A Second Chance: Why I’m Asking for a Kidney, and What It Would Mean for My Son and Me
A Second Chance: Why I’m Asking for a Kidney, and What It Would Mean for My Son and Me
By Amanda
Hi, I’m Amanda, and I want to tell you something deeply personal—something that’s changed every part of my life.
I’m living with chronic kidney disease. It’s an invisible fight that most people don’t see, but I feel it every day. I feel it when I can’t run after my 7-year-old son at the park. I feel it when I have to sit down while other families are walking through the zoo or enjoying an afternoon outside. I feel it every time I watch him play and wish I had the energy to join in.
For people who don’t know much about it, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive loss of kidney function over time. When your kidneys stop working properly, your body can’t filter waste, balance fluids, or manage key hormones. Eventually, this leads to fatigue, swelling, shortness of breath, and in many cases, the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant. That’s where I am now.
My days revolve around medical treatments and a full-time job. It’s a constant balancing act—appointments, exhaustion, and trying to keep a sense of normalcy for my son. He’s had to grow up faster than most kids his age. And while he handles it with more grace than I could ever expect, it breaks my heart knowing that this disease limits the kind of mom I can be for him right now.
A kidney transplant isn’t just a medical procedure for me—it’s a shot at real life again. It’s the chance to be active with my son, to travel together, to say “yes” to the kinds of experiences I’ve had to decline. It’s not about returning to who I used to be—it’s about becoming the mom he deserves now.
But here’s the truth: I can’t do this alone.
Deceased donor lists are long. Waiting can take years. But a living donor—someone healthy who is willing to donate one of their kidneys—can make all the difference. Living donation offers better long-term outcomes and drastically reduces the wait time. It’s safe. It’s selfless. And it changes lives.
If you’ve ever thought about helping someone in this way, I ask you from the bottom of my heart to consider being tested as a donor—or simply share my story. You never know who might see it and step forward. I promise to honor that gift with everything I have. It wouldn’t just change my life. It would change my son’s too.
Thank you for reading, for caring, and for walking with us on this journey.
With hope,
Amanda
