Photo by Erik Campos

My third kidney was placed in the hollow of the pelvis where it is protected by the pelvic wing and yet superficial enough for simple diagnostic studies.

Before the surgery I asked another recipient if she could feel her new kidney. She said she couldn't.

I, however, can feel mine. This is probably due to the fact I am relatively small (5' 9", 135 lb.) and have no gut in which to conceal it. It is not like you can see it under the skin -- it is beneath muscle.

But when lying flat and looking at my abdomen, my left side has a slight bulge to it. And if you press down on the skin in that area, it is harder where the kidney is.