Well, since Amelia had her clinic appointment, we got the packet to start the transplant process again. We just filled out and submitted the Pre-Transplant evaluation. That is the start of the process that will last for at least this month. There is a possibility that she will be listed on the nationwide transplant list in August, but nothing is guaranteed.
They gave Amelia a few shots of a steroid that should help her keep what kidney function she has left for at least a little while. The doctors (and us) are hoping to avoid dialysis and go straight to a new kidney.
While this is all happening, we are not forgetting Carol, that wonderful human who gave Amelia her first kidney. It is easy to think that a transplant is a fix for all of Amelia’s problems, but it is just a really good bridge to the future.
We have always known that she will need to have more than one transplant in her life, and we are very thankful that her first one lasted for 11 years. That really is a long time for a transplant to last in a child.
You will find stories of adults who have had a transplant for 20 plus years and are still going strong. The problem with the transplant in kids is that they grow. They get bigger, mature, hit puberty and all of that fun stuff. That stresses a transplanted organ no matter what it is. 11 years is an excellent run.
Another concern that some people may have has to do with rejection. Amelia is not rejecting her kidney in any way. She has none of the signs of rejection at all, her kidney is just wearing out. Even the doctors were surprised that her kidney function went down so quick and it is shutting down without a whole lot of warning.
It is also failing on its own, nothing that Amelia has done is causing this.
For now, we wait and pray for Amelia’s health and to keep her kidney working as long as possible. I will be working on reposting some of our old carepages posts as well as some of the other things that we have written about Amelia over the years.
As for this Blog, I am going to start the dates from the day that we got the results of her biopsy: June 18th, 2020.
Coming to you live, 15 days into this new kidney journey,
-Justin
