Find a Kidney for Susanne

05/02/2025

TL:DR On my first kidneyversary, I sincerely hope you will consider joining me in making a donation to this very worthy cause. Renewal is literally saving lives every single day. I owe them my life.

I owe you all an update and this one is a doozy! We have reached my one year kidneyversary!

I received my new kidney last year on the Jewish holiday of Yom Ha'atzmaut, which fell on May 14, 2024. As we are celebrating Yom Ha'atzmaut this week, I thought it would be great to share some more about the amazing things that have been happening in Dallas this year on the kidney front because it has been nothing short of a miracle.

When I contacted Renewal in the summer of 2023 about seeking help in finding a donor for myself, Renewal had a much grander plan in mind. They immediately told me that they wanted to come to Dallas and run a huge event that could educate the community about kidney donation and swab as many people as they could to see if they would be potential donors for me. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of this organization. I created a community of friends who I knew would help get the word out and in January 2024 we set to hold the event. In the months that it took to organize, FIVE additional people from the Dallas Jewish community came forward who were also in desperate need for new kidneys. Not one of them had previously heard of Renewal before I brought them out here. We encouraged them to register with Renewal and were able to include them in the swab drive. We had a lovely turnout of people who came that morning to listen and dozens swabbed to see if they could possibly be a match to help save someone's life. The results were positively astounding.

I remember Renewal tempered my hopes for the event telling me, it might not be someone in that room who will be a match, but once we were in their database they'd search for donors for us from anywhere in the country and wouldn't stop until one was found. I totally expected my donor to be a stranger from New York or New Jersey. Not only was my kidney donor Yehuda one of the people in the room that morning, but TWO others in attendance also became donors to people in that room. One transplant just took place this past Tuesday. The miracles are still happening. One more will be having her transplant God willing this coming week. 4 of the 6 people who were swabbed for that day will have found their donors. We pray that the other two will find theirs speedily, and with the assistance of Renewal, I have great faith that it will happen.

Here is the thing about Renewal: Most people in kidney failure find out that the wait time for a kidney in their state can take years or even a decade or more. All the while they will be suffering on horrific dialysis. Renewal is the one place you actually feel hope. Time and time again they deliver on their promise to find those in desperate need a kidney. They not only talk the talk, they walk the walk. Kidney failure is not something I wish on my worst enemy. Renewal offers hope.

On my first kidneyversary, I sincerely hope you will consider joining me in making a donation to this very worthy cause. They are literally saving lives every single day. I owe them my life.

.The miracle of One. One miracle at a time Imagine hearing the devastating words: 'Your kidneys are failing'Every such diagnosis brings life to a halt and triggers a cascade of fears—will I see my children grow up? Will I be there for my spouse? How long can I endure this?What follows is the excru...

09/03/2024

I am super honored to be included in the Faces of Orthodoxy series focused on Dallas Jews doing extraordinary things. They were able to showcase the efforts I have made this year toward bringing attention to kidney donation awareness and the incredible work of Renewal. When Renewal came to Dallas in January to run a swabbing event for myself and several others in the Dallas Jewish community in need of new kidneys, not only did we find my donor among the swabbers in the room, but I recently learned of a second community match who are scheduled for surgery next week! I have heard that a couple of the others may also be going through further testing with potential donors that Renewal matched them with. Not only that, but TWO of my friends outside of Dallas who swabbed for me this winter are also in the preliminary stages of testing as potential matches for strangers who Renewal has been trying to find donors for. I obviously can't take much credit for the work I have put in to bringing attention to this important cause because I sincerely believe this is all the work of God's Hand, but anything in my power that I can do to spread the word of how important it is to become an organ donor if you are healthy enough to become one, I will keep doing it. Please join me in spreading the word!

07/14/2024

It was exactly one year ago today that I received my Renewal Swabbing Kit in the mail and swabbed my own cheek to start the process of Renewal finding me a kidney donor. Little did I know that exactly 10 months later, on May 14th, that the donor they found for me would be giving me his kidney. So much gratitude to Renewal and my hero donor Yehuda!

06/25/2024

Today is my six week Kidneyversary! It's an exciting milestone and my doctor today told me my numbers are looking great! I started back at work two weeks ago. I eased back in the first week which included a Jewish holiday so it was only 2 1/2 days long and fairly quiet. Since then I have been very busy with my usual daily tasks, a new program we are soon to launch and a board meeting to prepare for next month. I have worked remotely now for almost 14 years which has been a huge blessing for me. Never more now that I can bring my work with me when I have my long (now weekly, soon to be biweekly) visits at the transplant clinic. This morning I was at the clinic and during the long wait for my turn with the phlebotomist to draw my labs that will check my kidney levels, I had out my laptop and was preparing my upcoming post for Twitter/X, proofreading our daily email and emailing our website designer. All from my chair in the blood lab. I am blessed to have this kind of flexibility. I know this is truly a gift and not one many transplant patients have. Many need to take off months before they can get back to their jobs full time and I am very fortunate.

06/14/2024

So grateful to the Texas Jewish Post and writer Deb Silverthorn for writing this beautiful piece about my kidney transplant last month from my hero neighbor Yehuda.

