A young Windham woman is optimistic that a kidney transplant will return her life to normalcy and give her back an opportunity at having a future.
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| Windham resident Katie St. Pierre was diagnosed with IGA nephropathy last April. Starting kidney dialysis immediately thereafter, she was informed that she required a kidney transplant and is actively seeking a kidney donor for transplant surgery at Maine Medical Center in Portland. COURTESY PHOTO, |
“I was first diagnosed with IGA in April 2024,” St. Pierre said. “My case is considered hereditary, and I've probably had it my whole life, although I do not have any close family members with a similar condition.”
The biggest issues St Pierre has been experiencing are the extreme exhaustion that comes with IGA neuropathy and the buildup of fluids it causes.
“Imagine jumping in a pool fully clothed then walking around the rest of the day like that,” St. Pierre said. “I wake up every morning feeling like my limbs are made of lead.”
St. Pierre is a familiar face to many in the area, having worked in the bakery department at the North Windham Hannaford store since 2019. Born in South Portland, she is married and has lived in Windham since she was 5.
Upon receiving her IGA diagnosis last year and immediately starting on dialysis, doctors have advised St. Pierre that a kidney transplant is her best option for survival and to improve her quality of life.
“I was told I needed a transplant on the same day I got my diagnosis. I ended up being hospitalized for a little over a week after some blood work came back,” she said. “During that time, I had many tests done but for a definitive answer they had to do a kidney biopsy, basically taking a small sliver of your kidney and putting it under a microscope to see what's wrong.”
She said at first, she kept telling myself that it wasn't that bad, and she wasn't going to need anything as extreme as a transplant.
“I thought with medication I would be fine and after the biopsy they released me from the hospital,” St. Pierre said. “I hadn't even made it home yet before I got a phone call with the results. My kidneys were over 70 percent scar tissue and at this point I had limited function. I was hovering between 9 and 12 percent functionality and in contrast, the average person is at about 90 percent. My numbers had been rapidly decreasing. This was devastating news. I had been so happy to go home, I felt like I was failing my family, and I was going to be a burden.”
According to St. Pierre, she chose to undergo home dialysis treatment, called peritoneal dialysis or PD for short.
“At first I was doing five days a week but now I am doing a treatment every day,” she said. “I do eight and a half hours of treatment every night. It can be isolating at times knowing that I have to plug myself into a machine every night just to function at a limited capacity and it is extremely depressing. But I'm also very grateful to live in a time where I have these opportunities and the ability to survive.”
Through it all, St. Pierre has been able to continue working with the help of dialysis and other medications but unfortunately that is not sustainable long term, leaving her with no other option than to find a kidney donor for a transplant.
“If you or someone you know is willing to consider being a living kidney donor, I would be deeply grateful,” she said. “A living donation is a life-saving gift, and you could make all the difference in my journey or even someone else's. This experience has shown me the difficulties that so many are going through right now. All potential donors will be fully evaluated by medical professionals to ensure safety for both the donor and the recipient.”
Prior to needing a kidney transplant, St. Pierre loved attending craft fairs, county fairs, and town fairs. She enjoyed taking my dogs for walks around the many beautiful paths and parks in Windham and going to the movies and restaurants.
“Now I spend the majority of my free time sleeping,’ she said. “When I'm not working, I normally have doctor appointments or blood tests to take. I would like to say I'm able to get out there and do things, but right now I rest up for the things that I have to do. I hope that one day I can do the things that I simply want to do. I'm lucky enough to have an extremely supportive husband as well as family and friends. I was reluctant to tell people at first, but I've come to be able to talk openly and honestly about my day-to-day struggles.”
If she’s able to find a donor, St. Pierre’s surgery would be performed at Maine Medical Center in Portland. Recovery time varies from person to person, but she believes the standard recovery time is about two to four weeks, but it can take up to six or more depending on the person.
“I feel it is important to note that the medical coverage for the donor’s surgery will be covered through the receiver's insurance, however it doesn't cover any time lost from work and it may not cover certain aspects,” St Pierre said. “Definitely something to look into beforehand and I encourage everyone to do so.”
Mentally St. Pierre has been trying to remain as positive as possible given her circumstances but realizes it’s not easy to do but is thankful for an amazing support system.
“The most important thing I'd like people to know is that I hate that I have to ask this, and if I didn't have to I wouldn't,” she said. “I'm a private person and this isn't something I ever thought I'd have to do but it's something I need to do to increase my chances at a longer healthy life. While this will increase my lifespan, it's not a cure. I will continue to have this disease throughout my life. Unfortunately, kidney donations only last so long and I very well may need another donation in the future.”
To donate a kidney to help St. Pierre or someone else on the kidney transplant list, potential donors can register at mmc.donorscreen.org.
“To donate you must have the person’s full legal name,” St. Pierre said. “Mine is Katelyn St. Pierre, though everyone calls me Katie. Or you can choose to donate without having a specific person in mind.” <
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