Kidney for Ashley

This is Ashley’s life. In & out of the hospital is common for her. Since January 2020 and all throughout the Covid Pandemic crisis, Ashley had 5 surgeries, and was hospitalized 11 times. In fact, she’s had so many different surgeries that I’m not sure she can remember them all.

Ashley’s diagnosis is MPGN (Membranoproliferative glomulernophritis stage III) and a history of Prolonged QT (heart issue).

On March 14, 2001, At age 13, Ashley had her first kidney transplant. Her dad was her first donor. They gave her 10-12 years with her dads kidney thinking the MPGN would return and destroy her new kidney. She was able to live a somewhat normal life until 2012 when her dads transplanted kidney failed and she went back on dialysis and back on transplant waiting list. The Kidney Foundation started a new donor program called “Paired Program” to help patients find organs through other ways other than waiting on the national donor waiting list for years. Unfortunately, many never finding their life saving match in time.

Ashley’s Aunt Kelly wasn’t a direct match for Ashley but she wanted to help any way she could. So, she donated her kidney to a complete stranger and a complete stranger came forward for Ashley in a kidney chain swap. Part of the new “Paired Program”.

On December 7, 2016 Ashley received her 2nd kidney transplant. Surgery went well but unfortunately within hours she developed a blood clot and was rushed back into surgery but the damage to the kidney was already done. This kidney was a fight from the beginning to keep from rejecting. She was hospitalized more times than she cares to remember. It was a very tough few years.

2019 was horrific. With a declining kidney function, she was also having really bad issues with her blood. All through out 2019 she needed 10 blood transfusions. Being a transplant patient, transfusions are very bad for her. Everyone’s blood carries antibodies and in a healthy person, antibodies are the body’s natural way of fighting infections but in a transplant patient the opposite is best. Too many antibodies and it makes it harder to find a kidney match that her body won’t reject. Or if they are lucky enough to find a match, it will take more medications to “hide” the kidney from the body finding it and rejecting it.

Unfortunately, December 11, 2019 her transplanted kidney finally failed. Her time ran out. She’s now back on dialysis looking for her 3rd kidney.

Then in August, 2021, she unexpectedly had a seizure at a friends house. In the ER it was discovered she had a brain tumor that was putting pressure on her brain causing the seizure. In September she had that removed but had a tough recovery after this caused so much pressure with swelling she was unable to speak or stand for several weeks. It took a full year for this recovery and she is tumor free and 100% healed.

Her horrible history of hospital stays, surgeries and transfusions has brought her to this point. Ashley is in need of a a third kidney.

Dialysis is only a treatment not a cure. Dialysis may be temporarily keeping her alive on a dialysis machine but it’s also very hard on the body. Anyone on dialysis after the first year, dialysis begins to shorten a persons life expectancy. She is currently on home hemodialysis, having learned how to insert her own needles and do all dialysis treatment herself.

Hartford Transplant believes that Ashley’s only chance of a successful third transplant is a procedure that will remove the antibodies that keep her from a kidney donor match. Right now Ashley is 100% sensitized. Simple terms, it means that even if a match is found she has a 100% chance her body will reject it. This “desensitization” test and procedure is not done in Connecticut where insurance will cover costs. She is now listed at NYU Langone. She was able to get additional insurance that allowed her to travel outside of CT. Her CT insurance would not grant her a waiver, they even tried with government help.

The failed transplanted kidney is still causing problems for Ashley internally. Her body is rejecting it. Because her kidney is no longer working, she no longer makes urine. Most kidney patients on dialysis don’t pee anymore.

This Go Fund Me will help immensely in helping to pay for insurance, copays, every day medical expenses, etc. NYU has advised her that she will need to stay in the city for 2-3 weeks prior to Transplant and then make weekly to monthly visits after.

Any help would be most appreciated. If you are interested in a shirt or mask with “Kidney for Ashley” let us know in the comments.