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Pat’s Story

Site created on January 27, 2021

Welcome to our Caring Bridge website for Pat Stojevich. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

The journey has begun. A life changing journey that will change my life forever. For on January 19th I received a call from the Mayo that they have found a donor match and my transplant surgery is scheduled for Tuesday February 2nd
Here is my kidney story:

Dear Family, Friends and Readers,

The year Two-Thousand and Eighteen was a rollercoaster of a year.
Spring of 2018 my father became very ill and spent the next five months in and out of ICU and in September of 2018 my father past away. In November of 2018, the day before Thanksgiving my kidney Dr. shared a blow to me that I didn't want to hear. I was told that I needed a kidney, and i need one now, for mine have failed. I was referred to the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. December of 2018 I started the search for a kidney donor.

The spring of 2019 I had an emergency surgery to have a port put in for dialysis. Over the past 2 years my life has drastically changed. Three days a week 4 to 5 hours per day I am strapped to a machine to keep me alive with many different side effects from no energy, muscle problems to severe full body cramps. I do not wish this for anyone and I praise those that have done it and done it for several years. I have met a lot of nice people that are on dialysis and commend the nursing staff that takes care of us every day.

For the past 35 years I have dedicated my life to serving and helping others I have dedicated most of my spare time in volunteering and raising monies for the Special Olympics. I created The Haunted Shack and continue to direct it for over 28 years. Over $100,000 in proceeds from this annual event have been donated to the Special Olympics. In addition, this event has allowed me to donate over 8,000 coats to the Northland Coats for Kids, over 40 tons of food to the Chum Food Shelf, over $10,000 donated to other local youth and school programs in the Northland. I’ve been active in the Boy Scouts of America as a Scout leader for 20 years and have proudly mentored seven scouts from the 1st grade all the way to their Eagle Scout awards. I am a military veteran and proudly served for 8 years. My work for the Mont du Lac Alpine Ski Team has afforded me the gratifying opportunity to be Assistant Ski Coach and Team Administrator leading them to 4 championship wins and directing many fund raising events for them. I could go on about coaching and volunteering in many other areas, but I won’t.

I share these achievements and experiences with you not to be braggadocios but rather as statements and facts of the type of person I am and to explain what means the most to me.

After losing three brothers in my lifetime and my father, I’ve been asked many times how I get up in the morning and take on life; especially how I can give so much of myself and time to others. The answer is simple – It’s the right thing to do. It makes me happy to see others less fortunate feel love and kindness in this sometimes-cruel world. It makes me happy to push people to see them achieve what they thought was not possible. It makes me happy to share my talents to uncover opportunities to others who never knew existed.

I want to continue to serve. It is who I am and feel I was put on this earth to do is to help others. However, because of my advanced kidney failure, my physical abilities are slowing, and I’m frightened of the future and how that impacts my ability to share my talents with others.

I am extremely thankful for you taking the time to read my story.

On January 19th I received a phone call that I have been praying for.
I had a donor step forward and I have Transplant surgery scheduled for February 2nd, 2021. My journey begins and I will keep you all up to date here.

Sincerely,
Patrick J Stojevich

Newest Update

Journal entry by Pat Stojevich — Jun 3, 2021

Yesterday marked my 4 month anniversary of my kidney transplant. I was at the Mayo on June 1st and 2nd having my 4 month follow-up with a kidney biopsy. They do a biopsy after 4 months to get tissue sample to see how the kidney is accepting and to see if anything is going on that they cant see through blood labs.

Yesterday I received the results all looked very good. Kidney shows no sign of infection BUT it did show a slight sign of diabetes In it which is a concern.

Also my blood pressure s have been running high the past couple month. At the Mayo they were fine but when home they seen to go up.

High blood pressure and diabetes is the leading cause for kidney failure. So....

The plan is to put me on an additional pill to help curb my sugar levels. Plus I was bluntly told I was fat and need to loose weight that would help greatly. Time to get the bike out and hit the road. My goal is 30# but will settle for 20# by summer's end. We will see.

The high blood pressure will be treated by throwing another pill at it to bring it down which will also help with my cholesterol and heart.

All and all it was a very great visit. We went down a few days early and camped at Hidden View campground. They had a beautiful memorial day ceremony and activities throughout the weekend. It was nice to get away and relax for a few days.

Read More of the journal titled "June 3, 2021"

Home for the weekend. We love to camp

Myself and Ronald Reagan having a one-sided conversation on Memorial Day.

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