A mother's life-saving gift for her son

Isaac Fletcher, 13, has been looking for a college since 2019 (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)

He was diagnosed with kidney disease after a bout with E. coli. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Over the 3 years, Isaac had numerous hospital stays and routine trips to the dialysis clinic 3 days a week. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Eventually he suffered a near complete loss of kidney function and was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2019 (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac became a familiar face at Corewell Health’s Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and made many friends with his positive attitude and creative imagination. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Michelle and Kevin Fletcher, Isaac’s mom and dad, were looking for a college for their son. They couldn’t find a match. After several tests, Michelle was about to give Isaac a special gift – one of her kidneys. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac and his mother had been driving the hour-long drive from Ionia to Grand Rapids for dialysis appointments 3 days a week for 3 years, but soon reached their last day. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Decorations hang from the ceiling where Isaac received dialysis and stood for hours sitting and waiting in his chair. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

“He’s an amazing kid and he’s so smart and silly. He makes us laugh,” said Liz Orme, dialysis technician at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac and Michelle are greeted with a large sign that reads “Good luck Isaac and Michelle” with a college drawn on it. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Liz made a chocolate-covered Funfetti Cake with Sprinkles, a special request from Isaac, to celebrate his last day on dialysis. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac takes a big bite into the chocolate frosted cupcake. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac’s last pre-surgery spell involved him and his father attending a Winter Jam concert at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Michelle wore her mom’s superhero socks the day before her transplant. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

“It would definitely be weird without Isaac on dialysis. We’ve gotten to know him, his mom, and his sisters really well over the years,” said Liz. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

“We’ve been warming to the transplant idea for some time,” Michelle said. “It was all surreal.” (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac and Michelle were placed side by side in the storage pod before surgery so they could see each other before they went to the operating rooms. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Kevin comforts Michelle before the surgery and bids her farewell so he can see her heal. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

“Isaac was excited and nervous at the same time on the big day,” Michelle said. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Kevin plays with Cody, Isaac’s stuffed animal jaguar, to help calm his nerves before surgery. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Michelle is put back into surgery while the operating room staff speaks with Isaac. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Daniel Burrison, MD, is working on Michelle’s kidney removal. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Once Dr. Burrison is ready to remove a kidney, he waits for Joel Strack, MD, to come and prepare so he can take the kidney right away to the recipient. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Dr.. Stracke invites you and prepares to get ready to bring Isaac to college. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Dr. Borison prepares to remove the kidney so that Dr. Strack can take it home or prepare it for transplantation. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Dr. Stracke prepares to transplant Isaac’s kidney. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac’s stuffed animal, Cody the Jaguar, waits on Isaac’s hospital bed outside the operating room. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac only had to stay in the hospital for four days after the transplant. On average, pediatric patients usually spend a week in the hospital, but Isaac has been recovering well. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

A month after returning home after surgery, Isaac is back to his normal routine and improving his quality of life. All restrictions on him were lifted and he returned to play with his cats on their farm in Ionia. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

He plays with Legos and video games, dances to music and plays cards and board games like Uno and Settlers with his four sisters Emma, Anna, Eliana and Lillian. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac loves to draw different creatures from his vivid imagination. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

The first thing Isaac asked after surgery was to hold his cat, Batman. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac returns to the active life of being a big brother and running with his four sisters. (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Isaac should drink a lot of water after the transplant. “They really want to push the fluids to irrigate the kidneys,” Michelle said. “And we were told that was the best thing for her.” (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

“We are very pleased with everything,” Michelle said. “Everyone was so accommodating, and everything went so well. It was just surreal.” (Taylor Pallick | Corewell Health Beat)

Since 2019, Isaac Fletcher, 13, and his family have been on a journey in search of a kidney.

In 2019, he was diagnosed with kidney disease after a bout with E. coli.

He eventually suffered an almost complete loss of kidney function and was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2019.

For three years, he and his mother, Michelle, had driven the hour-long drive from Ionia to Grand Rapids for dialysis appointments three days a week.

Isaac became a familiar face Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital at Corewell Health.

He makes friends with patients and staff on his way toward a transplant. Isaac and his family spent hundreds of days in the dialysis clinic playing bingo, watching cartoons, or making arts and crafts projects.

“What do you want to do on your last day of dialysis?” asked Child Life Specialist Mimi Rasey.

“Video games, of course,” Isaac said.

After years of countless medical appointments, dialysis ended because Michelle was about to give her a special gift – one of her own kidneys.

“He’s an amazing kid and he’s so smart and silly. He makes us laugh,” said Liz Orme, a dialysis technician at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

Liz made a chocolate-covered Funfetti Cake with Sprinkles, a special request from Isaac, to celebrate his last day on dialysis. Other team members stopped by with gifts and good wishes.

“It would definitely be weird without Isaac on dialysis. We’ve gotten to know him, his mom, and his sisters really well over the years,” said Liz.

But they were excited that Isaac had a kidney transplant which meant he would not need dialysis anymore.

The Child and Family Life team hung a hand-drawn banner that read, “Good luck Michelle and Isaac!” With one kidney pointing thumbs up.

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The long road to cultivation

“We’ve been warming to the transplant idea for some time,” Michelle said. “It was all surreal.”

She said the whole process took nearly two years to come together, and after all that time it seems crazy that the day has finally come.

“Isaac was excited and nervous at the same time on the big day,” she said.

His last pre-surgery jaunt included him and his father attending a Winter Jam concert at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

A few days later, he and his mother underwent a transplant.

“We stayed in the hospital a lot less than expected,” Michelle said.

Doctors told her that the average baby survives for about a week after a kidney transplant, and because Isaac is so complex, he will likely take longer to recover.

“Isaac was released after only four days,” she said. “He did well.”

She said on the first day he peed almost 13 liters.

“They really want to push the fluids to irrigate the kidneys,” Michelle said. “And we were told that was the best thing for her.”

And the good news: Some of the things Isaac and his family expected after the surgery, he never faced.

life at home

About a week after he went home after surgery, Isaac was back to his normal routine and improving his quality of life.

He plays with Legos and video games, dances to music and plays cards and board games like Uno and Settlers with his four sisters Emma, Anna, Eliana and Lillian.

“He used to drink a lot after years of limiting fluid intake during dialysis,” she said.

Isaac was restricted to drinking 1 liter of fluid per day while on dialysis, now he must drink at least 2.5 liters per day.

And since his immune system is somewhat suppressed from the anti-rejection protocols, he still isn’t going to a lot of places.

But Isaac and his mother still visit the transplant clinic twice a week for now.

“We are very pleased with everything,” Michelle said. “Everyone has been so accommodating, and everything has gone so well.”

“It was surreal,” she said.

In closing, let us remember that every ending brings forth a new beginning. As we conclude this article, may we embrace the lessons learned, the insights gained, and the possibilities that lie ahead. Together, let us step forward with courage and optimism, for the journey continues , and our potential knows no bounds.

Source_by_healthbeat.corewellhealth.org

A mother’s life-saving gift for her son | Corwell Health

The long road to cultivation

life at home

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