Nicole had her Surgery last Tuesday

Hello everyone,

We are so thankful to all of you who have donated, share posts and checked in with is.

Nicole had her Surgery last Tuesday. Both she and donor are doing well and at home recovering.

It’s been amazing to see this journey thru and see both doing so well.

We love and appreciate each of you for your kindness and support of Nicole this past year.

Please feel free to reach out and stay in touch. Blessings to everyone.

Jacquelin Santiago and the Santiago family.

Surgery has been Scheduled

“Hi Friends and Family, I wanted to give you all an update on my kidney surgery. I received good news yesterday that my donor has agreed to move the surgery to September 1st. I’m nervous and grateful to have this opportunity. Thank you God and my angel (kidney donor). Lou Vic Santiago and I will keep you posted on how it goes once its complete. Please keep us in your prayers.

Thank you Peeps for your love and support. ~Nico “

I FOUND A DONOR

“Hi Friends and Family, I wanted to give you all an update on my search for a kidney donor and let you know that I FOUND A DONOR! I was informed by my coordinator that they found a match and surgery is scheduled for November. I don’t know who the donor is. I’ll keep you updated as the surgery gets closer. Thank you for all of your support with sharing my posts and donating to my Gonfundme for the billboards as well as the positive thoughts. Special thanks to Jacquelin Santiago for all of your hard work. I also want to say thank you to those who tried to go through the process and donate. You know who you are and I will always be forever grateful for your kind gesture and thoughtfulness. Lou Vic Santiago and I truly appreciate it. ”
From Nicole and all of our families, we thank you from the heart and soul.
Thank you to gofundme donors, to Lamar group for billboards, to the folks testing, the folks emailing us thru the website, Honey Butter Cafe for the event, Kendra Scott event, Eleazar and the radio show, Victor Huyke for publishing in the newspapers every week, Ch 12, Ch 58, Telemundo WI for broadcasting interviews, family and friends sharing posts and checking in. We are grateful. Stay tuned for more updates on how things are going. Surgery is scheduled for November 2021.

Blessings to all. -Jacquelin Santiago

Who can become a kidney donor?

Donating a Kidney

A living donor needs to be:

  • In good general health.
  • Free from diseases that can damage the organs, such as diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or cancer.
  • At least 18 years old, typically.

More information

For more information on becoming a kidney donor, see:

What Live Kidney Donors Can Expect

Once testing is completed and an individual is accepted as a living kidney donor with a compatible recipient, a surgery date will be set. A team of experts in kidney donor care provide all aspects of care, before, during and after surgery.

Laparoscopic Kidney Donation Surgery

Living kidney donation, or nephrectomy, is a major surgery, but recent medical advancements make it possible to minimize the impact on the donor.

The surgery generally lasts two to three hours while the patient is asleep under general anesthesia. At Froedtert Hospital, all live kidney donation surgeries are laparoscopic, which means the kidney is removed using a few small incisions, the largest of which will be only about three inches long. With laparoscopic nephrectomy, patients have less visible scarring, shorter hospital stays and a more rapid return to normal activities.

Live kidney donors at Froedtert Hospital receive care on an inpatient unit dedicated to transplant patients. Patients can expect to be discharged from the hospital within a few days, and to be back to work and their regular routines in less than two weeks. Driving and lifting may be restricted for a few weeks after surgery.

Post-Surgery Care for Live Kidney Donors

After surgery, donors may experience common post-surgical discomfort, but complications following kidney donor surgery are rare. Long-term studies have shown that living with a single kidney has little impact on a donor’s health and does not change the donor’s life expectancy.

Once they are fully recovered, donors need to visit their primary care physicians regularly to monitor their blood pressure, kidney function and general health. A healthy lifestyle is advised, too, for optimal long-term quality of life. Transplant care coordinators at Froedtert Hospital provide support for donors for a minimum of two years and for as long as the donor desires.

For More Information

For more details about live kidney donation, see our list of resources and frequently asked questions.

Source is from Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin