How I Trained to Save My Husband’s Life

Peloton Member Carie S., of Portland, Oregon, knew that her husband, Charles, was the one after only a few dates. Second marriages for both of them, there was reluctance to date in the beginning, but it was soon evident that their paths were meant to cross. They married a few years later.

Doing what Carie calls “the responsible adult thing,” she and Charles decided to get life insurance. They went through the protocol of getting a physical and a series of routine tests. What they didn’t expect was the phone call that followed.

The insurance company called and told them that something didn’t look right with Charles’ results. They recommended he see a urologist. After rounds of testing, the urologist confirmed a dreaded diagnosis: Charles was in kidney failure.

“We couldn’t do anything to fix it,” Carie says. “You can’t gain kidney function back, only slow it down.”

For a few years they were able to slow the progress, until two summers ago, when the doctor said the only options were dialysis or kidney transplant.

Finding a Donor

Knowing that dialysis would be difficult for Charles, Carie made it her mission to find a donor. Her humble husband didn’t want any fanfare, but she decided she’d send an email to his company to have people sign up to be transplant donors. As she was writing the email, she realized she should go through the process so she could give step-by-step instructions.

“As I went through the process of giving blood and a variety of testing, it started to become super clear that I could be the potential match,” she says.

It’s not very common for a spousal match, as they don’t often have the same blood type. But in this case, Carie and Charles were a perfect match.

The transplant was scheduled right away—and then COVID-19 hit, halting the procedure.

Time to Train

Transplants are often as hard on the donor’s body as the recipient. So with the world in standstill, Carie made it her mission to get in the best shape of her life so she could be in great health while donating and recovering. She was already using the Peloton Bike, and had recently renovated a workout space in which to do Peloton classes. But now she was on a mission.

“I joked to myself that I wanted my abs to be so strong that the doctor couldn’t cut through them to get the kidney,” she says with a laugh.

She immediately added strength to her exercise routine. She started Emma Lovewell’s Crush Your Core series (and completed it multiple times) and added in bootcamp classes. Matty Maggiacomo was also doing on-demand strength classes live on Instagram with Members during quarantine, “and that was so much fun.”

What really surprised Carie was how much she started to love running. She used the app with her home treadmill and started doing 45-minute classes, barely able to get out four miles each class at first.

“I adore Selena Samuela, and although I was terrified at first of Becs Gentry, now she's amazing,” she says.

By transplant time, Carie was able to run 10Ks in each 45-minute class.

And because there’s a lot of anxiety leading up to the donor surgery, Carie also added in sleep meditations to help her relax. They “worked so well I never made it to the end of them,” she says.

By the time her husband’s transplant was set to go again, Carie felt both mentally and physically ready. At her last appointment with the doctor, she overheard him say she was the ideal transplant candidate based on her health and strength. “I am so thankful that I had Peloton so I could be the healthiest version of me going into the experience,” she says.

A Successful Transplant

In August 2020, the kidney transplant was completed. Charles is doing “phenomenal,” and there are no signs of rejection of the new organ.

Recovery has been slow for both Charles and Carie, and more than seven months post-surgery, they’re still inching back to normal. She’s been doing a lot of Denis Morton’s rides and Selena Samuela’s strength classes, as core work and running have been harder with the incision. Often, Charles will join her for workouts.

After working out so hard every day for months, it’s been an adjustment to switch to lighter exercise sessions. But Carie is doing her best to be kind to herself. “I’m giving myself grace and reminding myself that I went through a big thing,” she says.

And even working through the frustrations post-surgery, she’d be a donor again in a heartbeat—even for a stranger. “It’s such an easy process and unbelievably rewarding,” she says. “I truly feel like I saved a life.”

Our Members inspire us every day. Meet Lynette, a Peloton Member and breast cancer survivor.