Kidney connection

[okarol]

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Kidney connection
Dirkes family has a special one

By Carol Moorman and Bryan Zollman

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

In a matter of months, despair turned to joy in the Patty and Ken Dirkes family.

Last September their daughter, Erin Hatlestad of Sauk Rapids, was diagnosed with nephropathy, end stage kidney failure.

In January this Sauk Centre couple received word that their sister-in-law Linda Dirkes, also of Sauk Centre, was a match for a kidney transplant for their daughter.

"She gave her a second chance at life," said Patty the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 13, before her workday at Holy Family School began.

Linda is thankful she could donate one of her kidneys. After all, she is a firm believer in organ donation with the hope that what she did will prompt more people to do the same.

The Dirkes family can now breathe a sigh of relief as the Jan. 17 surgery, when Linda's left kidney was removed and transplanted into Erin's body, was successful.

In fact, Erin is back at work part-time as Sacred Heart School principal in Sauk Rapids. Linda, however, has to wait a few weeks before returning to her job as a nurse at St. Michael's Hospital in Sauk Centre.

But to her, that's just fine.

"If I had to give up six weeks to help someone else, that's OK," said Linda Wednesday afternoon from the Sauk Centre home where she lives with her husband Clarence.

Many family members and friends will gather this Sunday, Feb. 24, at St. Peter's Cafeteria in St. Cloud for a Pancake Breakfast fundraiser, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., for Erin and her family which includes husband of 13 years Jamie and children Logan, Lauren and Isabella. Donations can also be sent to Erin Hatlestad Benefit Fund, Farmers and Merchants State Bank, Sauk Rapids.

The Hatlestads are overwhelmed with support from family and friends.

"Both my school and the school where my husband works have helped with meals, donations and the fundraiser. Our families helped with our children while I spent a week away from home preparing for surgery, having surgery and recovering from surgery," said Erin.

People made meals for them every dialysis day so Erin didn't have to cook. Their schools raised money to help pay for expenses, like hotel stays. The students at Erin's school gave her angels and made pillow cases and a t-shirt with student-made drawings to brighten her hospital room.

"We could not have done it without all of the extra help," she said.

As the kidney recipient what did Erin do?

Last fall Erin was looking forward to the start of another school year, when she experienced flu-like symptoms.

She saw her doctor on Sept. 9, thinking it was the flu or a gall bladder attack. He referred her to a specialist and by the end of that week, following a kidney biopsy and other blood tests during a two-day hospital stay, she was diagnosed with end stage kidney failure, and was told she needed a kidney transplant.

She said the power of prayer kicked in right away. On the day of her biopsy they couldn't get her blood pressure down to start the procedure. Even medications didn't help.

"The doctor kept telling me to relax, which was easier said than done. So I started praying and my blood pressure came down and the procedure when well. The doctor said to me, 'Whatever you are doing, keep doing it because it is working,'" said Erin.

Doctors told her her condition was not inherited, although a first cousin has had kidney disease.

She was put on strong steroid treatments to slow the progression. This weakened her immune system, and she spent three days in the hospital with an infection. Her kidney function was closely monitored through blood tests and at the end of the September was declining so fast she started dialysis on Oct. 3. After almost one month of treatments -five hours at a time, three times a week-she felt better. "Not normal, but better," she said.

She began the transplant process on Nov. 15 at the University of Minnesota, Fairview. She knew since her parents and siblings were blood type A, they were not a match for her kidney transplant. Other family and friends who were the right blood type-O-were tested. In January she received final confirmation that her aunt, Linda Dirkes, was a match and able to be her kidney donor.

"When I was told that Linda had passed the pre-op tests and we could schedule the surgery I was ecstatic," said Erin.

She realized and appreciated how fortunate she was to find a donor so quickly.

"I was so ready to return to good health and get off dialysis," said Erin.

The Jan. 17 transplant was successful. Erin's surgery was scheduled to take five hours but doctors finished in four hours.

The power of prayer was shown again at this time.

"When my husband called my school to tell them that the surgery went well, the whole school was gathered and praying for me," said Erin of the faith-filled stories that "go on and on."

She said medical staff were wonderful as recovery at the hospital went well.

She is recovering at home and grateful she could return to school part-time, with hopes of returning full time soon.

To her each day is a new beginning.

"I just feel so much better than before the transplant," she said.

To check her creatinine levels, she has lab work done each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

"This can be stressful because you always wonder if this will be the day my body starts rejecting the new kidney," she admits.

As a transplant patient, she takes many medications, including some for anti-rejection.

"Prior to the transplant I had very high blood pressure due to the kidney failure and now it is low. I was on many meds for the kidney failure and have just exchanged them for new meds after surgery," she explains.

Before her transplant she was on a strict diet with many limitations.

No more.

"I can enjoy a glass of milk or a piece of cheese," said Erin.

Her energy level has also increased.

"I have enough energy to play with my kids. That was set aside when I was sick," she said.

As the donor what did Linda do?

Linda had never had surgery before this. In fact, it was her good health that prompted this nurse at St. Michael's Hospital in Sauk Centre to become a donor.

"I'm so blessed to have such good health. I've never had a major illness or surgery. And that's the reason I did this," said Linda.

Well, that and because she is a firm believer in organ donation.

She was not apprehensive about being a donor. It was the fear of the unknown that bothered her; like would this lady who had never taken narcotics, react to drugs.

After testing verified that Linda was a match, her caseworker left the decision up to her as to whether she wanted to donate a kidney to Erin.

Linda then called Erin and told her she was a match, although more testing needed to be done.

"I told Erin it was up to her if she wanted me to be her donor. She told me 'Linda, if you really want to do this,'" said Linda.

So in late December Linda traveled to Fairview in the Twin Cities for an all-day workup, that included tests to make sure that down the road she wouldn't be in jeopardy if she donated a kidney.

"We gotta make sure all the ducks are in a row," was the answer when she asked nurses why so much testing.

By early January she knew she was healthy enough to donate.

Linda was surprised to find out choosing the surgery date was up to her. The first date she chose-Jan. 17-worked for her and for Erin.

That gave Erin and her family one week to prepare themselves for the surgery.

The day before the surgery Erin and Linda both went through final testing and arrived at Fairview at 5:30 the morning of the surgery.

Family members-some with rosaries in their hands-were at the hospital supporting them.

"I was sitting next to Erin and I said 'Are you nervous? She said 'I'm really nervous.' I said, 'You'll be fine,'" Linda recalls.

The last thing Linda recalls, while being wheeled in for surgery, was waving to Erin.

The day after surgery, Linda saw Erin for the first time.

"We were only a few doors down from each other," said Linda.

She was glad to find out her kidney started working immediately once transplanted into Erin.

Just a few weeks after surgery, Linda feels fine. She has restrictions, like not lifting anything over 10 pounds, which means she isn't able to return to work.

She knows first hand that donating an organ is not that difficult.

"It was just six weeks out of my life," said Linda.

More important, it was something she could do for someone else-giving them a second chance at life.

Erin and Linda now have a kidney connection few family members do.

For that Erin is grateful.

http://www.saukherald.com/main.asp?SectionID=12&SubSectionID=48&ArticleID=8616&TM=46137.49