Rob Schaehrer’s kidney transplant

The first thing I should state is that this is really hard for Lori and myself to ask for help . I’ve been fighting stage 4 kidney failure for 3 years now.  now Ive been diagnosed with End stage kidney failure  earlier this summer. I’ve been told a need a kidney transplant to live. I have gone through all the testing at Mayo Clinic for a transplant and now I’m officially on the transplant list as of 09/05/19 and looking for a live donor. After visiting with all the doctors,social workers and financial workers there, it seems like I’m going to need some financial help with this process. Out of pocket costs include, I have to stay in Rochester for 4-6 weeks after my surgery with a full time caregiver. the donor also has to do the same for 2-4 weeks after surgery with a full time caregiver. So that’s up to 10 weeks in a hotel with donor, recipient and two caregivers who have to be with them 24/7. So that’s 4 people not working or earning wages, paying for a hotel rooms meals and travel. While trying to pay for their normal bills, utilities,car payments,mortgage etc...So that’s just the beginning of this financial journey. My anti rejection medication the first year will be around 40-50 thousand dollars. I do have health insurance luckily but it doesn’t cover any of these extra costs. I hope I can continue working but if I get worse before I find a donor I will be on dialysis. I won’t be able to work then(construction trades)and I would have to COBRA my health insurance. That would be a disaster financially. So I feel like I’m walking a tightrope I’m just trying to make it to the finish line. The average wait time time for a Cadavers organ is 4-7years. I’m hoping to find a living donor,having my family checked first then friends. The mayo only wants 4-5 names at a time then they pick just one person of those 4-5 people to have testing done based on the questionnaire the filled out online. Each potential live donor can take months to find out if they’re a match or not. If not it’s essentially “back to the drawing board.” They will try another person all over again.i don’t have the luxury of plenty of time. What I do have is a great support team,my faith in the Lord to take care of my family and me, my wife Lori,family,friends from grade school through high school in Wayzata. My Gym friends, my work friends and co workers over the years in the  I.B.E.W. My best friends Kevin and Bob. I love and appreciate all of you.

Your donations will go towards:

1.Hotel Rooms in Rochester for donor,recipient and caregivers that have to stay with us

2.Meals during our stay 

3. Lost wages

4. Anti-rejection medication expenses that won’t be covered by insurance.

5.travel and parking expenses

I will of course keep you all in the loop as my search for life continues. Thank you in advance for your prayers, support or any financial donations it will  all be greatly appreciated!