Jackie Simpson-New Life-Kidney Transplant!

On the morning of Saturday, November 9, 2019, Jackie Simpson's world changed.  After testing, that started in 2018, Jackie was
added to the Saskatchewan Kidney Transplant Register in August 2019.  By Sunday, November 10, 2019, Jackie was in St. Paul's
Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan the recipient of a donor kidney. 

BACKGROUND: 

Jackie has a hereditary kidney disease called PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease).   As most of us know, functioning
kidneys are a very important aspect to good health. 

Jackie was diagnosed with PKD in 1988 during her pregnancy with their daughter Michelle.  Unfortunately, Michelle passed away
just hours after her birth.  Terry and Jackie have two adult children, John and Lisa and a granddaughter Aria.  There is no medical
cure for PKD.  The result of having PKD, is that the kidneys will eventually stop functioning on their own.  As Jackie had
family members with PKD, she knew eventually medication, dialysis and a kidney transplant would be on the horizon.

JOURNEY: 

So, from 1988, Jackie started her journey to Saturday, November 9, 2019.  Jackie continued to work full-time at the
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, raise her family along with Terry and be an intrical part of the Regina & Area Business
Community.  In 2013, however, Jackie's kidney function started to drop.   During this time, Jackie was a Provincial Broker/Licensed
Mortgage Broker for brokers in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert.    In order to continue working, Jackie started PD
(Peritoneal Dialysis) or "Night Cycler" that would filtered the poisons out of her system that the kidneys could no longer do during  the night every night.   

As complications from the PD System developed, from 2016 until Saturday, November 9, 2019, Jackie endured a regiment of
medication and hemodialysis (HD) at the Renal Unit at RGH for 4-5 hours a day, 3 times a week.  HD treatments actually removes
the blood, via a catheter, through a machine that filters the poisons from the blood and puts the filtered clean blood back into the
body. 

PURPOSE OF GO-FUND-ME: 

While the MONTHLY drugs are covered under an existing medical plan, the continuous blood tests determine drug changes.  The 
cost of mid-month or mid-week drug changes are not covered.  There are other costs, trips, meals, overnight stays to and from the Transplant Clinic in Saskatoon.   So, please consider donating what you can to assist the Simpson Family during this time.

While there are organizations that individuals can apply to for extra funding, the process is very overwhelming to anyone who has
received surgery of this kind.  The need is immediate, so please consider donating and sharing Jackie's Go-Fund-Me to assist a
wonderful lady who has touched many of our lives.

Jackie is at home in Regina now, after 10 days and 56 staples later.  Any organ transplant is not an end, it is just a beginning!  There 
is now a whole host of anti-rejection drugs, infusions, monthly nebulizer treatments, weekly clinics along with continuous blood
tests to determine phosphorous, magnesium and drug levels so the balance can be retained to maintain the ongoing function of the
donated kidney.

While you are making a donation, like I have, fill out your donor card, let your family know your wishes.  Organ donation does make
a difference.  I have seen this many times on a personal basis.  Just as an aside, the same donor donated their other kidney to
another individual the same weekend.   NOTE:  Jackie's donor kidney is working "just fabulous."

As Jackie says, "Transplants are not a cure.....it is a just a better quality of life."