Family hopes for donor kidney

Family hopes for donor kidney

By Ashley Studley/Daily News correspondent
Milford Daily News
Posted Aug 16, 2008 @ 10:01 PM
BELLINGHAM —

Everyone wants a happy ending, and the Walker family has been searching for theirs for some time now.
But most people's happy endings, however, don't involve Eric Walker's need: a live kidney donor with Type A or O blood.
Christine Walker, originally of Bellingham, met her husband, Eric, in 2000 through her cousin, Eric's best friend. Their common interests and mutual friends bound them together, and they planned to marry in the summer of 2004 - but that was to change.
In November of 2003, Eric, who has type 2 diabetes, went to his doctor for a swollen left leg. After taking a stress test, he and Christine were informed that he would need immediate quadruple bypass surgery in order to live.
``When we were told he needed a bypass we also found out (that he had) heart disease,'' said Christine. It was a ``big shock.''
Upon hearing the news, Christine dashed over to the Worcester Town Hall to request a marriage license and frantically purchased a wedding gown at the neighboring Premium Outlets. They married the very next day at Saint Vincent's Hospital on the eve of Eric's surgery.
``It was our way of making it better,'' she said.
Following the surgery, they and their daughter Adriana, now 8, lived happily in Auburn. Christine opened up a day care, and things were looking better.
In 2005 Eric received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, a device similar to a pacemaker that shocks his heart when the rhythm becomes out of control. The following year Christine gave birth to twins, Natalie and Landon, who turn 2 at the end of this month.
In May, their family's happiness again turned rocky: Eric, now 32, was diagnosed with kidney failure, and his creatinine levels, which indicate kidney functioning, were dangerously high. He packed on 40 pounds of liquid in one week and was put on dialysis.
Eric now has a temporary hemocatheter attached to his chest, and his heart is only functioning at 30-35 percent of what it should be, putting him at risk for a massive heart attack and stroke.
Eric is on the national kidney transplant list, but he will not qualify for the regional list until his heart is healthier. The family has been looking for a living donor, but has found it difficult to do so.
``With a kidney transplant, his quality of life would improve,'' Christine said. ``He has to deal with a diet every day, dialysis three times a week, and always going to the doctor and getting bad news.''
Eric will need a number of surgeries, including a hemocatheter replacement, eye surgery for a hole in his macula with cataract surgery to follow, and catherization for angioplasty - all of which will happen depending upon the condition of his heart.
``Basically, his nose and ears are fine,'' Christine joked.
``And my lungs,'' added her husband.
The family has been dealing with it as positively as can be expected, but it still takes its toll, Christine said.
``Adriana writes a lot of `Get Well, Daddy' cards, but the other night she told me she wishes he was off dialysis because we can't go on vacation,'' she said.
Although it's been difficult, the Walkers are getting by with the help of family and friends.
``There are a lot of people around Bellingham that have helped us out tremendously,'' she said.
Last month the Walkers held two benefits, one at the Applebee's in Milford and the other at Hooligan's Royale Lounge in Auburn, both of which were well attended. People who won raffles for Red Sox tickets and a Nintendo Wii donated their prizes back to the family.
``It was so nice because we felt so supported that day,'' Christine said.
Today, the Walkers continue to search for a donor.
``I want people to know that for anyone in this situation, it's very hard,'' Eric said. ``There should be more people willing to come through and be a living donor, but they don't understand the importance of a living donation. If they don't come through for me, maybe they'll do it for someone else.''
The Walkers are working with a transplant coordinator at UMass Memorial Medical Center, who can be reached at 508-856-6202.
``I just want to live like everyone else. I want to be able to go on vacation, and have everyone in my family be happy and healthy,'' Christine said, her voice cracking with emotion. ``I don't need a lot, I just need that.''
The Walkers can be contacted at SaveEricWalker.org.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1835798764/Family-hopes-for-donor-kidney