Carolyn was diagnosed with Poly-cystic Kidney Disease in her mid-twenties. For those who do not know what PKD is, cysts grow all over the kidneys and eventually shut them down. Some people are very fortunate and won't be affected by it but for Carolyn, it has caused her kidneys to grow to the size of full term babies, who we have lovingly dubbed "The Twins". In the Fall of 2018 we were given the news that her function was low enough to start looking for a transplant. We also received the news that her anti-body count was very high which would make finding a kidney incredibly difficult. We were lucky that Mercy Health here in Grand Rapids, MI is one of the top kidney transplant locations in the state and so close to home. We put a lot of hope into the Live-Donor program as this would be one of the best ways to find a kidney since a Deceased-Donor could be iffy. Carolyn had so many friends and family sign up to be tested. We even found a close match but because of her anti-body count, the match would more than likely reject. The search continued on and we began looking at Mayo Clinic to expand her options. As of October 28th at 7 A.M. our prayers were answered here in Grand Rapids and this is where her new story begins.
