Let's Find Heather a Kidney

12/07/2024

My family is in back in town, and it’s helped me recognize myself again.

Life is beautiful, yet I haven’t smiled or laughed this much in ages. My best friend and my daughter each live hours away, and as such we don’t have many opportunities to spend time together in person. But boy, do we make the most of it when opportunity comes a-knockin’!

They bring me back to a time before my diagnosis. It’s not just that I’ve known both for over 15 years, either. I feel more invigorated when they’re around. I’ve performed my favorite pastime – cooking – every day since they’ve been in town.

I still have aches and pains, but I forget about them for hours at a time when we’re catching up. It’s a glorious reminder that, with the advancements of modern medicine and centuries’ worth of scientific discoveries at our disposal, few procedures or tonics are as powerful as love given and received.

I am searching for a living donor. I am also on the kidney transplant waiting list, but the wait is long. My blood type is A (the + and - aren't significant with kidney transplants). You can help me fight this fight in several ways:

1. Spread the word to your family and friends who might know someone willing to serve as a donor. You can start by simply sharing this message on Facebook.

2. It is not my place to outright ask you for your kidney - that is a very powerful and personal gesture. However, I would be truly grateful for such a selfless gesture. If you’d like to talk, please reach out at [email protected] or (386) 264-1331.

3. I’ve started a GoFundMe. A third of donations will be allocated to my medical expenses, and the other two-thirds (and my primary reason for starting the GoFundMe) will go to my future kidney donor. The Veterans Association will cover most expenses – transportation, lodging, the procedure itself, etc. – but I want to make sure that this generous person, whoever it will be, is supported during their recovery period. The link to the GoFundMe is: https://gofund.me/2410accd

4. You can learn more about kidney donations from the National Kidney Foundation at: www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors

5. Prayers and positive support are always welcome and much appreciated.

Even in the darkest of times, the light of another can be a beacon for happiness we didn’t know we still retained. I’ll be forever grateful for the warmth of Vivian’s light, and I try every day to let her know how much she means to me. Don’t lose sight of the special people in your life. They’re what make it worth living.

09/03/2024

Anyone who’s dealt with kidney damage of any degree can tell you that it’s no joke. As your body’s primary means of regulating your blood’s constitution and pressure, it’s no exaggeration to say that your kidneys impact every aspect of your body’s health.

You’ll get a lot more out of your kidneys if you:

• Exercise regularly
• Limit your salt intake
• Get enough sleep
• Find ways of reducing stress

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases’ article “Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease” elaborates on each of these and other practices for keeping kidney damage at bay, including what questions to ask your healthcare provider for you-specific information. You can read more at https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/prevention.

I am searching for a kidney donor. I am on the kidney transplant waiting list, but the wait is long. My blood type is A (the + and - aren't significant with kidney transplants). You can help me fight this fight in several ways:

1. Spread the word to your family and friends who might know someone willing to serve as a donor. You can start by simply sharing this message on Facebook.

2. It is not my place to outright ask you for your kidney - that is a very powerful and personal gesture. However, I would be truly grateful for such a selfless gesture.

3. This post is a link to my GoFundMe. This fundraiser has been established to support my future donor and myself as we recover from our respective operations. Any aid you can provide would be appreciated tremendously. Please donate at https://gofund.me/5713f978.

4. You can learn more about donations from the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors.

5. Prayers and positive support are always welcome and much appreciated.

Your kidney health is a pretty important part of your life (you have two of them for a reason!), and making conscious decisions to maintain their condition may make an enormous difference in your life down the road. Certain kinds of acute kidney damage can be reversed with enough time, effort, and luck, but avoiding such damage is the best way to ensure their well-being.

08/08/2024

It’s been a while since I last posted, and it feels like a lot has happened since my last post. Dialysis makes everything a struggle, and as with anything, there will be weeks that are harder than others. I’m on the upswing from one of these low periods, and my dear friend Denise has been a big reason why.

Denise is my home aide. She has been visiting me twice a week for a few weeks now, and she’s changed the complexion of my life in my own home. I used to spend much of time maintaining my home, and this left me too exhausted to enjoy the rest of my day. Everyone likes a clean kitchen, a clean bathroom, and a clean bedroom; Denise not only helps make these things possible, she’s an incredible person who lets me know that I'm not alone in this fight. Now that Denise is helping, I have more time to spend with my mother – and a bit of time for myself, catching up on the newest movies (who else is excited for Deadpool x Wolverine?).

Denise has been tremendously helpful. I’ve not had the energy to spend time in my kitchen or living room, let alone do chores, yet I now have the peace of mind of knowing I’m not neglecting anything. She’s been amazing: fixing my leaky faucet, reorganizing my kitchen cabinets, helping pick up my prescriptions, giving me someone to talk to who understands what I'm going through…she’s only here for a few hours a week, but her presence has single-handedly reinvigorated my zeal for life. Sometimes a helping hand doesn’t need to pull you out of your hole, just onto your feet.

