Help Sonia finance a kidney transplant
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Sonia Shaw. I am 45 years old with 2 daughters, ages 22 and 13. I live in Minnesota and have worked in long-term care facilities as a nurse for the last 18 years. I also suffer from a kidney disease called polycystic kidney disease which I inherited from my father and my paternal grandmother. Polycystic kidney disease, or PKD, causes cysts to develop on and in the kidneys, and possibly the liver and the pancreas. Unfortunately, I have cysts, small and large, on all 3 organs but has only affected the fuction of my kidneys. A normal kidney is about the size of your fist and weighs about 5 ounces. My kidneys are estimated to weigh 5 lbs. each and are large enough to fill my abdominal cavity.
This past year I had been experiencing chronic nausea and shortness of breath. On March 29th of this year I had become so uncomfortable that I had a large cyst on my liver drained. It measured 6 x 4.5 inches and contained 2 cups of fluid. Since the procedure, I have been able to take deep breaths again and have not had a bought of nausea since, allowing me to have a better quality of life, for now. This particular cyst was putting pressure on my stomach, causing the chronic nausea and pushing against on my diaphram, making it impossible to take deep breaths, causing shortness of breath. It was also pushing on my inferior vena cava causing a slower blood rate to my heart. PKD has also caused some vascular and connective tissue issues. I have developed a small hernia and had a disected inferior carotid artery on my right side in June of 2017. This means my inferior carotid artery had a small internal tear causing a small blood clot to develop under the flap of tissue that had torn. I was hospitalized for a week and given blood thinners to prevent an aneurysm or stroke. I also suffer from chronic fatigue due to my body having to work harder just to function and due to anemia that PKD causes. This makes it very difficult to do normal everyday activities that is often taken for granted. As my kidneys continue to fail the fatigue has increased exponentially causing me to sleep up to 12 or more hours a day and still feeling exhausted. I have missed out on so much time with my family because of the effects of PKD.
PKD has caused my kidneys to fail putting me in a position of needing a kidney transplant, from either someone that has passed away and are an organ donor or from a living person willing to donate a kidney, if they are a match.
If I do not get someone willing to donate a kidney I will have to start dialysis when my kidneys completely fail. I will have to continue with dialysis until a kidney becomes available. At this time it is estimated that I will have to start dialysis within the year as I only have 17% kidney function, as of March 29th. Most people, including myself on the transplant list have to wait 5-10 years for a kidney. Doing dialysis for that amount of time comes with its own set of health problems.
My father and grandmother passed away in their early 60's from complications of PKD. I do not wish to follow in their footsteps.
I am asking for your financial assistance to help pay for medical bills, travel, and lodging while I travel back and forth to Mayo clinic in Rochestor, MN and to pay for expenses incurred by any potential donors while they are being evaluated and possibly becoming a donor.
If you are interested in being a donor please visit mayoclinic.org/livingdonor to get started. You can remain anonymous if you wish.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and support.
This past year I had been experiencing chronic nausea and shortness of breath. On March 29th of this year I had become so uncomfortable that I had a large cyst on my liver drained. It measured 6 x 4.5 inches and contained 2 cups of fluid. Since the procedure, I have been able to take deep breaths again and have not had a bought of nausea since, allowing me to have a better quality of life, for now. This particular cyst was putting pressure on my stomach, causing the chronic nausea and pushing against on my diaphram, making it impossible to take deep breaths, causing shortness of breath. It was also pushing on my inferior vena cava causing a slower blood rate to my heart. PKD has also caused some vascular and connective tissue issues. I have developed a small hernia and had a disected inferior carotid artery on my right side in June of 2017. This means my inferior carotid artery had a small internal tear causing a small blood clot to develop under the flap of tissue that had torn. I was hospitalized for a week and given blood thinners to prevent an aneurysm or stroke. I also suffer from chronic fatigue due to my body having to work harder just to function and due to anemia that PKD causes. This makes it very difficult to do normal everyday activities that is often taken for granted. As my kidneys continue to fail the fatigue has increased exponentially causing me to sleep up to 12 or more hours a day and still feeling exhausted. I have missed out on so much time with my family because of the effects of PKD.
PKD has caused my kidneys to fail putting me in a position of needing a kidney transplant, from either someone that has passed away and are an organ donor or from a living person willing to donate a kidney, if they are a match.
If I do not get someone willing to donate a kidney I will have to start dialysis when my kidneys completely fail. I will have to continue with dialysis until a kidney becomes available. At this time it is estimated that I will have to start dialysis within the year as I only have 17% kidney function, as of March 29th. Most people, including myself on the transplant list have to wait 5-10 years for a kidney. Doing dialysis for that amount of time comes with its own set of health problems.
My father and grandmother passed away in their early 60's from complications of PKD. I do not wish to follow in their footsteps.
I am asking for your financial assistance to help pay for medical bills, travel, and lodging while I travel back and forth to Mayo clinic in Rochestor, MN and to pay for expenses incurred by any potential donors while they are being evaluated and possibly becoming a donor.
If you are interested in being a donor please visit mayoclinic.org/livingdonor to get started. You can remain anonymous if you wish.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and support.
Organizer
Sonia Shaw
Organizer
Eagan, MN