I'm writing this to share the journey our daughter, Tiffany Cloe has been through with kidney failure and now will be receiving a kidney transplant. She was born with nail patella syndrome meaning 30% of the population is affected with kidney disease. She has had kidney disease since age 6. She was stable for a while then started to drop right after getting married in 2017. She went into kidney failure and dialysis started in June 2021.

Tiffany went on the transplant list at the end of August 2021. It's been announced that she has a living kidney donor. Surgery happening November 17th out of state from where they live.

Now a new reality begins. What do we do first, where do we begin? Can we budget enough for all the expenses? She won't be able to work during her 8-12 weeks of recovery. Her husband, Zane is her caregiver and won't be able to work during her recovery either.She and her husband, Zane, will be traveling out of state for frequent doctors appointments and testing which will require lodging, food, gas and medications not to mention time off from work for both of them.

My dear relatives and friends please find it in your heart to join me and help this family so they won't have to worry about all the misc expenses that are ahead as they go through this remarkable journey.

We have prayed for this day for so long, and God has provided a match, to share his life giving kidney with Tiffany. Now new prayers begin. We pray Dear Lord to stand close by during the surgeries and to guide the medical team to a successful transplant, and keep your loving arms around Tiffany and the donor while they heal.

Written with love,

Perry and Carla Thomas

Note from our daughter:

My name is Tiffany Cloe. I am 34 years old and I have a rare genetic condition called Nail Patella Syndrome. Nail Patella Syndrome causes proteinuria, which I was diagnosed with at the age of 6. Over the years my kidney function stayed relatively stable. In 2017, I married my wonderful husband, Zane. Shortly after we were married, I received the news that my kidney function had started to decline. I was put on several medications to try to slow the decline but nothing worked. May 2021 I became very weak, broke out in an extremely itchy rash, and started throwing up daily. At just 17% kidney function, I started emergency dialysis to rid built up toxins in my body.

The next couple months I traveled to a hemodialysis clinic 3 times a week for 3-4 hours each session. I also had a peritoneal dialysis catheter placed so that I would be able to do dialysis from home a few months later after I had stabilized. I started peritoneal dialysis in August 2021 and I was also placed on the kidney transplant deceased donor list that same month. Currently I do a manual peritoneal dialysis exchange every afternoon and I hook up to a cycler machine that does my dialysis every night for 8.5 hours. Dialysis has not been an easy journey. I have had nausea/vomiting almost every day since I started dialysis.

A living donor has come forward and offered me a second chance at life. I am so grateful for this person! The transplant is scheduled for November 17th at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. While I have been able to continue to work on peritoneal dialysis, I will no longer be able to work once I have the transplant. The doctors estimate that I will be off work for 8-12 weeks, but this is also determined by how well I am healing. My husband, Zane, is my designated caregiver and will be taking time off from work to care for me and take me to my appointments, as I will not be able to drive for at least 8 weeks.

With future expenses looming and prices rising, I worry about us both being off work. While I do have Medicare and private insurance, there are still medical costs that won’t be covered. Zane and I will be traveling out of state twice a week for appointments after the surgery also.

After transplant, I will be on anti-rejection medications for life. These medicines can be quite expensive.

If you are able to, I appreciate the help. I will be using the donations for help with medical expenses, transportation, daily living, and bills until I am well enough to go back to work.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Tiffany Cloe