My brother has a new life, but recovery is first!

My brother, Gene Osieczanek, was recently placed on the kidney transplant list. On the morning of April 13th, 2023, he received a call telling him there was a kidney that was a match for him. In a blur, he left work, went home, grabbed his bag, fed his fish and reported to the nurses' station an hour away at the Hume-Lee Transplant Unit located in the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Although this was a call that was truly a blessing and a long time coming, it was also a scary time. He was there alone until myself, our mom and our aunt could get there from Alabama and Minnesota. But, low and behold, I made a 10 hour drive in record time and was there when he came out of surgery, and my mom and aunt landed shortly after around midnight.

The transplant surgery went well! He spent 4 1/2 days in the hospital, where they monitored everything closely and he received anti-rejection medications and A LOT of other medications. The day after surgery was a Friday. For 13 years my brother has received dialysis 3 nights a week, with one of those days being on Friday. However, the doctors told him that he would not be receiving a dialysis treatment that day . . . say what??!! The weekend slowly passed by and with the end of it came great news - all of his numbers were coming down and his "new" kidney appeared to waking up and working!! On Monday morning, the transplant doctor told him that if things continued to progress as they were, he would NEVER need dialysis again!! To say hearing these words was a blessing is an understatement! For those who do not know about dialysis, it is truly a life saver and without it, he would not even be alive today. However, having to be on dialysis truly restricts your life - it leaves you with headaches, you have to be on a strict diet, you have to do it around work schedules and pray for an employer who understands, you cannot travel anywhere unless your dialysis center can coordinate for you to have dialysis where you will be, your blood pressure is usually high, and it can eventually affect other organs. My brother had reached end-stage renal failure and this was a new beginning for him!! My brother was blessed and we are all so ever grateful for the person who checked the box to be an organ donor; because one life could not go on, my brother was given a new life.

The emotions of relief and happiness were plentiful the day he was discharged from the hospital. His numbers were still coming down WITHOUT dialysis! However, it is a road to recovery now. He has restrictions and cannot go back to work for approximately 8 weeks. He cannot lift more than 10 pounds and he cannot drive. He has to limit where he goes and who he is around as his immune system is compromised right now and he certainly does not want to get some crud from somewhere or someone! My mom and my aunt are staying with him for a few weeks as he cannot be alone - he has a cook and a chauffeur!! He has to travel back down to VCU frequently for them to check everything. Needless to say, not being able to work is sometimes a good thing, but it also brings much stress as income also decreases significantly during this time. I want my brother to fully recover from his transplant, for his "new" kidney to function as it should with no hiccups, and for him to not have to stress about things so that in a few months, all he has to worry about is living a happy and healthy life again! For that reason, I have created this Go Fund Me for him. I may be the little sister, but as he recently told me, he often thinks of me as his big sister for the ways I have always been there for him. Either way, he is my big brother and we are going to get him through this!!!!

All donations received will go towards necessary daily living essentials and uncovered bills. He has made it through the biggest parts - getting on the transplant list, staying on the transplant list, answering the call, going through a successful surgery and hearing the kidney is functioning. Please help show him we will help to get him through the rest!! Any and all donations, no matter how big or small, are truly appreciated, as are continued prayers.