When we brought Renewal out in January for a kidney donor awareness event, never in my wildest dreams did I expect to find my match among the hundred or so people who showed up that day. But there he was.

I received my kidney, but my mission is not over. Of the six local members of the Dallas Jewish community who took part in the event in search of their own donors, I have heard that at least two more are in various stages of testing with potential donors. But others have not yet received the call from Renewal about finding a match. It is for them that we must keep searching. I implore you to read this article and find inspiration in my donor Yehuda's selflessness. You can become the next hero.

‘Love thy neighbor’ defined with lifesaving transplant By Deb Silverthorn The gift of life was wrapped up and delivered to Susanne Rosenhouse when, after a Renewal swabbing event Jan. 28 […]

06/10/2024

This week I'll celebrate my 1 month kidneyversary! It is a giant milestone, especially since my kidney is working well and B”H there have been no signs of rejection.

The other milestone is that tomorrow morning I am returning to work. Most transplant recipients are unable to return to work for up to 6 to 12 weeks, depending on what they do. I am very lucky that for the past almost 20 years (wow!) I’ve worked for the National Jewish Outreach Program, an organization that has always been supportive of employees who have gone through health crises. For the past almost 14 years I have worked for the New York based org remotely from my home in Dallas. Since this job does not require heavy lifting or a hard hat, and I pretty much just sit behind a desk, I knew I shouldn’t need to take off too much and gave them a guesstimate of 5 weeks. But since this week is the holiday of Shavuot, it will just be a 3 day work week so I figured I can ease back into work.

Since the surgery I have been building up my strength. The first week or two I could barely walk past three houses on my street before being winded. When my family went for walks around the neighborhood, I pushed a wheelchair in case I got too tired and needed to sit and be pushed the rest of the day. As soon as my doctor said it was time to start trying to push myself a little more exercise wise, we started upping our walking routine. I joined Evan when we needed to make Costco and grocery runs, walking around the store as we shopped. Today was the big test. We had four events tentatively on our schedule and my goal was to get through each one. We started at 9 and headed to the local Run For Our Lives Israel walk which we have been doing consistently each Sunday for the past six months or so. Then we headed to a Jborhood get together in Frisco at a public splash pad with a nice group of Jewish families who have school age kids like ours. Since we were all the way out in Frisco (it’s no more than a 15-20 minute drive from here, but we don’t get out much so…), we felt like we needed to add in two other stops that I’ve had on my wishlist for some time. We went to the National Videogame Museum and it was so much fun. We showed Becca and Alex all the old game systems we grew up playing including Atari, Intellvision, Nintendo (NES) and more and then played a whole bunch of awesome classic arcade games in their original cabinets. And YES, I got the high score on Galaga as I always do. Then next door we walked over to the Frisco Public Library which is a sight to be seen. It is really amazing to see a community put money into a beautiful, experiential library that gets filled on a Sunday afternoon.

All in all, I was probably on my feet for a good 3-4 hours and clocked in more than 7,500 steps. I think that shows I probably have the endurance I need to get back to real life. Over the past four weeks I have been able to completely relax as I learned my new routines, including taking my vitals twice daily, measuring my liquid input and output (sorry for the TMI…) and began taking more than 30 pills per day to keep my kidney healthy and thriving. Dozens of friends and family provided meals for us which not only fed us over the past few weeks, but I was able to freeze and store a couple dozen meals as well through them which I know I will be grateful for over the summer as I am cooking for just one. I am grateful to my coworkers for covering for me while I was out, and because I know they are incredibly capable, I did not need to check in daily to make sure everything was running smoothly, a huge help. I am still needing to go to the transplant clinic often for check ups and labs, but the appointments will soon be more spread out as I get better and better. My nephrologist at the hospital is even hopeful that I may be able to visit Evan and the kids at camp near the end of the summer (they leave me next week...). I didn’t think travel would be allowed for many months. So that is the latest update. Back to life. Back to reality.

05/20/2024

First time back at the transplant clinic for check up and testing after being released from the hospital. I won't lie. This recovery is hard. I feel weak and the pain is still hard to control. But nevertheless, constantly grateful to have a working kidney and I know every day will get easier and easier. Just keep swimming.

05/16/2024

A bit TMI but I'm keeping it real so you know what's going on over here.

Here's video of me reciting Asher Yatzar for the first time after going to the bathroom after my catheter was removed.

05/15/2024

Please help me raise funds for the incredible organization Renewal which found me my amazing kidney and helped the Dallas Jewish Community learn all about what it takes to be a donor. I can't express enough gratitude for what they've done for me and so many others. Please consider a donation.
https://Dryveup.com/renewal/rosenhouse

05/15/2024

Evan went downstairs to schmooze with the mensch who saved my life and of course he's learning Torah. My new kidney is very, very holy.

Please continue to pray for Yehuda ben Miriam Tziona.

05/15/2024

My donor Yehuda's wife came to see me in the ICU. Her husband is doing amazing. Thank God! So grateful to this amazing family.

05/15/2024

Looking good, just after transplant. New kidney's working really well. Doctors are thrilled with the outcome.

Please continue to pray for Shayna Malka bat Leah and her donor Yehuda ben Miriam Tziona