14/11/2023
A bit about me!
I was 17 when I was diagnosed with Primary FSGS/ Minimal Change disease. My kidney disease doesn't fit into either category strictly, so it was harder to treat medically.
I wanted to join the Nebraska National Guard my junior year of high school because my brother had joined and it inspired me to do the same. They decided because I was spilling too much protein in my urine that I would not be eligible to join. I started seeing a Nephrologist in Omaha and we started the Kidney Journey.
My kidney Disease was treatment resistant to most of the medications, so we decided to try an infusion that could help me get into remission and help preserve my remaining kidney function. However after only receiving half the infusion I ended up in the ER immediately. The infusion had put me in Acute Kidney failure. I did see a bit of function come back after the med cleared out of my system, but there was enough irreversible damage done. From there it was just a wait to drop enough function to need dialysis.
I started Peritoneal Dialysis in July of 2021, and then I had a transplant from my brother in November of 2021. However there was a mistake made during his surgery that caused trauma to the kidney. We were hopeful that the kidney would "wake up" and start to function, but because of the incident during surgery the kidney only ever got to 10%. Most transplant recipients can see up to 88% after they get their new kidney, but it wasn't the case with mine. My transplant thought the kidney might be rejecting so I underwent anti-rejection treatments including plasmapheresis, IVIG, and many others while continuing to do dialysis in the hospital. Mom and I ended up staying 7 weeks trying to heal and give the kidney the best chance to pick up and start working. In January, we had finally asked to come home, so we came back, continuing dialysis and adjusting to living back at home.
In September of 2022 I decided to get listed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, knowing it wouldn't be long until I needed another kidney. Now here we are. I can feel my body declining with each week that passes, So I am really hoping that someone will decide to give me the gift of life. I am 26 and definitely not ready to leave my family and friends behind, but a person cannot live on dialysis forever. Please follow my journey! feel free to invite your friends and familyI would appreciate it so much!
If you want to fill out the Donor Questionnaire I will link it below. I am listed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. My date of birth is 9/14/1997
https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/transplant-center/living-donor-transplantation-evaluation/gnc-20505893?fbclid=IwAR0_9kTdvzj3hocjmjld8DV91fMbSA_ssXcFNdczNhDUo-GFL1bh8T_kS_4
