Kidney op Eric thanks Mandy

Bexhill Giant's Eric Douglin is recovering from the life-saving transplant made possible by his fiancee.

On Friday he received a kidney given by Amanda Chillery then began the anxious wait to see if his body would accept the donated organ.

Eric, who now lives in Bromley in Kent, forged strong ties in Bexhill where he runs a successful basketball club which he coaches regularly, and he has three sons and a daughter still living here.

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The 46 year old was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease in 2002 while he was working at Hastings Direct in Collington Avenue.

His kidney function before the transplant at Guy's Hospital was down to 10 percent and Eric knew he was facing immediate dialysis unless lucky enough to find a kidney donor.

To his amazement, Mandy volunteered to be the donor herself and exhaustive tests revealed the couple were a perfect match.

From his hospital bed on Wednesday, Eric told the Observer that the operation had not been as straightforward as hoped for and there had been a complication when his heart "gave up".

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"I asked the cardiologist the truth of what happened and he said '“ your heart was working overtime, working very hard. Your heart had the same enzymes as when you have a heart attack '“ but you didn't have a heart attack.

"It's a bit like being told '“ you were hit by a car...but you weren't hit by a car."

He was monitored overnight and most of Saturday in intensive care before being allowed back to the renal ward where he was visited by an anxious Mandy and his mother.

He commented: "I'm fine...a bit sore. But the main impression is that it has taken well and there doesn't seem to be any problems. Hopefully I should be going home tomorrow, fingers crossed.

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"I do feel a bit more energetic. It will take a little while for it all to kick in but I do feel a lot better."

Having been through the transplant he said he felt more aware afterwards of what Mandy had done for him: "It has sunk in now, more so when I saw her walking around and she was in pain. She has put herself through the pain and in that position for me. That is when it really sinks in. But I still don't think she realises what she has done, the enormity of it. She just says anyone would have done it...but they don't. Not everyone does.

"I am in a ward with people on dialysis because they are waiting for someone to do it.

"I am very fortunate '“ a lot more fortunate than other people."

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Anyone interested in being a donor or finding out more details can visit Eric's Facebook '“ The Gift Of Life '“ which he started to raise awareness. Two hundred visitors have joined up so far.

Log-in to leave your well-wishes to Eric below.

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