Hi, I’m Lisa! I was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease in March of 2022, when I was 31 years old, and have been receiving dialysis treatments since then.
I started my journey undergoing hemodialysis, where I went into the clinic three times a week for four-hour treatment sessions. I am now on peritoneal dialysis, which I do from home. I dialyze daily for about 10 hours – kidney disease has become my full-time job. I was forced to quit a job I loved as a German Analyst, I’ve had to relocate so I can be close to family that supports me, and I struggle daily to keep up with my healthcare, appointments, and well-being.
I have been incredibly blessed to have the support of family and friends, especially my aunt and uncle, with whom I am currently living. My service dog, Addy, is also a huge support and an integral part of my recovery.
My next step in recovery is to get a kidney transplant. While dialysis is a life-saving treatment, it is not a solution long-term. It is a harsh treatment that can cause a multitude of cardiovascular issues after so many years of doing it. This is why it is so important that I receive a transplant – it will allow me to live a mostly normal life. I can go back to work, I will have the freedom to travel, and I will have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. My plan after transplant is to return to school and study veterinary medicine.
I am blessed to be a patient at Mayo Clinic, where I plan on having my transplant surgery. This is a cumbersome process that includes days of testing, ongoing bloodwork, and tedious patience. When a kidney becomes available to me, I will drop everything and head straight to the hospital in Phoenix; I will then stay in housing near the hospital for at least six weeks after surgery with my primary caretaker, who must stay with me 24/7 as I recover. While my insurance covers most of the medical procedures, it does not cover the extra costs during this recovery time. Donations made toward my kidney transplant will go toward housing, food, and transportation during this time and the time leading up to transplant, while the myriad of testing happens.
I am also actively looking for a living kidney donor, which is a better alternative to waiting on a deceased kidney donor. As you may know, a person can live a long and completely normal life with just one kidney. The benefit of having a living donor is not just cutting down on the wait time for a transplant, but also that a kidney from a living donor has a much longer lifespan than that of a deceased donor kidney and a lower rate of rejection. If you are interested in becoming a living kidney donor, please go to mayoclinic.org/livingdonor or kidney4lisa.godaddysites.com for more information.
