George Lopez Gets a New Kidney
George Lopez Gets a New Kidney
When the comedian needed a new kidney, his wife, Ann, donated one of her own.
Minorities in general are often hesitant to see a doctor, says surgeonCharles Modlin, MD, director of the Minority Men's Health Center at TheCleveland Clinic. Modlin, one of only a few African American transplantsurgeons in the United States, describes the attitude of many African Americansand Latinos this way: "If you're feeling fine, there's no reason to gettested. And if you hurt, you grin and bear it."
George agrees. "That's the one thing I'd change about Latinos --- wedon't want to know if it's bad news," he says. "Me? I'd go to thedoctor in a minute now."
Crippling pain finally spurred George to get a long-overdue checkup. A hardlesson, it's one he now shares with others on his web site, on his televisionshow, and as a spokesman, along with Ann, for the National KidneyFoundation.
As George worked on the show and awaited his operation, Ann took a batteryof tests to prove what she already knew in her heart to be true: that as adonor, she was a match for her husband. She also hired a personal trainer tohelp her get into the best shape possible before the operation. A year later,and 15 pounds lighter, she continues with the trainer three days a week.
Transplant success rates, Modlin says, have gone up dramatically in the last10 years. So, too, have the number of living donors like Ann. That's a welcomedevelopment, he says, because such kidneys tend to function better than thosefrom deceased donors.
George sticks to his daily regimen of medications to ensure that his bodydoes not reject Ann's kidney, some of which he will take for the rest of hislife. He stays faithful to his monthly doctor appointments, exercises more, andhas cut out fast food.
"I weighed 235 pounds when I found out I needed a new kidney," saysthe 6-foot Lopez. "Now I weigh 190."
Though the operation was a complete success --- Ann calls it "the dreamtransplant" --- it came with some side effects. One of the medications thatGeorge takes causes occasional hand tremors, making simple things, such aslifting a glass of water, frustrating and difficult. Those tremors also make itharder to play golf, a game that is sacred to the comedian.
George Lopez Finds a Perfect Match
When the comedian needed a new kidney, his wife, Ann, donated one of her own.
Clues to Kidney Disease continued...
Minorities in general are often hesitant to see a doctor, says surgeonCharles Modlin, MD, director of the Minority Men's Health Center at TheCleveland Clinic. Modlin, one of only a few African American transplantsurgeons in the United States, describes the attitude of many African Americansand Latinos this way: "If you're feeling fine, there's no reason to gettested. And if you hurt, you grin and bear it."
George agrees. "That's the one thing I'd change about Latinos --- wedon't want to know if it's bad news," he says. "Me? I'd go to thedoctor in a minute now."
Moving Toward a Kidney Transplant
Crippling pain finally spurred George to get a long-overdue checkup. A hardlesson, it's one he now shares with others on his web site, on his televisionshow, and as a spokesman, along with Ann, for the National KidneyFoundation.
As George worked on the show and awaited his operation, Ann took a batteryof tests to prove what she already knew in her heart to be true: that as adonor, she was a match for her husband. She also hired a personal trainer tohelp her get into the best shape possible before the operation. A year later,and 15 pounds lighter, she continues with the trainer three days a week.
Transplant success rates, Modlin says, have gone up dramatically in the last10 years. So, too, have the number of living donors like Ann. That's a welcomedevelopment, he says, because such kidneys tend to function better than thosefrom deceased donors.
George sticks to his daily regimen of medications to ensure that his bodydoes not reject Ann's kidney, some of which he will take for the rest of hislife. He stays faithful to his monthly doctor appointments, exercises more, andhas cut out fast food.
"I weighed 235 pounds when I found out I needed a new kidney," saysthe 6-foot Lopez. "Now I weigh 190."
Though the operation was a complete success --- Ann calls it "the dreamtransplant" --- it came with some side effects. One of the medications thatGeorge takes causes occasional hand tremors, making simple things, such aslifting a glass of water, frustrating and difficult. Those tremors also make itharder to play golf, a game that is sacred to the comedian.
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