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Help Me Get A New Kidney!

My name is Melissa, and I am in need of a life-saving kidney transplant. At age 16 I was diagnosed with Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis and within two weeks of this diagnosis, on my 17th birthday, I started hemodialysis, a form of treatment for end-stage renal disease. Despite the statistics and the odds against me, I survived nine years of this grueling treatment while waiting on the kidney transplant wait list until I received a call for a match– my gift of life! That selfless gift gave me nearly 11 years of freedom but due to a rejection episode I now find myself in need of another transplant and back on dialysis.

Updates (31)

April 9, 2021

Well, well, well, long time no speak! Sorry for the extended period between updates but unfortunately nothing much has changed. I am still waiting for my match and in the meantime I am doing solo home hemodialysis 4 days a week. This involves me making my own dialysis solution using a Pureflow unit, setting up the hemodialysis machine, and then inserting two 15 gauge needles into my arm before I hook up to the machine allowing it to wash my blood for 3 and a half hours. Frankly, I'm tired. Some days I honestly don't know how I keep going and I have a terrible time sleeping because I'm so afraid I'll die in my sleep and no one will find me for weeks! Enough of the depressing stuff though! I did adopt 2 kittens who provide me with lots of entertainment and love not to mention the are good company for the times I'm stuck in my recliner dialyzing. And I am an aunt a second time over! My nephew was born a few weeks ago but unfortunately with my dialysis schedule and my car having some mechanical issues, I haven't been able to drive the 2 hours to meet him yet. I also wrapped up my studies and I am officially a Science of Mind Practitioner! I love serving my spiritual community and fellow humans by facilitating readings, meditations, discussion groups, book studies, and prayer support. So all in all, life isn't too shabby. I just need to get a better vehicle and a kidney then life will be just about perfect! ♥️ Thank you to all of you who've stuck around to follow my journey, I appreciate your support and encouragement beyond words.

December 10, 2020

Still waiting...I have been on the national transplant wait list for 5 years now with no luck. I also had an altruistic living donor (Christina) as mentioned in a previous update do what is called an "advanced donation" in which she donated her kidney as part of a paired exchange where her kidney went from Florida where she had her surgery to Connecticut and her gift spurred off a 9 person swap resulting in 9 lives being saved! Unfortunately due to my prior transplant in 2005, my antibodies are extremely high (I am 99% sensitized) so finding a match for me has been extremely difficult. Normally during a paired exchange, I would have gotten my transplant at the time my donor had her surgery. However, due to my being difficult to match I have received the equivalent of a coupon (a voucher) for a kidney from the National Living Donor Registry once someone enters the pool of living donors who matches my blood type and antibodies. Despite the odds being stacked against me, I am trying my best to stay positive, live life to the fullest since tomorrow is certainly not promised, and hope my perfectly matched donor is on its way! Thank you all for your continued support and prayers, I truly appreciate it! <3

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Guestbook

April 9, 2021

Please contribute to Mel's campaign so she can get her kidney transplant.

James Myers

March 5, 2020

I would urge you to make a donation for Melissa. No one should have to worry about paying a medical bill for a procedure that would keep you alive

Stuart Miller

January 26, 2019

Please give generously to Mel's campaign

James Myers