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Bad news arrived without warning.
It was June 20, 2017. Matthew "Matt" Bustamante, 19, had gone to the doctor for a physical exam to check his health because he had recently struggled to gain [19659002] Her mother, Lisa Largue, was expecting something benign, perhaps a thyroid problem, considering her own medical history with thyroid problems. But what they learned later was a complete shock.
Chronic kidney disease, the doctors informed them. Stage 4, they added.
Matt, who has just finished high school in New York and now lives with his family in Windermere, was born with undersized kidneys that now threaten his life.
Matt's kidneys worked at 24%, leaving everyone puzzled as to how he had managed to avoid showing serious symptoms for so long. The few symptoms that appeared did not cause any suspicion on the part of his family.
"I still do not feel so bad considering how far I am, at least compared to what I read, and how much other people think," he said. Matt, whom his family describes as a positive and comic man. "So, I guess I'm lucky in this respect."
His brother, Miguel, quickly replied "Luck does not come." is not a word that I would use in this situation, "says his brother, while a heavy silence fell on the family
It's been a year since Matt was made aware of his situation. failing kidneys, which now operate at about 12%.
The 19-year-old is taking a number of medications, is on a strict diet and is having a sleepless night. He can not continue to play basketball because of fatigue because his body deviates all his energy to function. His kidneys.
He basically had to put his life on hold, including his goals of working for Disney, going to college, and pursuing a career in film.
"I know it's a kid who wants to do a lot with him Unfortunately, right now, everything is waiting," said his mother.
Matt and his family are working to find a donor of Kidney ready that could serve as potential matchmaking to Matt.Until now, eight people, mostly family members, have been tested as potential candidates for Matt, without success.
"We have all been tested and, unfortunately, everyone was excluded, "said Barbara Downing, Matt's grandmother." I'm too old. His brother, you know, since it might be a genetic thing, they do not want to take his kidney because if something happens to his kidney, he'll only be left with one. And Lisa was diagnosed with kidney disease when they tested her. "
Although Matt's mother was a match for Matt, other tests revealed that she also had kidney disease.
" I discovered it during the summer. " evaluation because I was a match for him, "said Largue." But once I did the 24-hour urine test, they called me and m & # 39; 39, said, "Lisa, there is a problem." And I thought, "Oh, and now, come on, how bad could it be?" Then she said to me, "What's up?" was at work, and I thought, "You must make fun of me." I was hysterical. "
Other relatives and friends were tested. Another person turned out to be a relatively close match, but they could not do it for personal reasons, the family says.
Now, just get the message that he is in desperate need of a donor – ideally, before Matt's kidneys reach 10% of the function, at this point he would not have no choice but to start dialysis, Downing shared.
Dialysis is a mechanical way of removing body waste that damaged kidneys can not eliminate. However, the process can be extremely unpleasant and only prolong life expectancy by about five to ten years, according to the National Kidney Foundation
"You never know, there may be people ready to donate kidneys to other people, "said Downing. "But if he's not getting a transplant within two months, the doctor said he's going to have to do dialysis, judging by how his numbers are going." The ideal situation is to transplant before to start dialysis because dialysis depletes your body and does not make it as healthy to accept the new kidney. "
Matt was listed on a national registry nine months ago which serves as a list waiting need kidney transplants. However, the supply of kidneys from deceased donors has not been able to meet the demand. According to the Living Kidney Donors Network, about 5,000 people die each year waiting for a kidney transplant and Matt also lacks time.
The family hopes to find a living renal donor, if possible, to limit his waiting time and because a deceased kidney transplant relative to a living donor tends to affect the life expectancy of kidney recipients. On average, recipients live about 18 years old with a donated kidney by a living donor compared to 13-year-olds with a deceased donor kidney, according to LKDN.
For now, the family continues to spread the knowledge of Matt's situation via his blog, social media, car stickers and a T-shirt designed by Matt himself. They are hoping to find a match for Matt before it's too late.
"We know it's a big question – it's a big question because you're literally asking for a body part," said Matt's grandmother. "But that could save a life. It could save his life. "
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