NBA Player Gives Sister a Kidney
BLITZER: Earlier we asked, which organ donation waiting list is the longest? The answer, kidney. More than 52,000 patients are waiting for a kidney transplant. And fortunately, both Greg Ostertag and his sister, Amy Hall, are doing well almost two weeks after their surgery. They join us now live from Plano, Texas. Thanks to both of you for joining us. You could put a little smile on your face. Everything seemed to have worked out quite well, didn't it, Greg?</s>GREG OSTERTAG, CENTER, UTAH JAZZ: Oh, yes. Everything worked out really well. You know, surgery went well. The nurses were bothering me a lot. I was trying to sleep. But other than that, everything went really good.</s>BLITZER: Tell us what the background was, why you were forced -- you wanted to give up one of your kidneys?</s>OSTERTAG: You know, she called me up day and just said that she needed a kidney. I had known, you know, for a while that she was going to eventually need one. I didn't know she was going to need one, like, by the end of the summer, you know. But she called up and said, My kidneys are about to turn themselves off, and I am probably need you to give me your kidney this summer. I said that's cool. You know, just let me know what I need to do, what doctors I need to call, figure out what tests I need to get done, and it was on.</s>BLITZER: Amy, you...</s>AMY HALL, SISTER OF GREG OSTERTAG: That's exactly how he responded, too.</s>BLITZER: You have a pretty amazing brother who, in the middle of his professional basketball career, is willing to take a risk like that in order to help you. How do you feel about that?</s>HALL: Oh, I thank my lucky stars every day. He was wonderful, he has been that way since the beginning. Never thought -- never thought, I shouldn't be doing this. Never said, you know, Let me think about it. He has just been absolutely gung-ho about it from the very beginning and I couldn't ask for a better brother. Very thankful to have him.</s>BLITZER: What did the doctors say to you -- what did the doctors say to you, Greg, about the risks for you and for your basketball career, and maybe even for your own life by giving up one of your kidneys?</s>OSTERTAG: They said, you know, the risks were there for something to go wrong, that it may kill me, but the risks are real low. I mean, it's like three in 10,000, or something like that. I'm not really sure. But it's real low. But so -- and as far as my playing career, they didn't say it would affect me at all. I should be the same person, you know, be able to play as much as I did before, and more this year.</s>BLITZER: Do you...</s>OSTERTAG: The only thing now is that I have got to be -- go ahead.</s>BLITZER: Are you going to be able to go to training camp and play this year? Did the doctors give you that clean bill of health?</s>OSTERTAG: Oh, yes. They cleaned me right up. They said by the time training camp rolls around, I should be ready to go at 100 percent, without any problems. The only thing now is I have to worry about is making sure I don't cause any major trauma to my other one, trying to stay out of car accidents, falling out of trees, and stuff like that, while I'm home or something.</s>BLITZER: But what about -- what about your game? Basketball and the NBA is pretty much of a contact sport. You have got some other power centers, power forwards, big guys who are bumping up with you all the time. You have got to be a little bit worried about that.</s>OSTERTAG: Yes, but a shot to a kidney now, although it doesn't have to be really hard, it has got to be a pretty good shot. Basketball is a contact sport, but most of your contact is up around your head and your shoulders and your chest most of the time. There's probably a freak elbow every once in a while, but usually they are not hard enough to affect much. It's just not something I am going to worry about.</s>BLITZER: So you're definitely going to go forward -- you are definitely go forward -- you are going to definitely go forward and play in the NBA this year?</s>OSTERTAG: Oh, definitely. I mean, it's not something -- it's not something I am going to wake up every day and wonder if I am going to get hit. I just -- I don't even think about it now. I just -- I get up and do what I want to do and go. It's -- I'm perfectly healthy, and stuff like that.</s>BLITZER: Amy, first of all, tell us who that young little guy behind you is.</s>HALL: Who does he look like?</s>BLITZER: He looks very cute.</s>HALL: It's -- that's Greg's son, Cody.</s>BLITZER: Cody is a cute guy. Tell us who you feel, Amy, and what the prognosis is for you.</s>HALL: Actually, I feel almost 100 percent better. My -- all my fatigue has gone away, thank goodness, but they told me that would almost happen instantly, which it did. I'm just sorry I waited so long to do it, because I really didn't -- I didn't realize how bad I felt until I got the new kidney. My prognosis looks really good. Just have -- I'm taking a ton of medicine, which, in the reality of things, it's not that big of a deal. Of course, I will on medication for the rest of my life. But as far as my prognosis is, I have to go to the doctor right now three times a week, and that's for the first month. And then after that, it will drop back to like once a week, and then once a year. So, I'm looking forward to that, but I know I have to do this to follow-up, and make sure everything is working how it's supposed to, but -- organ donation is a great thing. I will -- I have to stress that. I can't stress that enough.</s>BLITZER: You know -- let's talk about that just very briefly, Greg. This must have had an impact on this whole notion of organ donation and transplanting organs. You and your sister are uniquely qualified to receive each others' organs, obviously. But what has it taught you this whole experience?</s>OSTERTAG: It's taught me, don't be afraid. It's not -- aside from the pain -- aside from the pain, the first week and stuff like that, it's really not a big deal. You have got to do a few tests, and get a little bit of blood drawn. But other than that, it's not as scary as everybody makes it out to be. It is just -- I was in an operating room for two and a half hours, and woke up, had a little pain for a week, and that was about it. So it's -- it's a big thing, and if there is an opportunity for you to do it for a family member, go right ahead. It's -- I don't think it's life-threatening at all, you know, so do it, if you got the chance. Except for some people.</s>BLITZER: I know -- we all know you did it for your little baby sister. She loves you, and I'm sure that everybody is very, very impressed, totally impressed by your courage and your ability to do this. Congratulations to both of you, Amy and Greg. We'll be watching you play with the Utah Jazz this season, we will be admiring you on the playing court. Thanks to both of you for joining us.</s>OSTERTAG: I appreciate it.</s>HALL: Thanks.</s>BLITZER: And there may be new ammunition in the war on terror and protecting you at home. Senator Bob Kerry will show us, next. Stay with us.