and it's producing urine already!

(Lori) Woooo!

-They didn't even finish-- -Alana can pee!

(laughing) (nurse) You okay?

I'm a little sore.

(Donna) How do you feel?

-Good now.

-Huh?

-Good now.

-Good now?

You feel relieved?

Yeah.

(crying) (Lori) My kidney's working for Alana.

-Yes, it is!

-But now it's Alana's kidney.

-It's our kidney.

-No backsies.

-We named it Bean.

-You named it Bean?

Aww.

(Joe) Good job, kid.

Did good.

You're a hero.

Song stuck in my head.

There's a song stuck in my head.

(nurse) What happened to your head?

-Song stuck in my head.

-Oh.

(indistinct chatter) Harry.

Harry Belafonte.

-Can I take a picture?

-Sure.

-Yes.

-You guys doing okay over here?

(Lori) Yeah, I'm just showing off my scar.

(nurse) There you go.

-You rock that with pride.

-Yeah, Lori!

One kidney down!

You say that like there's another one to go.

(laughing) (Donna) No more.

(Sarah) Thank you.

Hey, sweetheart.

-I'm here.

-I've got Harry Belafonte -stuck in my head.

-Yeah?

Is that a bad thing?

-No.

-No?

-It's a good song.

-All right.

You're doing great.

You're a bit out of it still, huh?

Give you a chance to give some love.

(Alana) "Shake, Senora."

(Sarah) That song is really, really stuck in your head.

(Alana) Shake your party line.

(laughing) (Alana) Dance, um, Senora.

-Dance tomorrow.

-Dance the party line.

(laughing) (Sarah) Alana.

Hey, sweetheart.

(Alana) My girl's name is Senora.

Rock your body on time.

Okay.

(Sarah) We're gonna unplug you from your music selection.

-I believe you.

-Yes.

Jump in the line, rock your body in time.

Shake, shake, shake, Senora.

(Sarah) This is so cute.

(laughing) -I kinda wanna go tell Lori.

-Shake the party line.

(Lori) Oh, my God!

My girl's name is Senora -Yeah!

-Ugh, jump in the line, Alana!

(laughing) (Stephanie) So she is singing that currently.

(Lori) She's singing Harry Belafonte songs.

-Girl after my own heart.

-True love, right?

(Alana) My stomach hurts.

(Sarah) I'm sure it does, sweetheart.

Just rest.

-Shake, shake-- -And shake the party line.

What party line?

(soft music) Lori and I met on the Tinder app, and then we met in person by chance.

We were both going to Fire Island, so we ended up meeting up and dancing and, like, talking for like the whole day, pretty much, and that was a lot of fun.

It was a good first meeting.

-Hi, good morning!

-Hi, Dr. Darras.

(Dr. Darras) You certainly look like you're feeling better.

-I got a decent amount of sleep.

-Okay, good.

A hospital's not the best place to get rest, though.

(Lori) Hey, Dad!

-How are ya, Dad?

-I'm hanging in there.

(Dr. Darras) That's good!

All right.

(indistinct remarks) -We might be leaving today?

-Yeah!

-Oh yeah?

-Yeah!

-Oh, terrific!

-Yeah, we were just getting -to that part.

-I don't want to leave today.

(Joe) You don't want to come home with me?

(Lori) I love you, but I want to stay here!

You love Alana more, I got it.

I knew this day would come.

(Lori) I can see you here, I can't see her there.

(Alana) All the attention is kind of surreal, like I never thought that I, you know, would have like a feature in a magazine and, like, that Lori and I would be in front of cameras, so it is all kind of new.

-Hey, Lor!

-You okay?

-Come this way with me.

-If she has to sit, sit.

(Alana) You okay, Lor?

-It's just a burp.

-I know, it's just a burp, you're okay, just a burp.

This gas is so painful.

This is the worst part of it, you know?

This is the hardest part for the donor is this gas pain, because it just sits there.

(Lori) It doesn't--it doesn't... (nurse) Yeah.

