Debbie Glick's Transplant Expenses
Donation protected
For over 14 years our mother Debbie Glick has been suffering from PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease).
https://pkdcure.org
In 2015 she went on the transplant list at Iowa Methodist Transplant Center and waited patiently with hope, faith, and lots of prayers and crossed fingers.
We discovered I (Chad) was a matching blood type to my mother and could potentially be a donor. However, PKD is genetic and there is still a 50% chance I can carry it and develop it, pariculary between the ages of 40-45 years old. I am only on the verge of 39 as I type this and my primary care physician reccommended that I wait it out until I was the ONLY option left.
--Cue the superhero music--
Our cousin from my father's side, Summer Murdock, stepped forward and offered her kidney. She went and had her blood type checked and discovered she was a match. She sat down with her husband and son and received their blessing. She sat down with her parents and received their blessing. She did all the research she could and became an advocate for living donors. She went through all the testing, the waiting, the group therapy, the couseling. Summer made sure she crossed all of her T's and dotted all of her i's.
In early 2016 my Mother was on the verge of being put on dialysis per her specialist advice. However, the match between my cousin Summer and my Mother was progressing toward an actual kidney transplant.
In March of 2016, my mother and Summer were scheduled for the "kidney swap." After a few minor but crucial logistical health issues the surgery was pushed to May 4th, 2016. This was the morning after my first debut cabaret show in downtown NYC. The show where I told stories from my upbringing about the women in my life who helped raise me (particularly my Mama). It was a nerve wracking evening, not only because of my performance anxiety but also knowing I was singing about and for my own mother on the eve of a risky surgery, that even if successful, also brings a lifetime of medications, monitoring, and an overall lifestyle change.
I'm happy to report that the surgery was a success. Summer is nearly fully recovered after a few weeks of intense pain. They both were home in less than a week. My mother's new kidney is functioning well according to all the blood work. She is on 18-22 different pills a day at the moment. Some pills are just potassium pills and other's are pain management, anti-biotics, and most importantly the anti-rejection medication. Even after some months or years, she will remain on a minimum of 6-10 anti-rejection drugs for the duration of her new lease on life.
However, she is suffering from a lot of pain that is, most likely, coming from the cyst filled kidneys that they left in her body. She is scheduled to have her old kidneys removed in the 2nd or 3rd week of August. This is particularly sooner than most patients who recieve a new kidney. The old kidneys sometimes are never removed in some and in other's it's often nearly a year after transplant. But, they are focused on my mother's recovery and also hoping to help her live a more comfortable life so they are moving forward with the procedure faster than expected.
Organizer
Chad Ryan
Organizer
Woodside, NY