UPDATE..
I WANT TO SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!! No port!!!! PICC tomorrow Zach is to sick and they want this bug gone for good before a Port goes in They are worried that the bug will attach it self to the new port and cause issues that we don’t even want to bring up ….. and our vacation next week is a NO .. Which is ok….. The Drs wont let him go and we might not even be out to meet his donor this weekend:( Yes, I am in tears and know that we need to get Zachary better Please pray for him.. Even the Drs are worried, because they said this bug is most likely hiding out in Zachary’s new kidney and right now his kidney is sick I am so scared for him…

PLEASE FOLLOW HIM ON FACEBOOK AT (SAVE ZACHARY ELSENPETER) YOU DON’T NEED A FACEBOOK TO FOLLOW HIM…

http://www.facebook.com/events/407284652631874/

PLEASE VOTE FOR ZACHARY SO HE CAN WIN AN IPAD!! http://www.transplantliving.org/stacey-elsenpeter/

ALSO PLEASE FOLLOW HIS STORY ON FACEBOOK

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Zachary-Elsenpeter/127121614002476

Please also follow Zachary’s story on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Zachary-Elsenpeter/127121614002476

This is Zachary’s Story… UPDATE.. ZACHARY RECEIVED HIS 2ND KIDNEY TRANSPLANT JAN 18,2012!! God Bless his Donor!!! We were involved in the kidney paired-exchange program. I, his mommy donated a kidney to a complete stranger and my son received the gift of LIFE!!! It was an 8 way exchange and everybody in the exchange is doing AWESOME!! I want to thank the hundreds of people that were tested to save my son…. Thank you !!!!

Zachary was born December 17, 2003. We had infertility for Years and were so blessed to have another Child. Zachary came into this world with a fight! We had no clue that he was born in kidney failure until he was 2 weeks old. We even took him home on Christmas Eve. As we walked through the Door the phone rang, it was Mercy hospital. The Doctor said that one of the state test that they do on all newborns came back positive for a rare hidden disease called “CAH”. The Doctor told us that we needed to come back to the hospital for more test. I just remember my heart sinking, so i grab the computer and started doing research before we headed back to the hospital.

Zachary’s labs came back that his sodium was very low and his potassium was very high. They stated Zachary on high dose steroids and sodium supplements. We brought Zachary in for labs everyday for a whole week. On New Years Eve Zachary’s labs were critical. The Doctors said that Zachary was very sick and he needed to be admitted to Children’s hospital in Minneapolis. We were so scared and didn’t know what was going on with our baby boy. That night the Doctors ran many test. My poor baby boy had an IV in, NJ tube down his nose and a catheter to drain his urine. “Zachary was only 2 weeks old”. I just remember holding him crying and being so scared.

On New Years Eve , when you are suppose to be celebrating the New Year. We were holding our child as the Doctors came in and told us that Zachary was a very sick and was in kidney failure. That he would need a kidney transplant to save his life.. Zachary was not positive for CAH, but with out this test, the doctors would of not done further testing and Zachary would of died at home in his sleep. That night Wade and I sat up and cried not knowing what the future would hold. Our baby boy was very sick, we felt a lone and didn’t think that this could happen to a baby.

The 1st year was touch and go. Zachary had many hospital stays, surgeries, infections, blood transfusions. It was a big struggle to get him to 17 lbs, so he could receive his daddy’s Kidney.

On December 1,2004, when Zachary was only 11 months old My husband, Zachary’s daddy gave him another chance at life. Zachary had many complications that 1st month. His ureter disconnected form the kidney and Zachary became very sick. They had to reopen Zachary to reattach the ureter. All i remember that 1st month was going back and forth to his room, then to the Operating room, back to his room then the the OR again and again. It was a long month of many tears and sleepless nights. Zachary was a fighter and fought hard, he had many surgeries, complications and infections.

Over the last 7 years Zachary has had over 40 surgeries, multiple infections and countless hospital stays. Zachary has a J-tube for feeds, because during his 2nd attempt to redo a Nissenfundelplacation his stomach prorated, and he became very sick. Zachary has a Mitrofanoff which we catheterize him through his belly button to get his urine out. Zach also has a M/ACE which use for bowel flushes. With all these struggles you would think that Zachary is a sick boy. He is on the inside, but on the outside Zachary runs and plays like any other 7 year old. He has the will to fight and to LIVE! He has many friends, rides his bike and even has a little sassy mouth on him some times. Lol “which I love”…

Oct 2009, our lives would change again. Zachary became very sick and was rejecting the kidney. He went into 3 types of rejection.
~Acute
~Antibody
~Chronic
Zachary had 7 treatments of Plamsapheresis, IVIG and high dose steroids. The treatment was very hard on Zachary. The rejection was stopped, but his kidney and body took a beating. Zachary built up very high antibodies leaving less then a 3 % chance of finding another kidney. We have done 3 news story, Facebook, news paper articles and are now thinking about doing a Billboard. There have been over 800 people that have called in to be tested for Zachary and we still have no match. It’s very hard as a parent to watch your child sick and struggle every day. Zachary still goes to school and tired so hard to live life. He is alway very tired and pukes a lot. He has a younger brother who is his best friend and keeps him going. and of course i can’t forget his amazing old sister that has a heart of gold. She is always right beside me reading research about the kidney. She even wrote a story in her school news paper about Zachary.

I know this journey will have a happy ending either with Zachary here with us on earth, or if he is wrapped in Jesus arms. I know that there is always a plan, and for now Zachary’s plan is for us to spread the word about organ donation. Zachary’s story has touched so many lives, there have been people that didn’t match Zachary that had it in there heart and gave the gift of life to others. You are all AMAZING!

