Dana Needs A Kidney

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Dana Needs A Kidney Our Mom, Dana, is currently in stage 4 kidney failure and is in need of a Living Donor.

Today, Mom had what we hope is her last procedure/surgery for a good long while! 🙏The doctor was successfully able to di...
10/01/2026

Today, Mom had what we hope is her last procedure/surgery for a good long while! 🙏

The doctor was successfully able to dislodge the chronic blockage (DVT blood clot) in her abdominal area, and a stent was placed. The great news is that blood flow has been fully restored! ❤️

She’s awake and doing well, just a little nauseous and groggy, but her pain is manageable. I wish I had some funny videos to share, but apparently the meds at Mayo are stronger than the ones here. 😂 So, unfortunately, no quality post procedure entertainment for you today.

Mom is more than ready to put all of this behind her and focus on healing and getting back to normal.

And luckily for both of us, this was a same day surgery, so there will be NO hospital slumber party this time! 🎉 I think we’ve both had enough of those.

Thank you all for the continued prayers, love, and support. We’re feeling very thankful for some good news today. ❤️

07/17/2026

When we say Mom is “working the store”, this is what we actually mean lol. Thank god for her kids and grandkids keeping her in line 😉

07/16/2026

A little update on Mom…

She had a follow-up appointment with her vascular doctor today because she has been experiencing significant swelling and pain in her left leg.

The good news is that there is no infection and no new blood clots. The bruising, however, is very deep and extensive because of her Factor V clotting disorder, which causes much more significant bruising than most people would experience after the same procedure. For now, her doctor has recommended she wear compression socks and keep her leg elevated as much as possible to help reduce the swelling.

As for the blood clot in her stomach, after further review, it will need to be surgically removed. It is causing a complete blockage and may also be contributing to the issues with her leg. Because her body needs more time to recover from her transplant and recent surgery, the plan is to wait approximately two months before proceeding with that surgery, assuming everything continues to heal as expected.

Despite all of this, Mom has been spending time at Bling-n-Fashions during their Crazy Day Sale, and it has truly lifted her spirits. Seeing familiar faces and visiting with everyone has been such a blessing as it really is her happy place.

We also have something to celebrate: after six months, she received her first income from the store! 🎉 What an incredible milestone after everything she’s been through.

Thank you all for your continued prayers, encouragement, and support, not only for Mom, but for her dream. Every visit, purchase, kind word, and prayer means more than you know. ❤️

07/10/2026

Update: She’s not back yet, but the doctor just came in with an update. He said the procedure went amazingly well and they were able to remove all of the concerning clots.

She does have one chronic, older clot higher up in her abdomen, but he isn’t concerned about it today. His hope is that, now that everything has been opened up and she’ll continue on blood thinners, that clot will dissolve on its own over the next few weeks. If it doesn’t, she may need another procedure down the road similar to the one she had today.

She’ll be monitored for the next hour or two, and if everything continues to look good, she’ll be able to go home! She’ll just need someone with her to monitor her around the clock for the first 24 hours.

Thank you all so much for the continued prayers, kind thoughts, and messages. We truly appreciate all the love and support as it means more to us than you know. Please continue to keep her in your prayers as she recovers over the coming days and weeks.

Mom is all checked in and ready for surgery. The doctors are confident they’ll be able to remove all of the blood clots ...
07/10/2026

Mom is all checked in and ready for surgery. The doctors are confident they’ll be able to remove all of the blood clots in her left leg, up to the groin area.

As always, Mom and I have shared plenty of laughs this morning. We’re choosing to see this as just another adventure in this journey. We’re also hoping the anesthesia makes her a little loopy afterward so we can get a few good laughs in like we did after her transplant. ❤️

We’re gratefully accepting all the prayers, positive thoughts, and good vibes for a successful surgery and a smooth recovery. Mom is more than ready to put this bump in the road behind her so we can keep moving forward after her transplant.

The bright spot through all of this is that her new kidney is still doing amazingly well, and we’re so thankful for that. Thank you all for your continued love, support, and prayers as they truly mean the world to us.

06/28/2026

I wanted to share an update on mom’s journey.

Unfortunately, she’s had another setback. Recent testing revealed that she has an extensive blood clot (DVT) in her left leg. The clot involves one of the major deep veins and extends into her pelvis, as well as a vein that runs all the way down to her ankle. While this was difficult news to receive, we’re thankful it was found so she can get the care she needs.

Right now, we’re waiting for a referral to a vascular specialist, who will evaluate her and determine the best course of treatment and what the next steps will be. The waiting is hard, but we’re hoping to have more answers soon.

Thank you to everyone who has continued to pray for her, check in on our family, and offer words of encouragement. Your love and support mean more than we can express.

Please continue to keep Mom in your thoughts and prayers as we wait for this next appointment and navigate another unexpected hurdle. We will keep everyone updated as we learn more. ❤️

Update: We hope we don’t jinx it, but Mom has had the best two days. She’s gotten outside, gone to a local park, enjoyed...
05/29/2026

Update: We hope we don’t jinx it, but Mom has had the best two days. She’s gotten outside, gone to a local park, enjoyed Tim grilling supper on the hotel grill, done plenty of walking, and overall just felt really good. Tim and her granddaughter Emma have been keeping her company along the way. She has even gone without pain meds for the first time since surgery!

Her creatinine level went up to 2.1, GFR went down to 27, and potassium was high. They will probably adjust some meds again because her TAC level still seems too high. The team thinks those numbers being off are likely related to the elevated TAC level, so they weren’t overly concerned. They also decided to check to make sure she doesn’t have too much protein in her urine.

More bloodwork is scheduled for Saturday morning at 7:30 to check everything again. The doctor still said being discharged by the end of next week seems likely…fingers crossed!! That would be one week from tomorrow. Eek!

Thank you again for all of the continued prayers, support, messages, and check-ins. It truly does not go unnoticed, and we are so grateful for everyone walking alongside us through this journey.

Update 5/26/26: Mom had a really good weekend — getting some fresh air, going for walks, and of course doing some relaxi...
05/26/2026

Update 5/26/26: Mom had a really good weekend — getting some fresh air, going for walks, and of course doing some relaxing. As it usually goes, though… two steps forward, one step back.

Unfortunately, the nausea came back this morning with a vengeance, and Mom wasn’t able to keep down her morning pills. Poor Tim got back just in time to clean up puke… again 😂

We also got her blood results back, and her Tacrolimus (“Tac”) level came in at 12.6, which is really high. Just a few days ago it was 4.7 and we were working to get it up — now it’s flying a little too high. The goal right now is around 8.0, so we’re waiting for the doctor to call and make another med adjustment.

Emma made it there today to entertain everyone and help keep Grandma and Tim in line 😄 Hoping tomorrow is a better day and we can get back on track. Thank you all for continuing to check in, pray, and support Mom through all of this ❤️

Picture from this weekend to bring back those good vibes. 😎

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201 W Center St.
Rochester, MN
55902

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