In order to continue collecting days on this wonderful Earth, I am searching for a living donor. I am on the kidney transplant waiting list, but the wait is long. My blood type is A (the + and - aren't significant with kidney transplants). You can help me fight this fight in several ways:

1. Spread the word to your family and friends who might know someone willing to serve as a donor. You can start by simply sharing this message on Facebook.

2. It is not my place to outright ask you for your kidney - that is a very powerful and personal gesture. However, I would be truly grateful for such a selfless gesture.

3. This post is a link to my GoFundMe. This fundraiser has been established to support my future donor and myself as we recover from our respective operations. Any aid you can provide would be appreciated tremendously.

4. You can learn more about donations from the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors.

5. Prayers and positive support are always welcome and much appreciated.
We just passed the halfway point of 2024, and my success rate in keeping up my January resolutions is mixed: I’ve been keeping better tabs of my appointments, though my resolution to try out for the 100-meter relay has been put on hold. What about you? Has the year turned out how you wanted it?

Looking for a living kidney donor for a pretty special person. Do you know anyone who can donate?

03/28/2024

Some days you wake up believing a day is going to be a normal day, and it is. These days are lovely – meeting expectations is the root of contentment, and these days create a bar against which we can compare exceptionally-good and -bad days. Some days you wake up believing a day is going to be a normal day, and it completely blows your expectations out of the water. This is the root of happiness, and I found happiness this week: I found someone willing to get tested for a kidney donation!!

Nothing is in stone just yet – giving a literal part of yourself is an enormous gesture and a sacrifice, and I don’t want to put pressure on anyone for my sake – but news like this is what keeps me believing in the good of humanity. It makes the air smell fresher, the sky bluer. It makes the struggle of each day that much more worthwhile.

Even if this person isn’t a match, they’re a hero. The waiting list for kidneys is arduously long – sometimes mortally so – and each contributing donor does their part to save a life. And even if the person’s kidney is not a match for me, I may still receive a kidney that much sooner thanks to the National Kidney Paired Exchange Program. In a paired exchange, a donor will donate their kidney to another recipient in exchange for a compatible kidney for their intended recipient. For example, if a mother and her son are incompatible and a husband and his wife are also incompatible, a paired exchange may see the mother donate to the wife of the second pair and the husband donate to the son of the first pair (click the following link for more information regarding the National Kidney Registry: https://www.kidneyregistry.org/info/considering-kidney-donation).

As a veteran, I have the privilege of having the Veterans Association manage my kidney transplant process. Thankfully for donors working with veteran kidney hopefuls, the VA covers the cost of transportation, lodging, and testing. Nonetheless, should a person be approved for donation, it helps to have a cushion to fall back on, as recovering from any surgery is going to mean time away from work. I have set up a GoFundMe to support my future donor and myself as we recover from our respective operations. Please consider donating – it would mean the world to my donor and myself. And please spread the word to your family and friends who might know someone willing to offer support. You can start by simply sharing this message on Facebook.

I’m not getting my hopes up, but it’s a wonderful time to be alive. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you, beautiful people of this wonderful world. I thank you for everything you’ve done and encourage you to keep striving to benefit the people around you as I try to do the same.

Hi. My name is Zach Caronna, and I'm fundraising for my neighbor Heather. Two years ago… Zachary Caronna needs your support for Let's Get Heather a Kidney

02/11/2024

The Super Bowl is almost here!

No matter who wins, the real MVPs will be in the stands, at bars, and on sofas. People can throw a ball in their front yard any day of the year. I believe what makes this game different is the effort of those who work to it a memorable occasion for millions of people across the nation. The employees working in buzzing grocery stores hours beforehand and rowdy bars during the game. The brave folks who host parties in their homes, and the great guests who help in stocking it with food and cleaning up the mess. And in the non-sporty people who join in the festivities, enjoying the company of others and adding to the enjoyment themselves.

I am searching for a living donor. I am on the kidney transplant waiting list, but the wait is long. My blood type is A (the + and - aren't significant with kidney transplants). You can help me fight this fight in several ways:

1. Spread the word to your family and friends who might know someone willing to serve as a donor. You can start by simply sharing this message on Facebook.

2. It is not my place to outright ask you for your kidney - that is a very powerful and personal gesture. However, I would be truly grateful for such a selfless gesture.

3. I started a GoFundMe to support my future donor and myself as we recover from our respective operations. Any aid you can provide would be appreciated tremendously. The link is https://gofund.me/9e0c7424.

4. You can learn more about donations from the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors.

5. Prayers and positive support are always welcome and much appreciated.

Truth be told, my mother and I don’t watch a lot of sports – any, really. We just enjoy an opportunity to have fun, and the commercials are usually pretty funny. We’re rooting for Kansas City – they’ve got some good BBQ. How about you?

Looking for a living kidney donor for a pretty special person. Do you know anyone who can donate?

