Bridget, my Newest Kidney Hero!

This beautiful young lady is Bridget, the daughter of a co-worker. I met her recently and she is full of energy and fun. She and her family have faced a challenge recently.

In February 2013 Bridget was diagnosed with an extremely rare chronic kidney disorder called *Nephronophthisis, a disease which has damaged both of her kidneys and is not reversible.

The great news is that Bridget has a donor from her family and surgery will be scheduled soon. The family needs help with expenses and a benefit is being held:

Sunday May 5, 2013 1:00 pm
Fowler Lanes 252 S Main St. Fowler, MI
989-593-2230

Bowling Tournament at 2 pm with registration at 1:00 pm. 

Silent Auctions

Bake Sale

50/50

Food and Drinks

$25.00 Per Person

All Proceeds Will Be Given To Bridget’s Family

Please Join Her Family For This Great Cause!!!

*Nephronophthisis  is a progressive hereditary kidney disease, marked by anemia, polyuria, and renal loss of sodium, progressing to chronic renal failure, tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, glomerular sclerosis, and medullary cysts.

Happy 10th Anniversary Kiersten!!!

Recently my friend and co-worker Kiersten celebrated the TENTH anniversary of receiving her kidney from her friend Theresa. Our friend and co-worker Mark thought of this cute cake to mark the occasion.

Kiersten and Theresa are doing great.  I have always admired Kiersten because she never really complained about her polycystic kidney disease when she had every right to.  She just got on with the business of doing what she had to do. She used to do dialysis at work! She seldom misses work then and now which is remarkable.

I of course admire Theresa for her donation, she is another one of my heroes! Theresa couldn’t have her kidney removed by laparoscopy, she had the open surgery which takes longer to recover from. Theresa said she never thought twice about donating a kidney to her best friend. “She helped me learn about unconditional love,” Theresa said of Kiersten.

Theresa and Kiersten’s only disagreement? Kiersten roots for Michigan State University and Theresa for University of Michigan. I am a Spartan too but we all have to admit, U of M is great at kidney surgery!

You can read Kiersten and Theresa’s story.

Go to List of Resources on Kidney Donation

Happy Anniversary to Both of Us!

Great idea from http://kidneysandeyes.com/

Happy anniversary to the recipient and me. Sunday August 12 marks one year since the kidney I used to have went to someone else out there. I don’t say “my” kidney anymore, I say “the” kidney since it is now his. I am glad it is his too! See  The Kidney, My Kidney. Hope he is having some delicious cake or celebrating a year free of dialysis in some way. I want to blow Weight Watchers points out of the water and devour cake myself. I think of him often, that unknown someone out there. I picture a more active and free life for him. Very cool.

Kidney Cake Pops

My colleague Mari pointed out this article about altruistic/non-directed donors.  “U.S. Woman’s Altruism Starts Chain of Five Kidney Swaps, Extending Lives.” It’s great news that this type of donation is on the rise. We still have a long way to go, but each year seems to be getting better.  From the article:

Donor Honica Brittman decided to be part of a kidney swap after learning she could not donate to a family friend because of incompatibility, represents what experts say is a critical and growing number of “altruistic” or “non-directed” donors, people willing to donate to anyone in need as long as their blood type, antigens and other factors are compatible.

While there is no conclusive national data on the number of donors like Brittman, experts estimate they have increased to between 100 and 200 a year, up from just dozens a few years ago. ”After every chain that gets some publicity, there’s a flood of potential donors contacting kidney exchange networks and individual transplant centers,” Alvin Roth, an economics professor at the Harvard Business School said.

The year has gone by quickly! All of my medical checks are coming back normal. Aside from the small scars, I can’t even tell I had surgery.  So happy anniversary to us and here’s to all of the donors and recipients out there! Back to the cake. I have cake on the brain because of stupid bloody Weight Watchers and their Nazi Points Plus system.  Hmmm… not so sure about the kidney cake pops…

Go to List of Resources on Kidney Donation

Happy Anniversary Jackie!

Happy Anniversary to my dear friend and kidney hero Jackie! One year ago this Thursday she got her kidney. She has been an inspiring model of courage, humor and strength. Not only did she have a kidney put IN, she had a kidney taken OUT all in the same year!  That’s one transplant and one nephrectomy in less than 12 months. Not fun. She received her new kidney in July of 2010 and in April of 2011 she had to have one of her old ones removed because it was causing trouble.

Usually kidney recipients have THREE kidneys (the old ones usually atrophy and are harmless) but once in awhile the old kidneys still cause trouble. Jackie was one of the few “lucky” recipients to have to endure removal of one of her older kidneys. I am SO PROUD of her because she took it in stride and is doing everything she can to keep her new kidney and get on with her new life. She didn’t whine (I would have!) or mope, just got on with what she had to do.

The good news is that her new kidney is chugging away and doing its thing and working very well throughout all of this. My dear friend is free of dialysis. We are celebrating this week with dinner! Asking Jackie to choose a restaurant is like pulling teeth but HA – it’s HER anniversary so she HAS to choose. When I have my anniversary next year I will choose.

Read about Jackie’s adventure here.

My adventure looks like it will be in a few weeks! One more test to make sure the recipient and I are a good match. I have been thinking about him/her and I bet they are counting down their dialysis days. I am so glad for this person! I am starting to freak out a little in the middle of the night –oh my god, they are going to take my kidney out!– but I think that is normal.  

After yapping about it for a year and a half it will be good to FINALLY deliver. People were starting to think I had made the whole thing up.

Go to Resources on Kidney Donation

I’ve Got Two, So What the Hell? You Can Have One

I just love this quote.  It was made by April Capone, the mayor of East Haven, Conn. She gave one of her kidneys to Carlos Sanchez, a resident of her city. The two connected on Facebook. I saw this story on the news the other day before I left for work. I am always seeing these stories on my way out of the door and they make me cry so I get messy but that’s a nice way to make your mascara run. This is what really set me crying because it’s what this kidney donation stuff is all about:

A year later, Sanchez’s health has been restored.Capone said of Sanchez, “Carlos wasn’t my brother, but he is now.”Sanchez calls Capone his “angel.”He told CBS News, “Because of her, I’m able to see my son graduate this year.”

WOW…seeing his son graduate. I sure hope I can help someone like this one day.

There is some controversy about organ sharing on social networking sites. As with everything on the Internet, there is good and bad. I am not a professional of course, but in my opinion it can be a great way to connect when standard organ donation lists are taking too long. Then again, be careful. ALWAYS involve a hospital as soon as you can. I do not think organ donors should ever be paid. I hate to think of the poor languishing while wealthier people get organs.

Go to List of Resources on Kidney Donation