29: Melody Johnson Shares Her Daughter's Experience: A Life Saving Kidney and Liver Transplant.

Walking With Families Podcast |Hope & Inspiration |Weekly Interviews With Families & People Involved With Helping Critically Ill and Injured Children.

In this episode, Melody Johnson shares the story of her daughter’s kidney and liver transplant. Melody shares her daughter’s diagnosis with Polycystic Liver Disease at 6 months old, with a subsequent diagnosis of liver fibrosis at age 1. She talks about how kidney and liver failure led her daughter to have high blood pressure, and how it was necessary for her daughter to begin dialysis at age 13. She discusses how her daughter’s education was affected during her first 13 years of life, and she shares how her medical challenges and hospital stays affected her other children. Plus, Melody shares with parents how important it is to rest, and to take care of yourself, while your child is in the hospital. She talks about the procedure of getting her daughter on the kidney and liver transplant waiting list. She talks about the actual kidney and liver transplant operation. Moreover, Melody discusses in great detail how this has affected the rest of her family. She also discusses how she feels parents could be better served by knowing what resources are available to them and by possible receiving therapy while they are going through these challenges with their child. She suggests how hospitals might help parents as their child that is going through the challenges of long hospital stays and having complex medical treatments. Plus, she offers families advice who may be just starting on their journey with their child needing a liver and kidney transplant. Finally, Melody and Kelly talk about the importance of organ donation and how it saves lives! Listen to this podcast episode as Melody shares her story.