Jamison is an 8-year-old boy, the youngest of four kids at his mom’s house, and the next-to-youngest of six kids at his dad’s house. He loves swimming, jumping on the trampoline, playing with his dogs, playing Roblox, and traveling. He also happens to have Chronic Kidney Disease through no fault of his own. This is his brief history.
At about 8 weeks old, J, who was 9 pounds, 9 ounces at birth, was admitted to the hospital with a fever, which we were told was a UTI. Everything cleared up after 4 days and IV antibiotics, and we all went on with our lives. The hospital stay was coded as an ear infection, not a UTI, and since he never got another UTI, his kidney function was not tested.
As he grew, his extraordinary thirst (water, formula, then milk) grew, the kid was always drinking something. Various causes were ruled out via his original pediatrician’s office, but potty training was not getting easier due to excess drinking, so we made the decision to find a new pediatrician when he was 4.
The new pediatrician’s office ordered tests, which led to more tests, which uncovered a blockage that was affecting his bladder and had damaged it to the point it would constantly run, like a water pump, creating the thirst and constant cycling. The blockage was removed, but due to his bladder getting overused it caused irreparable damage to the kidneys. He takes multiple medications each day to get as much time as possible out of the kidney and to help his bladder function, with lab and blood work being done every 60 days (many times more). With one kidney transplant on the horizon (thanks to people looking to donate due to a well-timed towel catch at a San Francisco 49ers football game and the ensuing news story), we also know once this one is done, the journey is not over.
He recently had a port placed in his belly button to make catheterizing easier (which he has to do 3 times a day); there will always be appointments to go to (he lives in Maine, we drive almost 3 hours to Boston each way, in addition to the Maine appointments in Portland), prescriptions and supplies to pay for (two liquids, 3 pills, some which are taken 3 times a day), and another 1 to 2 transplants down the road as well, so we have decided to take the steps needed here to help him now and in the future. We know there is only so much to go around, but hope that enough folks will see fit to help COTA help Jamison to live his best life so he can focus on what he should get to focus on: being a kid who can grow up to be whatever he wants.
The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.