July 12 Dr Visit

Today we went to go see Dr Tandon, Steve's primary care physician as we were not satisfied with his nephrologist. Dr. Tandon really explained in more detail what to expect "when the time comes". If he starts to get loopy, dehydrated, diarrhea, or simply not feeling good to call immediately and that's when they will proceded with dialysis. He did confirm that he could be a month it could be two months.
Good news as we were literally sitting in his office his cousin Robin told us that her husband is good to go as far as being a match for Steve. Tom has an appt. August 15 at Swedish Medical with the nephrologist there. Time is flying and we feel so blessed, grateful, fortunate, and loved to be able to have an opportunity to have a live donor. Reality is starting to sink in! Starting to get a little scared.
Thank you all for the support it really helps and makes it so much easier. We love and appreciate each and everyone of you.
Love The Goetz Family

Update on Steve's kindney function / transplant July 6

Steve had a doctors appointment with his nephrologist today, I went to this one considering he is now "active" on the transplant list. Steve finished all his dental work last week and both dentist signed off his approval paperwork.
We both went in and sat down in one patient room waiting patiently and then comes his doctor and moves us to another room. We sit down and the first this she says is "you are down to 16%, you have lost quite a bit". Honestly, I don't think either one of us were really expecting to hear this news or maybe it's just because we didn't "want" to hear it. Then she proceeds to say that it will be either one to two months that he will be in complete failure that he will have to have his transplant or go on dialysis if a match is not found in time. She also kept telling him that he didn't look good and he looks very dehydrated. I didn't think so, but I see him everyday. So, before coming home we went straight to Wal-Mart and stocked up on water :0)
At this time Tom (Steve's cousin Robin's husband) as started the testing process, my brother Randy has contacted the transplant team and my cousin Angela has called to get information on calling the transplant team. We fell very blessed and grateful for the support we have from our family and friends. Thank you all for loving and caring about our family. He has to be back next month instead of the normal three to four months. He now will carry his pager with him 24/7 in case a match is not found from a live donor.
Thank you so much, The Goetz Family
P.S. We have been asked for info for the transplant team and who to contact to be tested. The info is: Matt Plummer 1-206-386-6036

Latest Update

Steve has started the last of his dentist appointments, his dentist has him on a cancellation list and he has been the first that they call to get him in as quick as possible.He has a mouth full of stitches right now. He was only in a lot of pain the first night, but doing good now (he has never been a complainer). Tom (his cousin Robins husband) is still in the process of being tested. He as done the blood work, his next step is seeing the psychiatrist and the the big testing (MRI, EKG etc...)
We have been busy planning Destiny's graduation so it has kept our mind off of his medical situation although he has expressed lately that he is getting tired(we really don't talk about it much). Physically his body is really starting to tell him to slow down.
Now with only one more appointment with the dentist left reality is setting in. We will send in his clearance from the dentist and he will become "active" on the transplant list.Although he isn't active he is still gaining time to be the next in line. Whether it be from a live donor or a deceased donor he will physically be ready for the beginning of "our" new life.

Update for transplant

Steve is still on the transplant list and is on a "hold" status until he finishes his dental appointments (2 more to go). He received his pager in the mail yesterday. This pager will go off once he is "active" on the list and they have a donor.
Even better news he has had two people come forward offering get tested and donate a kidney and they have both contacted Matt Plummer at Swedish Medical to get started with paperwork and then testing. Steve's cousin Robin e-mailed us and said that she could not donate due to her only having one kidney herself as she donated a kidney to someone in her ward that needed a kidney four years ago, but her husband wanted to get tested! Her husband Tom whom at this time we never met wants to donate, amazing! Tom and Robin already contacted the coordinator she had when she donated and got all the paperwork needed to get started. Thanks Tom and Robin. Not to forget it was great meeting them, we went right up to go meet them a couple a weeks ago. Truly amazing sweet people :o)
A week or so after getting the news that Tom wanted to donate my grandsons mother Amanda text and said that she had been thinking about it and said that she too wants to get tested. After many phone calls and e-mails she too is submitting an application to see if she is a match for Steve.
This is so heart warming to us. We have always been surrounded by great family and friends and this just proves how blessed we are to have them in our lives. If they are not a match we just feel so honored that people are willing to donate. Everyone of you that have sent thoughts and prayers we feel so blessed, loved and thankful for all of you being in our lives :o)

