We looked onward with hope at the end of 2024. 2025 asked us to cling to these words with all we could and all we had and then some.
My cousin Erica’s husband, Matt, was diagnosed with stage 5 kidney disease at the end of 2024 and on dialysis. He was placed on the transplant list that could have him waiting 8-10 years. Erica was pregnant with their second son. The urgency was real for all of us. My sister and I signed up to be living donors. After rounds of tests, I was determined the better candidate due to a marker I share with Matt that they only see in blood relatives (which we are not). I asked the nephrologist how this was possible and he said “really good luck”.
To this day, I am still in awe of the pure grace of this reality.
Matt and I underwent transplant surgery on September 30th. After his surgery, his surgeon told me his body began to respond immediately to the new kidney. He is off dialysis and has gone from 8% kidney function to 68%. My remaining kidney picked up the burden of both pretty quickly as well. Our bodies are incredible.
I’m thankful for the CPMC team: our surgeons, nephrologists, nurses, techs, social workers and all involved from the onset. You gave us both a gift that has changed us forever. I’m humbled by the love and support that overflowed from family, friends, our partners, my mental health colleagues and our faith community. I am also grateful to my clients who were so kind and encouraging in their learning why I would be taking a medical absence and their care for and investment in Matt, whom they’ll never meet.
Hope springs forth. We need this reminder when things are dark and confusing. Matt will have a full life of energy to wrangle a baby and toddler and watch them grow into boys and adolescents and adults. He and Erica will get to celebrate their 10 year anniversary this coming year with hope that they’ll see their 20th.