01/09/2024

I hope your holiday season was joyous and restful. Even a quiet, uneventful December can be a breath of fresh air, especially with all the hullabaloo happening in the world at present. My holidays were exactly that: quiet and uneventful. Quiet and uneventful holidays are my favorite holidays, truthfully. Their tranquility puts me in a headspace to really ruminate over the pleasures I have in my life. I believe that such a headspace is also best for considering one’s future: one cannot truly plan ahead without taking honest stock in what they have to be thankful for and what they currently lack. Kidney disease really helps recontextualize things: I may be “missing” most of my kidney functions, but that only makes each day I awaken alive and kicking easier to appreciate.

In order to continue collecting days on this wonderful Earth, I am searching for a living donor. I am on the kidney transplant waiting list, but the wait is long. My blood type is A (the + and - aren't significant with kidney transplants). You can help me fight this fight in several ways:

1. Spread the word to your family and friends who might know someone willing to serve as a donor. You can start by simply sharing this message on Facebook.

2. It is not my place to outright ask you for your kidney - that is a very powerful and personal gesture. However, I would be truly grateful for such a selfless gesture.

3. This post is a link to my GoFundMe. This fundraiser has been established to support my future donor and myself as we recover from our respective operations. Any aid you can provide would be appreciated tremendously.

4. You can learn more about donations from the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors.

5. Prayers and positive support are always welcome and much appreciated.

2024 ushers in a new chance to become the selves to which we aspire. I’m taking this opportunity to help myself see 2025.

Hi. My name is Zach Caronna, and I'm fundraising for my neighbor Heather. Two years ag… Zachary Caronna needs your support for Let's Get Heather a Kidney

12/27/2023

I love this time of year. It’s an opportunity to give and be thankful for the people in my life, especially my family. We don’t always find our way to each other physically on Christmas Day, but my heart and prayers never fail to reach my loved ones.

This time of year has the added benefit of being an opportunity to appreciate the people in my life for two whole weeks. Glenda and Marva, my eldest and one of my younger sisters, were both born December 13th. This year, I had the express joy of celebrating my 6th anniversary to my gift from God – my husband Rodney – on December 18th. I never need an opportunity to spend time with my mother, and December is no exception.

I cherish every moment, and will continue to do so each day that I draw breath.

I am searching for a living donor. I am also on the kidney transplant waiting list, but the wait is long. My blood type is A (the + and - aren't significant with kidney transplants). You can help me fight this fight in several ways:

1. Spread the word to your family and friends who might know someone willing to serve as a donor. You can start by simply sharing this message on Facebook.

2. It is not my place to outright ask you for your kidney - that is a very powerful and personal gesture. However, I would be truly grateful for such a selfless gesture.

3. You can learn more about donations from the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors.

4. Prayers and positive support are always welcome and much appreciated.

I do not make these requests lightheartedly. I simply want to extend my time on this Earth and continue to enjoy every moment laughing with my family, cooking with my neighbors, and paying the world back for every breath it's gifted me.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Looking for a living kidney donor for a pretty special person. Do you know anyone who can donate?

11/30/2023

With the holidays in full swing, it's easy to forget that our body isn't taking time off - in fact, it's generally working overtime processing the feasts we're enjoying!!

The National Kidney Foundation's nutrition page has information on different types of healthy diets and alternative recipes for anyone looking to try alleviating a bit of their body's workload.

Nutrition is key to managing kidney disease and your overall health. Learn more about food and your kidneys here.

11/16/2023

This is my best friend Vivian. My fight with kidney disease has been tough as of late, so she drove up from Florida to visit for a few days. We’re not related, but she is my family. She ensures that I make my appointments. She’s been a shoulder to lean on emotionally, she’s helped support me financially, and she helps me see a side of I don’t see myself.

Vivian is fantastic. She’s a godsend, and I love her.

Thank you all for your support. I am continuing my search for a living donor, and your thoughts and prayers have helped tremendously.

For those who are hearing my story for the first time, my name is Heather and I have end-stage renal disease. I am on the kidney transplant waiting list, but the wait is long. My blood type is A (the + and - aren't significant with kidney transplants). You can help me fight this fight in several ways:

1. Spread the word to your family and friends who might know someone willing to serve as a donor. You can start by simply sharing this message on Facebook.

2. It is not my place to outright ask you for your kidney - that is a very powerful and personal gesture. However, I would be truly grateful for such a selfless gesture.

3. I’ve started a GoFundMe. A third of donations will be allocated to my medical expenses, and the other two-thirds (and my primary reason for starting the GoFundMe) will go to my future kidney donor.

The Veterans Association will cover most expenses – transportation, lodging, the procedure itself, etc. – but I want to make sure that this generous person, whoever it will be, is supported during their recovery period. The link to the GoFundMe is: https://gofund.me/2410accd

4. You can learn more about kidney donations from the National Kidney Foundation at: www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors

5. Prayers and positive support are always welcome and much appreciated.

I hope you all have a friend like Vivian. At the very least, you have my love and prayers.

Looking for a living kidney donor for a pretty special person. Do you know anyone who can donate?