Meet people like you who are living with a kidney transplant. Read the newSTART Mentors' compelling stories. For more stories, visit www.mykidneyconnection.com.
Tom W.
Tom W. has been living with a kidney transplant for over 20 years and not a day goes by that he doesn't forget how fortunate he is. For an active person who loved to travel to different countries, Tom was scared his kidney failure would make future travels impossible. High blood pressure was what caused his kidneys to fail, and it was while Tom was on dialysis that his doctor first mentioned the possibility of a kidney transplant.
With a tight-knit family anchored by his five siblings, there was little doubt that a kidney for Tom would come from a family member. But it was still very emotional for Tom when his brothers and sisters told him they had all been tested to see who was the best match. One of his brothers, despite having a huge fear of needles, agreed to be Tom's donor.
The surgery went well, and Tom attributes his continued good health to partnering with his kidney transplant team to find the best treatment plan for him. His nurse made sure he knew all about his medicines, and right away he made regular exercise and balanced meals a part of his routine. He returned to work six months later and was given permission to travel again. Today, he takes his kidney medicine every day, including myfortic® (mycophenolic acid) delayed-release tablet, and remembers the generosity and love of his family through his kidney transplant experience.
For more kidney transplant stories, visit www.mykidneyconnection.com.
Pat M.
For Pat M., December has always been a memorable month. In December of 1998, she and her husband adopted their daughter from China. And in December of 2007, Pat received a kidney transplant, which gave her a new lease on life.
Pat wasn't surprised when she was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in her 20s, as her mother, sister and grandmother had problems with their kidneys too. Pat took care of her PKD for years but had to begin dialysis in 2006. When she was placed on the list for a kidney transplant, she attended orientations to learn about transplantation and kidney transplant medicine.
Though she had to quit the job she'd earned through years of hard work and relied on her husband to get through her fear of not seeing their daughter grow up, she had a successful kidney transplant in December 2007. Today, she makes sure to take her kidney medicine every day, including myfortic® (mycophenolic acid) delayed-release tablet. She is grateful to have a doctor who closely monitors her health and the effects of her medications.
For more kidney transplant stories, visit www.mykidneyconnection.com.