Thank you all for following Zachary’s Journey! PLEASE keep spreading the word of organ donation in honor of one AMAZING little boy ! Zachary!

Zachary is still doing AWESOME!!
With some bumps in the road……

Zachary’s kidney is doing GREAT!! But, his body is very weak and having a very hard time fighting off infections.
Zachary’s white Count and Hemoglobin are very low. The Drs had to cut his immune-suppressant meds in half.. Then we worry about rejection .. Its a very hard balancing act with these kidney kids.. Zachary still has very high antibodies that his body will never forget… So, lowering his anti-rejection meds SCARES me to death!! We fear rejection……

But, we have no choice, because Zachary is having a hard time fighting this NASTY bug in his urine for the 5th time… If we don’t kill this bug for good it can damage and take this new kidney down……He also still has a stitch abscess in his transplant incision that he is unable to fight… and his M/ACE chait tube has been leaking pretty bad for the last week……Zachary is also fighting a chronic cough for about 2 months….So, yes.. There is a lot going on in Zachary’s little body….and his body is fighting HARD!!

The plan is to pray that his White count and hemoglobin come up to at least 3,000 so Zachary can fight these bugs, so he can have his abscessed opened and drain and his M/ACE fixed…

Zachary will be on IV antibiotic until he can have at least 2 negative Urine culture for a couple of months after his IV antibiotics are done.. Which is another couple weeks….. So, its looking like his PICC line is staying in..

Overall, Zachary is feeling AWESOME and running like a CRAZY boy!!!

Thank you for all you thoughts and prayers,

The bad…
~His Blood pressures are still SKY HIGH for having a new kidney..
140/80 even being on 4 blood pressure meds.
So we maxed him out again … He is also back on the patch which I don’t like

~and his abscess in his stitch is starting to fill up again.. The plan is surgery in about 2 more weeks to take the stitch and abscess out.

Zachary is still on IV antibiotic for about another month?? not sure, depending on his Urine cultures..

Overall, the Drs are happy with how Zach looks and his WILL TO LIVE LIFE!!

Thank you DONOR ANGEL FOR SAVING OUR SON!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers,

DONATE LIFE
Tomorrow is World Kidney Day!!
PLEASE wear green in honor of Zachary and all of his kidney buddies!!!

Surgery 2pm Friday for my Zman….
Plan
~PICC line placement for home IV antibiotic again 5th time since Aug…
~Drain abscess in his incision then flush..
~POSSIBLE revision of Mitrofanoff AGAIN! # 8 in less then 2 yrs! WTH! But, the Drs are thinking that he might have another Abscess hiding in his mitrofanoff track? Like he had 2 yrs ago… But, not sure?? Nobody knows?? I hate when Drs don’t know…….

My little Warrior has been through so much and just keeps fighting with a SMILE on his face…

Please pray for him….
This life is so hard….. I have so many fears, How much can one handle?? over 40 surgeries, 2 kidney transplant! I’ m having a hard time! Zach is really starting to act out…… He is getting sick of this and becoming angry, still smiling. but, its catching up with him….

But, overall……. It’s March! NATIONAL KIDNEY MONTH! SO PLEASE HELP US SPREAD ZACHARY’S STORY! and the need for ORGAN DONATION AND HOW IT SAVE’S LIFES!!

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers,

you can also follow his story on Facebook
save Zachary elsenpeter
you don’t need a facebook to foloow his story.

We have so much to be thankful for……… Zachary is doing AWESOME! Today he went on a field trip with his school!! He is not back in school for another month….But, he is VERY ready to go back!! He is only about 5 weeks out from Transplant and his immune system is still to weak..

Last night he woke up at 3am!! 3AM!!! and was CRAZY EXCITED about his party at school today!! They went bowling this morning and now we are heading back up to the school for his party… He is pacing back and forth wanting to go back to school…..My SILLY little boy!!

Overall, Zachary is proving to all of us that MIRACLES do happen and he is doing AMAZING!!!

DONATE LIFE!

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers….

follow Zachary on Face book!
“Save Zachary Elsenpeter”
you don’t need a face book page to follow him…

TODAY…..Zachary had a better night…… Me my heart took a while to calm down after yesterday’s event. Zachary is allergic to so many medications…. He can’t have a lot of the main one’s that we use. Like Codeine, Morphine, Anseth, Versed , Vancompycin, Chloraprep,, Sebo which they use when you are put to sleep for surgery and the list goes on and on and on…… My son can only be on certain Antibiotic, because he has built up restraints to so many and nothing works anymore…… Only IV antibiotics work for him. Which scares me to death……I don’t know what the future holds for Zach, but he is here today and loving LIFE and has taugh me to be thankful for today.

Zachary labs are also not were we want them.. His creatinine took a jump and his Prograf level is very very high. Which is not good…. So, today I had to bring him to the hospital this morning for a redrawn and drug levels. I just pray that they are stable enough to stay home.

People don’t realize that we live day to day, living on the edge not knowing what tomorrow will bring or if we will be back in the hospital….. I am so thankful to be home today, to sleep in my own bed, to eat at my own dinner table, to do laundry, just the simple things in LIFE make me happy.

Please pray for Zachary’s body to rest and heal…….. His body is under a lot of stress right now and just needs to rest.

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers,
Stacey
Zachary’s Mommy

Overall, Zach is doing GREAT!!!

Please say a pray at 2pm today when he goes under..

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!!