(clock ticking) (Alana) You don't feel like going home today?

-No.

-I think you're probably ready.

You're walking around and you're peeing and stuff.

(Lori) I know, but I miss you.

(Alana) You can probably come see me.

-She can.

-There.

-How are you feeling?

-I'm a little sore.

And tired.

(Joe) She's just hitting these real highs and real lows.

She'll go down the hall, she's sitting with her, and everything's different, and she'll come back here and within a half an hour of that separation, all of a sudden-- (Andrew) Medically, she's doing great.

-Right.

-But I'm a believer in erring on the side of caution.

(Joe) Me too.

That's why I say, you know what?

If it helps in the long-term recovery to spend one more night here.

(soft music) -See what you can do.

-Yeah.

(Alana) Your lips are very warm!

You still feel like you have a fever.

I love you too.

(Lori) Alana and I have been in the hospital -for three days now.

-Mhm.

(Lori) As you can see, she's as cute as ever.

(Alana) You're cute too!

(Lori) She just had her second surgery to have her peritoneal dialysis catheter taken out.

We got word this morning that her kidney is now officially functioning better than mine, so I feel a new contest coming on.

(laughing) Alana's nurse is here, so I'm gonna go.

(Alana) Out.

(bright music) (female singer) It's all around us, it's where we'd begun -Right outside.

-Woo!

(Donna) Where there's a will, there's a way.

(Alana) Bye!

(man) Good luck, Alana, feel better, okay?

(Alana) Thank you!

(vocalizing) (male vocalist) I can feel it, I can see it, I believe it (cell phone ringing) -Hi!

-Hi!

(Alana) Your hair looks nice!

(Lori) Thank you!

Are you excited to see me?

-I'm very excited to see you.

-I'm excited to see you!

(Alana) I slept well last night.

-I was like-- -Did you?

I didn't.

-Lori's coming!

-I slept like crap.

(Alana) Maybe 'cause you knew you were coming here.

(Lori) Maybe.

Maybe 'cause I miss you.

(Alana) I miss you too.

I'm gonna kiss you!

(Alana) It's been about four days since I've seen Lori, which is, like, I think the longest we haven't seen each other, to be honest, since we started dating.

I think the most before that was two days, and even that was like kind of long.

So we both really miss each other.

(Lori) We both love our families, but there's just something special about having your significant other there with you when you're trying to start feeling better.

I'm gonna spend the whole weekend at her house.

There'll be a lot of resting and recovering.

-Thank you!

-You're welcome!

(Sarah) I still feel like we should've gotten you a bell so that you could sit there and-- It's not too late.

Especially since Lori's coming, she has needs, too.

I feel like she should be here any minute now.

(Sarah) She should be.

(Alana) Hi!

(Lori) Hi!

(Alana) I missed you!

Ooh, you're cold.

(Lori) You're warm.

(Alana) Of course I am.

-Your hair looks pretty.

-Thank you!

-Hi, Joe!

-How are you doing?

(Alana) I would hug you, but-- I hugged Lori 'cause, like, she's my girlfriend, but I'm not allowed to hug anymore.

-Nope.

-So air hug.

(Joe) Air hug.

(Alana) Which just sucks, 'cause you give really good hugs.

(Joe) I do.

Papa Bear.

(Alana) Lori will be here for four days, which is nice.

-I missed you.

-I missed you.

(Alana) I wasn't able to hug her or kiss her or cuddle, so it's nice that she's here and I can do all of those things now.

(Lori) Alana and I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.

It's just a surgical follow-up.

I'm not really worried about the test results.

I'm know I'm gonna be fine.

I know Alana's gonna be fine.

(mellow music) (Stephanie) Okay, so Mom's saying she's in 17 North, Room 36, and visitors have to wear a mask.

(soft music) (machine beeping) (Dr. Darras) We had a call yesterday that Alana was having low-grade fevers.

Anybody immediately after a transplant, it raises a bit of a flag if they have a fever while they're on immune suppression.

