Living Donation Week: Kelly’s Story
Kelly first found out she had an autoimmune liver disease (PSC) in 2002. It was very upsetting news, especially since she had a newborn at home. Kelly was told she would eventually need a transplant. The hard part wasn’t accepting the transplant news, it was knowing she’d have to be sick for a long time before she could finally qualify for the transplant.
Her main symptoms were fatigue, severely itchy skin, and reversed sleeping patterns. Kelly’s body was exhausted but she wasn’t able to sleep at night longer than a few hours without waking up, mostly because she was so itchy. Sleeping with ice packs became her new normal, not because they actually helped, but because they distracted her from scratching herself to the point of injury.
Kelly finally became “sick enough” to be placed on the transplant waiting list in November 2010. Once she was listed, her family and friends were able to apply to be her donor. Applications are processed in the order that they are received, and Kelly’s Uncle Ken was the “winner”. Before they knew it, it was February and their surgeries were scheduled for March 2. Their surgeries were text book and were more stressful for their caregivers than for them!
Ken went back to work after only a few weeks and Kelly felt so well that she and her mom stopped at Old Navy on the way home from the hospital, just 10 days post-transplant. Neither Kelly or Uncle Ken have looked back.
Kelly considers herself to be very blessed; “I am blessed to have been diagnosed with a disease that has a treatment and blessed to have loved ones who would sacrifice their own lives to save mine. I am also blessed to not have had
to wait years on the transplant list”.
Kelly’s transplant has given her the chance to be a healthy mom for her kids, as well as a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin and a friend. Through the Canadian Transplant Association, she’s had the opportunity to demonstrate that organ donation works by participating in the Canadian Transplant Games in sports like volleyball, floor hockey, softball throw, shot put and 4x100 relay. Kelly has also travelled as a member of Team Canada to the World Transplant Games in Durban, South Africa where she won 3 medals, and Malaga, Spain.
Kelly’s transplant has opened the door to a new community of people. “They are like family that I never knew that I would need, and I cherish them so much”.
Kelly reflects on all that has happened in the last 12.5 years: “There are no words to express my gratitude to my Uncle Ken for his selflessness and generosity. I have awonderful life; two beautiful, healthy boys and the unconditional love and support of family and friends. I can’t wait to see where this road of life takes me and all of the things I can accomplish. I hope Ken will be proud of the choices that I will make and the role model that I plan to be. Without him, I wouldn’t have this opportunity to build these memories and have this amazing life”.
