Help Emma Heal: Support Her Kidney Surgery

Our daughter Emma, age 9, tripped and fell back in September. Just a simple trip and fall while running and playing, but after that happened, she went to the ER that night in major pain and vomiting. At the ER visit, it was found that when she tripped and fell, she lacerated her kidney, which is very hard to do. But she was able to because her kidney is four times bigger than it’s supposed to be. So, it was hemorrhaging, and she had internal bleeding. She was rushed to UofM Mott’s Children’s Hospital, where we stayed for five days. We learned her kidney was that enlarged because, since before birth, she had developed an obstruction in her ureter to her kidney. But she had never had any symptoms or ever been hurt before where she needed an X-ray or CT, so it went unfound until this accident happened.

A kidney is supposed to be the size of your fist and empty every ten minutes. Emma’s is so big it runs down her whole right side, pushing on other organs, and empties every 60 minutes, and only functions at 40%. So, this week she will be getting the blockage removed and having a stent put in, and then going back in May to have the stent removed. We’ve had multiple follow-ups in Ann Arbor since September to make sure the kidney is doing well and her blood pressure remains low because it’s been a little on the higher side with her injury. All of this has been very stressful and scary.

The bills are very high, and we’re just looking for a little bit of help as the most challenging and pricey part approaches.