Immune suppression is the medications to prevent rejection.

(Stephanie) Doctors will make their rounds between nine and 11, but might not have much to say other than, "Waiting for test results."

Yeah.

I feel bad.

I mean, I know that it sounds really stupid, but I feel guilty, like-- like this is somehow my fault, 'cause like she's not hugging anyone else and she's not kissing anyone else, you know what I mean?

-She was fine until I got there.

-No, no.

It's--trust me, it's not anything you did.

We always take it seriously and think of all the things that it could be.

Urinary infection, pneumonia, could be a virus, could be the kidney function.

We also have to be careful with Alana, 'cause she does have a history of some heart failure.

(machine beeping) (Lori) I'm scared.

You know, I went into this weekend really excited.

Me and Alana were gonna hang out and just watch movies and see each other for the whole weekend.

And now she's sick again.

And that's scary, we're back at a hospital, and I just want her to be okay.

(somber music) (sniffing) (birds chirping) (upbeat music) (Alana) Since surgery, my health has been really good, but I was really nervous and scared when I had to go back to the hospital, not wanting it to be, like, you know, rejection.

I had a fever, but it turned out it was just like a cold, so that was really nice.

I have not had to do dialysis.

My kidney's working on its own.

My energy's higher, and now I can do pretty much anything I want to.

Before the kidney, I was at like 18 to 20% heart function.

For a normal person, it would be between 50 and 70, and now I'm at 40%, which is almost normal, so that's really good.

(Lori) I kind of went into this thinking, at least, that there was a small possibility that having a new kidney could increase her heart function, but to have it double was just so far beyond both of our wildest dreams.

The fact that I could do that for her makes me feel like... ...like maybe that was, like, my purpose in life was to be able to do that.

(male vocalist) In the beginning, there was darkness And then there was you You were the light that I was drawn to (Alana) I'm a little cold.

(male vocalist) Flow right into the spaces in between (Alana) Sometimes I try to figure out like ways to repay Lori for giving me a kidney.

How do you thank someone for giving you an organ, giving you a new lease on life?

I think all I can do is just, like, love her.

And, you know, that's all she really wants.

(laughing) (vocalizing) (upbeat music) -It's a little kidney!

-It's a bean!

(Lori) It's Bean!

(Alana) It's pretty fitting.

(Lori) It's so amazing!

I'm so surprised that they sell them!

(laughing) I love it!

(Harry Belafonte) Shake, shake, shake, Senora (Alana) Happy Valentine's Day!

(Harry Belafonte) Shake, shake, shake, Senora Shake it all the time (Lori) Which camera are we walking into?

(woman) Right into this one.

(Harry Belafonte) Work, work, work, Senora Work it all the time My girl's name is Senora I tell you, friends, I adore her And when she dances, oh, brother She's a hurricane in all kinds of weather Jump in the line, rock your body in time So I got some exciting news.

I applied to the University of Michigan kind of as a super long shot not thinking there was any chance that I would get in, and I just got my acceptance letter!

-Take some notes.

-Just gonna take some notes.

(Harry Belafonte) Shake, shake, shake, Senora Shake your body line, whoa Shake, shake, shake, Senora Shake it all the time Work, work, work, Senora Work your body line Work, work, work, Senora Work it all the time You can talk about cha-cha Tango, waltz, or the rumba Senora's dance has no title You jump in the saddle, hold on to the bridle Jump in the line, rock your body in time Okay, I believe you Jump in the line, rock your body in time Rock your body, child!

Jump in the line, rock your body in time Whoa!

Shake, shake, shake, Senora Shake your body line Shake, shake, shake, Senora Shake it all the time, whoa Work, work, work, Senora Work your body line, yep Work, work, work, Senora Work it all the time Senora, she's a sensation The reason for aviation And fellas, you got to watch it When she wind up she bottom, she go like a rocket Jump in the line, rock your body in time Okay, I believe you Work, work, work, Senora (electricity zapping) (bright music)