This is my nephew Duncan. When he was 19, he went to clinic care for what we thought was a touch of bronchitis. Instead, he ended up being rushed to the hospital by ambulance with his blood pressure skyrocketing. It turned out that he was in kidney failure and was immediately placed on dialysis. They did biopsies and assorted tests but were never able to determine what caused the failure.

As you can imagine, it hasn't been easy going from a seemingly healthy 19 year old to being on dialysis for several hours three times a week and being placed on severe dietary restrictions. Pretty much anything a boy that age likes was now forbidden or, at best, severely restricted. He was also limited on how much fluid he could drink, something that can  be pretty difficult in the Texas summertime. 

All of this would be hard to deal with at any age but particularly so when you're that young. He'd have good reason to be angry and sorry for himself but instead he's just taken the attitude that you play the hand that's dealt you and do the best you can with it.

In 2014, after about 5 years on the transplant list, a kidney became available and he got a transplant. The difference it made in his life was amazing. No more weakness from dialysis. No more being stabbed with large needles three times a week. And, while the transplant diet has its restrictions, it is so much more open than the one for dialysis. It may seem like a little thing to most of us but it was so nice for him  to finally be able to go out with friends and family again and be able to eat basically what everyone else was having.

Unfortunately, the transplanted kidney started failing in 2016 and he is now back on dialysis. He's in the process of trying to get back on the transplant list but one of the requirements for this is to have funds available to cover your expenses following a transplant. The minimum amount they want you to have available is $3000.

While Medicare/Medicaid will pay for the transplant itself and the masses of medication (assuming they decide he's qualified to receive the assistance) required afterwards to suppress his immune system, there are other expenses most people wouldn't think about associated with getting a transplant. 

The transplant will be done in Dallas, roughly a 2.5 hour drive from where we live. When he is released from the hospital, he has to remain in Dallas for about 6 weeks to be closely monitored. The hospital has an arrangement with a local hotel to give transplant patients a  discount rate and shuttle service to and from the hospital. While this is enormously helpful, the cost of the room still adds up quickly. 

Since one of the potential problems following the surgery is altered consciousness, someone has to stay with him for during this time to monitor him. That adds food and assorted living costs for two people during this period to the list of expenses.

At first he goes in every day for tests and general monitoring of his condition. As time goes on and all is going well, that's gradually reduced to three times a week, a couple of times a week, once a week, and eventually once a month. 

He was allowed to come home when he reached the once a week checkups. This eliminated the hotel bill and related expenses but travel expenses were also difficult. I'm sure I don't have to tell any of you how much an extra tank of gas a week can bite into a budget.

Any help you could give us would be deeply appreciated. I can't adequately express what a difference getting a transplant would make in his young life. Any funding received would remain in trust until such time as he would get the transplant.