Stephen Rausch

LIVING Kidney DONOR NEEDED

Donating a kidney gives someone a chance at a normal life. Just make an informed decision.

Hi, my name is Stephen Rausch. I enjoy cooking, football and hockey. Devils and Giants after decades of living in Jersey, before moving to Maryland. After moving to Maryland I had a bad doctor who didn't tell me I had Kidney disease until a couple years after the fact. I have been fighting kidney disease for around 5-6 years or so. I am on the John Hopkins transplant list for 4 years come this January.

Kidney Failure alters your life in unexpected ways. The worst thing that has happened so far is I suffered a massive heart attack about two and a half years ago. It happened due to kidney bile buildup and the end result was a 5 cabbage. I have since recovered from that. My latest issue was major water retention, which makes normal activity panful and a bigger challenge. When the kidneys act up it drains your energy and you have to work harder to do normal tasks such as exercise, cleaning and cooking. The biggest adjustment is having that variable energy level. In addition, most healthy food is a no go. With kidney disease you have to limit potassium and sodium, so it is a strange balancing game.

Getting a transplant would mean a normal life. It is weird not being able to eat a lot of healthy foods and having to limit how much water you drink. The kidneys also effect a lot of stuff. For example the added bloated dilutes my blood, so I need a shot most months to stimulate red cell growth. Just one example.

I am not a in your face type person. In what ever way someone wants to help is fine by me.

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