“It’s very hard to have my 6-year-old not understand what is going on and want to play like I used to be able to. It’s so hard to tell her I can’t.“

-Jerry

In Need of a Kidney

Jerry

I’m 29, a father of a 6 year old girl and a husband. I recently got married in March 3023. I work full time right now. I love boxing (can’t do that now, but hopefully soon), spending time with my family, movies and trying new things. I’m a pretty positive guy and love helping my family and extended family. My life feels like going through the motions. My wife handles most of my coordination of care and my dialysis. Everything makes me nauseous, I take 12 pills a day. I sleep up until work and then home to sleep after. I’m missing critical time with my 6 year old and watching her grow up.

My kidneys are functioning at 3%. I am on dialysis every night, at home. My toxin levels are at 14.3 when a healthy person is around 0.5. I’m nauseous all of the time, exhausted 24/7, and becoming weaker and weaker to where it’s hard to perform my job. The type of dialysis I am on is called peritoneal dialysis. Fluid is put in my stomach area through a surgically implanted abdominal catheter while I’m sleeping and then drained out. I recently had to have a catheter put in my lungs to drain fluid out from what initially was thought to be pneumonia. After the fluid was tested, it was found to be my dialysis fluid leaking from my peritoneal cavity to my lungs. I urgently need a kidney transplant because if this happens again (which they think it will) I will no longer be able to perform the type of dialysis I am on and will have to quit my job to go to the center daily to do dialysis. My family will lose everything. After transplant, I hope to be able to get my strength back to play with my daughter, have another child, travel and take a honeymoon with my wife (a late one), be present, and feel normal again.

  • Step 1

    Please contact my transplant coordinator below if you would like to learn more or be tested to become my donor. You will need my name: Jerry D.

    Transplant Coordinator:  312.947.4438

I am looking for a living donor because I am 29 years old and living donor kidneys are known to last a lot longer than a deceased donor kidney. They’re also usually a better match to recipients as well. I want to live a long healthy life and there is a better chance of that with a living donor kidney. My family all have high blood pressure/diabetes and are not eligible to donate. I am compatible with Type A or O blood type. Even if you do not have the same blood type, you can donate as part of a paired exchange program.

I am trusting the process and have a great care team, however, the hardest part about waiting for a transplant is wondering if I will make it long enough to receive one. It’s very hard to have my 6-year-old not understand what is going on and want to play like I used to be able to. It’s so hard to tell her I can’t.

Please review existing Living Donor Benefits/Rights to determine which apply to you. In addition, the American Transplant Foundation has financial assistance available to cover any lost wages while you donate for those who are eligible after donation.

Thank you for considering saving my life.  

With deep gratitude,  Jerry