I am GETTING A NEW* KIDNEY and the transplant surgery takes place SEPTEMBER 23, 2025! Thank you, thank you, thank you! to everyone who filled out the form to become a donor, bought something from my Amazon Wish List, shared my request far and wide, and donated monetarily. I could not have made it through this past year without you!
*Well, not exactly "new" #ecofriendly #reuse #recycle -- BIGGEST THANKS goes to Meredith, my fellow bibliophile and co-member of The Tuxedo Park Neighborhood Bookclub, for literally saving my life by voluntarily giving up one of her vital organs!
Your generous contributions have made my life livable this past year. The hope is that this new kidney will give me additional function, energy, and a boost of Qi ("chi") so that I may resume some form of work. However, it will take time to heal and see how my body is adapting before I can return to the "real world," so if you have the means to continue supporting me with your dollars in the meantime, I would be ever so grateful!
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TL;DR: My kidneys don't work! I'm currently in the midst of the dialysis process and waiting to receive a new kidney. My End Stage Renal Disease means I can no longer work and I need help daily. Any amount of money you can contribute is very much appreciated!
If a financial contribution is a stretch right now, here are 4 other helpful actions you can take:
- SIGN UP to begin the kidney donation process (for the form you will need my full name: SARAH RATRIE, and my DOB: 12/13/1992)
- SHARE my need for a kidney and the link above with your networks!
- PURCHASE something from my Amazon Wish List
- FOLLOW my journey and sign up for email updates on SubStack
MY STORY:
awaiting peritoneal dialysis catheter placement surgery
In Fall 2022 I was diagnosed with unexplained Chronic Kidney Disease. With my kidneys only functioning at 23%, getting this diagnosis out of the blue with no signs or family history felt a bit like getting hit by a truck. So many visions I had had for my future self were suddenly shattering before my eyes.
My nephrologist originally estimated that I would need a transplant in the next 5 years. To be proactive, I began the transplant paperwork and sent an initial ask to close family and friends looking for anyone who might be willing to donate a living kidney to me.
Unfortunately, my immediate family members were all disqualified to donate for various reasons. In December 2023, my kidney function suddenly dropped to 13% and I became eligible for the Deceased Donor Transplant Waiting List. It was then that I really began to worry. The average wait time on the list is 5 years and the outcomes for kidneys from deceased donors are not as robust and long-lasting as those from living kidney donors.
By February 2024, the symptoms of low kidney function were really starting to get to me. I had already stopped working full-time because of the physical limitations of the diagnosis and the mental health toll. I took on part-time work, but over the next few months, I became so lightheaded and short of breath that I had to take a step back from that job. I am now unable to work at all.
I have lost an unsustainable amount of weight despite my best efforts to supplement with protein shakes and meal delivery services and my kidney function continued to decline. Dialysis was the next logical step to keep me as healthy as possible while I waited for a new kidney.
post-surgery: peritoneal dialysis catheter and laparoscopic entry stitches
This fall I have struggled to begin dialysis. It has been a time-consuming, energy-draining, and frustrating journey and we are still in the midst of troubleshooting some mechanical issues. But, with any luck, I will start to see some relief from my symptoms when dialysis becomes a part of my daily routine.
I am lucky to have family to stay with during this trying time and I am currently working on wading through the bureaucracy of getting disability benefits. Still, the costs of medical care are no joke and, unfortunately, there's no reliable timeline to depend on for getting a transplant. Even if I am lucky enough to get the call that I have found a kidney match tomorrow, the medications I have to take after transplant will be costly and the recovery process will be long.
Your contributions would go a long way to help cover:
- cost of doctors' appoints
- cost of medications
- cost of food/renal diet (meal delivery supplement)
- cost of dialysis supplies (bandages, sanitizers, etc.)
- cost of mental health services
- cost of out-of-pocket health insurance premiums
Thank you so much for making it this far! Be assured your gift will be used thoughtfully and graciously. I am forever thankful to have kind and generous supporters like you in my life.
me looking too skinny but happy on my choir's summer trip to Minneapolis, MN
P.S. When donating, the platform asks for a tip -- 100% of the tip goes to the Spotfund company directly and does not contribute to my fundraiser.
