My son was born with an x-linked kidney disease that was passed from my father through me to him. Because his kidney disease was starting to progress, I decided to be tested in hope that I could donate indirectly to him because we do not share the same blood type.
The process of testing took 220 days from the day I first applied to the day I was accepted as a kidney donor. I decided not to use a calendar format for this piece, as I did for my Dates in a Life (Walking) Project paintings. The thin white lines under a square highlight Saturdays and Sundays to give a sense of time.
I applied to be a donor on December 20, 2018. I was approved on July 23, 2019. A donor has been found for my son, and he is scheduled to receive a kidney in Seattle near the end of October. I am waiting to be matched with someone with my blood type who is in need of a kidney.
This painting, Dates in a Life: Kidney Donor Testing documents testing and everything connected to my applying and being accepted as a kidney donor.
There are symbols that represent applying, each medical test (urine, blood, x-rays, and scans), phone calls or email with the medial team about testing, travel across the US to the hospital for some of the tests, talking to kidney donors and recipients, and just passing time while I went through the process.
The painting is created with monoprinted textures of a construction fence as the background, handstamped rubber erasers on fabric which are collaged on the background grid, as well as handpainting and stitching on stiffened fabric.
My plan is to make one or two more paintings that document my son receiving his kidney from a donor and my donating a kidney to someone in exchange.
