Patient advocate needs kidney transplant

07/27/2008
Patient advocate needs kidney transplant
TOM MCMAHON, Staff Writer , tom.mcmahon@nonpareilonline.com

Maria Rodriquez smiles while sitting behind her desk at the Council Bluffs Health Center/Centro Latino. You wouldn't know the grandmother of five's life has drastically changed over the last couple months.

"I can only work three half-days a week now," she said. "And I can't play with my children like I used to. I miss that a lot."

On May 27, Rodriquez's doctor told her that her kidneys were failing. She started dialysis treatments the next day and since then has received the four-hour procedure every other.

"It was scary at first because I wasn't used to it. Now it's just boring," she said with a faint grin.

"I thought I was healthy," Rodriquez added, her voice trailing off. "They say this usually happens to diabetics or people with high blood pressure."

She has neither.

Rodriquez had several kidney infections prior to her renal failure diagnosis. Antibiotics didn't help. Doctors were hoping dialysis would reverse the failure, but that hasn't happened. Now, Rodriguez needs a transplant, along with about 95,000 other Americans, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

She is uncertain when she will receive one.

All of her six siblings, four children and several other relatives are being tested to see if they can donate one of their two kidneys to Rodriquez. She is still waiting on those results and knows there are no guarantees.

There are two types of kidney transplants, according to the National Kidney Foundation - those that come from living donors and those that come from unrelated donors who have died.

A living donor may be someone in the person's immediate or extended family, a close friend or a stranger who wishes to donate a kidney to anyone in need of a transplant. Living donor candidates must be at least 18 years old, be in good health and have a compatible blood type. Further testing is done to test tissue once a potential donor is found.

While living donors are one kidney transplant option, deceased people's organs can also be used if the person had agreed to become an organ donor and has a healthy kidney that is a match.

Not all who need a transplant receive one in time. Almost 4,000 people died while waiting for a kidney transplant in 2006, according to the foundation.

Rodriquez said having supportive family, friends and co-workers helps while she waits.

"I always have someone I can talk to. I am hoping I will find out next week whether any of my family are possible donors."

She also might be able to receive her dialysis treatments at home. That, too, will help, Rodriguez said.

"That's life," Rodriquez said, reflecting on her condition. "I cannot be at home crying all day."

While she's cut back her hours, Rodriguez still works part-time as a patient advocate for the Council Bluffs Health Center and social worker for Centro Latino. She helps clients receive needed financial and community services.

The "helper" now needs help.

"I never knew a person could donate a kidney while they are still alive before this happened. If I had known, I would have offered to donate one."

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