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Methodist Dallas Medical Center
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Winter 2014 – 2015
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A prison sentence. That’s how Mahmoud Shmaitelly refers to his
2½ years on kidney dialysis.
“You aren’t free because you have to be on that machine to
stay alive,” he says.
Mahmoud’s original diagnosis of nephritis, or kidney
inflammation, came in 1988 during routine medical screening
for admittance to the American University of Beirut. For
the next 23 years, the condition steadily degraded his
kidney performance.
“By 43, I’d reached 90 percent deficiency and needed
dialysis,” he says.
Waiting and hoping
Nadin Shmaitelly was willing to free her husband from dialysis
by becoming a living donor. But the couple wanted to have
another child and decided not to risk surgery for her. So
Mahmoud’s dialysis continued. For a time, Mahmoud, now
living in Allen, found some escape in having his blood filtered
at night. When he wasn’t hooked up to the machine, he tried to
forget about the painful needles, the time lost.
Mahmoud’s first call for a potential transplant ended in
disappointment: The kidney was not a match. But last April
18, another call came. And he and Nadin — then nearly nine
months pregnant — cut a family vacation short and drove
through the night to get to Methodist Dallas early Saturday
morning to prepare for Mahmoud’s surgery that day.
“I was so happy that I didn’t care about the vacation,” he says,
laughing. “Imagine 2½ years on dialysis, then somebody says
you’re going to get a kidney. You wouldn’t wait!”
Less than two weeks after Mahmoud received his new kidney,
the Shmaitelly family celebrated another new life: Baby Adam
joined siblings Yesmeena and Ryan. Mahmoud is quick to thank
everyone at Methodist Dallas who helped in his journey.
“My new kidney gave me the liberty to explore this stage of
my life — to enjoy family life, get back to hobbies, and begin a
new phase of my career. I’m a free man.”
From dark night shifts to bright new days
Mahmoud Shmaitelly,
now free from dialysis, is
grateful for the time he
gets to spend with his wife,
Nadin, and their children,
Yesmeena, Ryan,
and Adam.