Travis' Challenge (kidneys)
This page is to raise awareness for Travis Pratt. In 2005 Travis was diagnosed with kidney failure related to IgA nephropathy. As defined by the Mayo clinic, IgA nephropathy, also known as Berger's disease, is a kidney disease that occurs when an antibody called immunoglobulin A (IgA) lodges in your kidneys. This results in local inflammation that, over time, may hamper your kidneys' ability to filter waste, excess water and electrolytes from your blood. Kidney damage may be indicatd by blood and protein in your urine, high blood pressure and swollen feet.
IgA nephropathy usually progresses slowly over many years and early symptoms may easily go unnoticed, but the course of the disease in each person is uncertain. Some people leak blood in their urine without developing problems, some eventually achieve complete remission, and others develop end-stage kidney failure. The last is the course of Travis' disease.
No cure exists for IgA nephropathy, but certain medications can slow its course. Keeping blood pressure (the silent killer) under control slows disease progression.
Although he likely developed IgA as a teenager, it went undiagnosed for 10-15 years. A simple urinalysis during that time would have detected IgA, but that was never done as part of his annual physicals. As a parent and knowing what the test could have detected, I would suggest having one included in an annual physical. From 2005-2012 he fairly successfully managed his decreasing kidney function with medication and diet, and maintained work as an independent contractor. Although his jobs required significant travel, he was fully able to travel away from home for days and weeks at a time.
But all that changed in 2012 when he had a heart attack related to uncontrolled blood pressure due to the increasing kidney failure. This started a period of more medical care, and since then he has been hospitalized several times. With a preexisting medical condition (kidney disease) he was unable to get adequate insurance coverage, and was actually dropped by several companies after a short period of time. Finally in September 2013 his kidney failure progressed to the point where he had to stop working altogether and start dialysis treatment. The initial treatment was hemodialysis three times a week; each 4-hour treatment left him both mentally and physically exhausted the remainder of the day and the following. This in turn left him unable to keep a regular work schedule.
Three months later he had surgery to start a different dialysis treatment that he could do at home. He is now on home peritoneal dialysis, which is easier on his body, but which takes up most of his waking hours. The purpose of peritoneal dialysis is to filer the toxins from the blood and take off all the 1-2 liters of fluid normally put out in urine. He has to give himself 4 exchanges each day, seven days a week. Each exchange takes 3.5 hours from start to finish.
The body has two kidneys and is capable of normal function with only one kidney. The remaining kidney will grow larger and function for both kidneys. This is why living kidney donation is possible with no physical effect on the donor.
Travis is on the kidney donor program at University of Colorado Hospital in Denver, Colorado. The expectation is that he may wait up to 5 years before he receives a donor kidney. If you would consider being tested as a possible living donor, please visit
www.uchealth.org/pages/Services/Transplant-Services/Kidney-Transplant/Living-Kidney-Donation.aspx to start the process. You can also contact his transplant coordinator, Anita Belanger, at [phone redacted] or [email redacted]
Blood group matching between donor and recipient is required for successful kidney transplantation. There are four major blood types in humans, A, B, AB and O. The Rh factor adds a plus or minus following the above blood type letter. The plus or minus factor is not part of the kidney, therefore it is not important for matching between donor and recipient. The following table describes which blood types are compatible for successful kidney transplantation:
The financial burden of hospital charges and multiple medications has continued to mount, leaving him in substantial debt. Because his dialysis routine takes up most of each day, Travis is looking for any type of work he could do from home. A lead on employment possibilities, or any donation, large or small, would be greatly appreciated and will help Travis manage his financial obligations. Please keep him in your prayers, hoping that a donor can be found soon.
P.S. He will cut his hair (if long enough donate it) when he receives his transplant.
