AUSTIN (KXAN)— After battling chronic kidney disease for more than 30 years, local mother Michele Kirkpatrick says she feels closer than ever to her daughter, who gave her the ultimate gift, a second chance at life by donating her kidney.
35 years ago, Kirkpatrick was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, chronic kidney disease. Kirkpatrick had been seeing a Nephrologist regularly, but she said she knew from the beginning of her journey that her condition would probably progress.
“I got older, but for many years I stayed very stable. It was a little over two years ago, just after Thanksgiving, that I went in for my six-month checkup. My kidney function had dropped pretty significantly, and my nephrologist recommended that I go to the transplant center to be evaluated,” Kirkpatrick said.
Dr. James Lim, Surgical Director at North Austin Medical Center, took care of Kirkpatrick after her condition worsened. Dr. Lim said those diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease eventually experience kidney failure.
“Now, the main issue for all our patients who go on the list is that there are not enough organs for each patient, which is why every year, people have to wait more and more time. More patients go on the list than there are available organs, and the wait time is usually many years. Depending on your blood type, it could be six, seven years in our area for the same blood type, it could be up to 10 plus years,” Dr. Lim said…