Approval for the transplant/ more loss of kidney function

Steve went to the nephrologist today. His kidney function has dropped 4%, not good. Ironically today we received authorization from our insurance agreeing to pay for the transplant. We also received a letter from the transplant team saying that as of March 15 he has been put on the list and a letter of acceptance to receive a pager was sent. This will allow us to be notified at anytime. When the pager goes off that means they have an organ donor. He will also have to have blood work done every month from here on out.
Thanks for following Steve's story and all the thoughts and prayers!

Latest Update

I know that it's been a while that we have possted anything, but here it is. Tomorrow Steve's case goes in front of the transplant board for approval. They just make sure that he passed all his test that he took (stress test, echo, ekg, colonoscopy etc..)that is needed for a transplant. We are keeping our fingers crossed and praying that everything goes as planned!
We did find out that he is AB+ ( its a rare blood type) and that they can not give us an average time frame of how long he may be on the list if we dont find a living donor. It is a lot easier if he gets it from a living donor rather than a cadaver ( a little disappointing)again we are praying for the best.

Meeting the transplant team in Seattle

So much information is given (four hours worth). Well, they explained the process of blood typing and the the different kinds of list he can go on. There is the "normal" list and then theres a list that if Im not compatible to him I can be to someone else and we can "swap" kidneys, interesting and encouraging. You can't be on the list until you are at 20% failure, well Steve was at 19% last month. Where do we go from here? He has to finish getting dental work done and cleared by his dentist, colonoscopy, nuclear stress test (he had an abnormal ekg)and then his case will go in front of the transplant team and they have to "approve" him that he is a good candidate. Once this is done he goes on the list... Woo-hoo so excite! Will post what his test results are when they come back on Monday. They took twenty tubes of blood and they did his blood type and his tissue too!
Thanks for the love and support!

Septemeber Update

Steve went to his nephrologist two days ago and got an update on his kidney function. In the past 6 weeks he has lost 4% function and is now down to 19% kidney function left.Thats a lot of function in a short amount of time (for him anyway). We go to Swedish Medical Center October 22 (Destiny's 17th birthday)and get the testing going for his transplant. I dont know how long this takes or any other information. This will be his first transplant appointment and we will be asking many questions.
Thanks for all the love and prayers.

Steves update

Last week we went to his nephrologist to get results from his labs. He is stable right now and the doc says he may even have an extra month or so, but on the flip side she said he could fail in 2 weeks. We received a letter from Aetna that they will pay for all testing, traveling, housing (when there) and most important his transplant. What a blessing.
He has always wanted to see Garth Brooks in concert so for his birthday (next month) I took him to Vegas to go see him. We went with Johnna and Tom (big part of our support team) and his brother met us up there. He is the one that is recovering from his transplant, we enjoyed him tons!
Thanks for all the love and support it helps and means a lot :o)

Got a call from the transplant team

The transplant team from Swedish Medical called Steve to let him know that they are getting approval from Aetna and will call back with an appointment to start testing tissue,blood type,check his heart and psycological. They are really booked and wont be able to get him in until September. Seems like we keep getting pushed back.
Thanks and keep praying.

Steve's Journey

Polycystic Kidney Disease, this is what is causing Steve to need a new kidney. It's hereditary. Steve was told last month that by December of 2010 he will either need a transplant or be on dialysis. At this point we are doing all we can do to live a "normal" life but yet prepare for this trying time. As we get more news on when and where we will post. At this time we have chosen to go through Swedish Medical in Seattle. We are waiting for the paperwork to come to us from the transplant team. Unfortunately we are a month behind as his doctor originally sent his information to the transplant team at another hospital that our insurance did not cover. So, here we are starting all over again and we are about a month behind :o(. Once this happens he will start getting tested to see what his blood type is so we can see if we are a match for him or anyone willing to donate or when he gets one from an unknown donor. Lots of testing and classes ahead for us in the near future. I'm posting a picture of what his kidneys look like although its not his kidneys it a picture from the mayoclinic.com.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.