Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year where loved ones gift their significant others with flowers, chocolates and romantic dinners.
This was not the case for David and Maureen Santamaria who are spending Valentine’s Day in Royal Melbourne Hospital, after Maureen gave David the ultimate gift – a kidney.
‘I thought her courageous work was too good to leave as a secret,’ Mr Santamaria told ABC Radio Melbourne.
Maureen Santamaria (left) gave her husband David (right) her kidney when he was at the end stage of his kidney failure
Mr Santamaria, a teacher, was diagnosed 13 years ago with the auto-immune disease IgA Nephritis.
It wasn’t until March last year Mr Santamaria was at the end stage of his kidney failure and would need either a transplant or go on dialysis.
Ms Santamaria, who works as a nurse, had previously donated her bone marrow and decided to step in.
‘She said, ‘I’ll give you a kidney if it works’,’ Mr Santamaria said.
That was the beginning of Ms Santamaria’s gift as the couple had to go through nine months of tests before the transplant could go ahead.
‘We’ve checked out compatibility and yes, 40 years ago she was compatible with me and she still is now,’ Mr Santamaria said.
Ms Santamaria (left) and Mr Santamaria (right) have been together for 40 years
The couple finally underwent surgery on Tuesday, with Ms Santamaria’s kidney out of her body for less than 20 minutes before it was inserted into her husband’s body.
The surgery was a success with the kidney working almost immediately after it was placed in Mr Santamaria’s body.
The couple, who have four children and eight grandchildren, were recovering in rooms a few doors apart on Wednesday morning.
‘I’m hoping to get up soon, and they’ll put me in a chair and we’ll go see Maureen,’ Mr Santamaria said.
Now the only thing left for Mr Santamaria to do is to come up with an appropriate Valentine’s Day gift for his wife.
He is considering an overseas trip to Candadian Rockies as that’s where his wife has always wanted to go and she wants a husband who’s free to go on holidays with her.
‘Now that we’re entering retirement we’ll be able to go on holidays.’