Beating The Odds: Part One

[okarol]

Beating The Odds: Part One
At first glance one would never guess the road this little eight year old girl has traveled down.

By Courtney Rehmer
Posted: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 at 12:31 p.m.

At first glance one would never guess the road this little eight year old girl has traveled down. Filled with energy and an amazing zest for knowledge its hard to believe just weeks ago Stephanie Otte was recovering in a hospital bed, after having not one but *both* of her kidneys removed.

Stephanie Otte says, " I didn't want them to come out I wanted two really good kidneys, but they got really bad so they had to take them out."

Wise beyond her years Stephanie is well aware of what's happening to her body.

Father Joe Otte says, " She knows she's been sick for the last couple of years she knows we've explained it to her."

Stephanie's dad Joe Otte says they first noticed a problem two years earlier. At a young age Stephanie began to experience weakness, numerous urinary track infections, and at one point actually seemed to stop growing. At first the family says they hoped she'd outgrow it, but after test after test only one solution remained, one that would leave this little girl without a functioning kidney.

Stephanie says, “I didn't want a bad kidney I wanted a good kidney."

Unfortunately Stephanie’s parents were not a match and her brother and sisters were too young to donate. Since mid January Stephanie has been on a transplant list waiting for the call that will ultimately save her life, but while she waits this little girl spends majority of her day attached to a machine.

Joe says, “She does dialysis fourteen hours a day. We start usually at 5pm she's off by 7:30am in the morning so we can get her off to school."

In a bedroom closet lies just a single week of supplies and it doesn't stop here. In order to survive the wait Stephanie is on thirty different medications, receives shots daily, and is restricted to certain types of food. Unable to do much more than lie there Stephanie has yet to experience what normal kids her age get too, but when you ask her how this makes her feel instead of tears in their place lies a wishful smile. Fortunately due to her common blood type both doctors and family are hopeful it won’t be long before a donor is found, but even after the transplant is all said and done Stephanie’s dad says its just the beginning.

Joe says,  “We were hoping to get her to a teenager’s age where it was easier. Nowadays kidneys they only last fifteen to twenty years so this will have to be done again."

Next to her daughter every step of the way Joe has taken the last year off from work so he can care for Stephanie while his wife takes care of the home and the rest of the kids. Through it all the family agrees the bravest one has been the one enduring all the pain.

Joe says, “She’s handled it really well. She’s taken it better than I would."

http://www.tv7-4.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=92971

[bolta72]

At such a young age, why does this happen.   

[fluffy]

  being on dialysis at 8 is awful. makes me feel bad about complaining

[MyssAnne]

Makes us appreciate that we had a few good years of childhood/adolescence/adulthood doesn't it?

I hope the publicity helps her get a kidney that much more quickly, so she CAN have a childhood.

[fluffy]

im with you on that one

[okarol]

Local girl receives kidney transplant

For one little girl the wait for a transplant that would ultimately save her life is finally over. Earlier this year we introduced you to a Grand Traverse County nine year old girl awaiting a kidney transplant and after five long months that day has finally come.


By Courtney Rehmer
Posted: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at 12:11 a.m.

Nine year old Stephanie Otte appears to be just like any other kid her age. In fact it’s hard to believe that a couple of weeks ago this little girl underwent an organ transplant that would save her life.

" I've been waiting for a kidney for a long time, “ said Stephanie Otte. “ One of my nurses just called and told my dad to just bring me down because they've got a kidney."

After years of complications this past January Stephanie had not one, but both of her kidneys removed. Since then Stephanie endured hour after hour of dialysis and dozens of different medications, but thankfully all the waiting and the fears came to an end after an early morning phone call in June.

“I was surprised...I don't know all my nurses were surprised too…I've been waiting for a long time,” Stephanie said.

“Its really hard and it just makes me want to break down and cry because I kind of at times wish it was me, “said older sister Becca Otte. “ Because I'm older and can understand more, but she's doing a good job of understanding what's going on."

Since the surgery Stephanie is starting to feel like her old self again and able to enjoy the simple things that many kids her age take for granted. Whether its riding her bike up the street, or coloring with her sisters Stephanie is finally able to be just a kid, something she was robbed of for two long years.

“She’s happier she can do more, before it was hard and now it's a good feeling to know that she's able to do the stuff that a nine year should be doing,” Becca said.

" She's able to do it more now it depends on where she's riding it, because she has to wear a mask around people or around animals, “ said mother Annette Otte. “She might play with bugs and that's getting to close. She might play with a rock and that's getting too close to germs.

Depending on where she is and the amount of  people around her from time to time Stephanie has to wear a mask to protect herself from infection, but she says its a small price to pay for the gift she's been given. Across the state thousands of people are waiting for a transplant.

“I think people should donate. There are a lot of children down there in Grand Rapids and I've seen a lot in Detroit with my son. I know a lot of kids are waiting for these organs to be donated,” Annette said.

Stephanie has been chosen as a representative for Michigan’s Organ Donor Registry. Her sister's say they plan to be listed as an organ donor as soon as they're old enough. Even though Stephanie's family says she's doing great Stephanie and her dad make the trip down to the DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids twice a week for check-ups. An account is set up in Stephanie's name at the Members Credit Union in Traverse City for anyone interested in helping out with travel expenses.

WATCH VIDEO -- http://www.tv7-4.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=150635&AutoPlay=true