Hello Friends and Family!
As most of you may know, I was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2004 due to a disease called Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS for short. FSGS causes the nephrons in your kidneys to turn into scar tissue, causing the kidneys to no longer function. By 2004 I was on dialysis, and on February 7, 2005, I had my first kidney transplant. My Aunt Chris selflessly donated her kidney to me, and it lasted me 10 wonderful years. This fall, I found that the FSGS had returned and was causing my transplanted kidney to fail. I started dialysis again in February and currently go three times a week for 3 hours and 45 minutes. I went through all of the testing processes to be listed on the transplant list and in June I was placed on the list. This means that I am eligible to receive a cadaver organ or a live donor organ. My brother Ben, is going through the process right now to see if he is a match and if he is, he will be donating one of his kidneys to me. I will be having my trasplant surgery at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Because I live so far away from the transplant center, one of the requirements of the transplant is that I stay in the Seattle area for a month post transplant, so that I can be close to the transplant center in case of organ rejection or emergency. I am hoping to raise money to help pay for this, as it is an added and unexpected cost. Dialysis and the transplant surgery are a huge financial burden and any help you can give will truly be appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Love,
Teri
As most of you may know, I was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2004 due to a disease called Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS for short. FSGS causes the nephrons in your kidneys to turn into scar tissue, causing the kidneys to no longer function. By 2004 I was on dialysis, and on February 7, 2005, I had my first kidney transplant. My Aunt Chris selflessly donated her kidney to me, and it lasted me 10 wonderful years. This fall, I found that the FSGS had returned and was causing my transplanted kidney to fail. I started dialysis again in February and currently go three times a week for 3 hours and 45 minutes. I went through all of the testing processes to be listed on the transplant list and in June I was placed on the list. This means that I am eligible to receive a cadaver organ or a live donor organ. My brother Ben, is going through the process right now to see if he is a match and if he is, he will be donating one of his kidneys to me. I will be having my trasplant surgery at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Because I live so far away from the transplant center, one of the requirements of the transplant is that I stay in the Seattle area for a month post transplant, so that I can be close to the transplant center in case of organ rejection or emergency. I am hoping to raise money to help pay for this, as it is an added and unexpected cost. Dialysis and the transplant surgery are a huge financial burden and any help you can give will truly be appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Love,
Teri