I Don't Quite Know What to Say - Jenny Has Passed Away

Hi All,

Jenny passed away last night after a week of hospice care and over 8 years of pain and suffering. I wish I could say that her last days were peaceful, but unfortunately they were not. She was in excruciating pain and agony for several days before we finally got her to sleep for a few hours. She passed soon after.

Unfortunately, there is no lesson learned or positive twist on her story. There's no "This is the mystery of God's plan" or "She's in a better place." Plain and simple, it is a frickin' tragedy. And my heart is absolutely broken in half.

Thank you all for your support and kind words. My mom and I have a lot to process here, but we are thankful for everyone's support.

I will try to post again soon with plans for remembering Jenny and what charity will accept donations in her name. Not sure how to sign this one. Appreciate your siblings and family, please.

-Lorne

Updates on Jenny

Hi All,

Just wanted to give you all an update on Jenny. She recently traveled to Johns Hopkins (where I met her) and went through a series of tests, along with a potential donor. Over the course of the past several months, this potential donor has been going through several rounds of tests himself. He is a close enough match that they are willing to try. His dedication to my sister's life is more than amazing...it is deeply appreciated, and he should know that my family is now his, and we are deeply grateful no matter the outcome.

As for Jenny, she is trying to get to the point where she can begin the process of plasmapheresis and chemotherapy. At this point, doctors are just trying to keep her alive, so an eventual transplant is dependent on her body's ability to gain strength and stabilize. I'm not a praying man, but for those of you who are, she could use it now. She has dropped to 94 pounds (she's 5'9"), is covered in silver dollar-sized sores, and has a serious staff infection from the sores. She is extremely frail and falls down often because of her muscle atrophy (she now has three broken ribs and a hematoma on her hip from falling). You can see some sad and frightening signs in her face - it's scaring me. Godwilling, she'll turn 30 on September 21st (eight years on dialysis). Please pray for her. Please.

My sister does not want sympathy. She wants to live. Granting her that wish, unfortunately, is a bit beyond our control now. Thank you for all of you who have spread the word and for those of you who have volunteered to be tested. If the current donor candidate were to fall through - and she can hold on - Johns Hopkins will move on to the next volunteer. At this point, our current candidate is the best bet (and a great guy), and so we wait.

Hopefully the next post will be soon, and will be great news.

Thanks again, everyone,

Lorne

My Sister Is Hurting - SEND YOUR MESSAGE OF LOVE!!!

Thank you to everyone who has helped to spread the word, and to those of you who have volunteered to be tested. I just wanted to sort of update you all on Jenny's condition. Unfortunately, it's not the best of news.

I returned from Florida a few weeks ago. My mother had a bit of a breakdown and wound up in the hospital- understandable, to be sure, and she is doing better now. Jenny is fighting off another infection, and her weight has dropped down to a scary 100 pounds (she's 5'9"). She is visibly fading, weak, and clinging to hope. That hope bit is where we all come into play.

I hope you might all be willing to send a note from a stranger (you) to my sister, encouraging her to hang on, letting her know people are thinking of her, and that she is loved by an extended network of people who know her story and are rooting for her. Cards, flowers, telegrams (do they even have those anymore?), all would be appreciated. I know it's a little awkward and weird, but being so sick is very lonely, and holding out hope in the face of so much pain is difficult without support and words of love. We all get by with a little help from our friends.

Her address is: Jennifer Kates
3180 N.E. 48th Court
Apt. 415
Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Thank you all:)

-Lorne

Jenny Still Needs Volunteers

Hi All,

I want to thank everyone who has so selflessly volunteered to be tested, as well as those who have spread the word about her. Right now Jenny is waiting for results of tests done on some of the candidates who have come forward. So far, no one is a match (several candidates have been eliminated), so please, if you are interested, call the numbers listed in the previous post (numbers for the nurse coordinators at Johns Hopkins).

Jenny is hangin on, but not doing well. She is constantly fighting off one infection after another, spiking fevers, battling incomprehensible drops in blood pressure - all of which increase her chances of heart attack and stroke, and, needless to say, do not make her daily life pleasant. She is 29 years old - we need to help her make it through.

Please consider being tested. She needs a kidney, and needs it soon.

Much love to all,

Lorne

Happy Holidays to All!!!

Hi All,

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy holiday and a fantastic New Year. Thank you all for helping to spread the word on Jenny's situation. Your thoughts and efforts are deeply appreciated.

And to everyone who has decided to be tested, thank you so very much. It is no small gesture to offer the gift of life to someone you may not know. For that, I and my family thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

When you are sitting around Christmas dinner, or relaxing Christmas eve with some wine or eggnog, fielding calls from relatives, please keep Jenny in your thoughts. She could use all the good vibes she can get. And please tell your friends and family to check out the blog to learn more about how they can be tested.

If all works out as we'd like it to, Jenny will be a healthy and happy woman when the holidays roll around again this time next year. And it will be because of the good will of someone like you.

Sorry for the sappiness, party into the New Year like champs,

Lorne

TWO MAIN NUMBERS TO CALL FOR TESTING!!!!

If you have type A or O blood and want to be tested as a potential living kidney donor for Jenny, PLEASE CALL EITHER OR BOTH:

NIKKI LAWSON, nurse coordinator for the Johns Hopkins Incompatible Kidney Transplant Center, at 410-614-3790.
SHARON, also a nurse coordinator and the one that sends out the kits, at 410-955-6685.


Let them know you are interested in being tested as a potential kidney donor for Jennifer Kates' transplant. Leave your name and contact information and your mailing address so they know where to send the test kit.

And feel free to voice any and all questions or concerns you may have. Part of their job is to inform and explain, so fire away.

And, as always, feel free to contact me at anytime for anything at elmscrip@yahoo.com or 508-241-2991.
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Thank you all again for helping and for considering giving the gift of life.

Lorne

Some Testing Kits Sent Out

Hey All,

I just wanted to thank everyone for helping to spread the word about getting tested as potential kidney donors for Jenny. So far four testing kits have been sent out. That is fantastic! But we still need more candidates.

Please tell my sister's story to your family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, anyone who might be willing to be tested. You can help save my sister's life by telling her story, sending the link to this blog, or asking someone who might seem interested to email me at elmscrip@yahoo.com.

Also, I have decided to provide Johns Hopkins' direct contact information on the blog so people can bypass me if they want (some people may want it all done anonymously, and that's fine). See the post above for details.

Thank you all again for helping and for considering giving the gift of life.

Lorne

Cute Pics: Jenny the Gardener, Devil in a Blue Dress with the Young Professor

The Jewish Advocate Does Story on Jenny!!

Hi All,

Check out the link (under the "Links" section on the right side of this blog) to see the front page story in this week's Jewish Advocate. It is a fantastic piece that will hopefully help to get the word out on Jenny and the need for people to be tested.

Also check out the link to the editorial from the Advocate, which is an eye-openeing piece on Thanksgiving and Jenny's situation.

I will be working on posting an actual pdf version of the story to this site. So check back.

Many thanks to Hinda Mandell, editor of The Jewish Advocate, for doing the story and helping Jenny and my family. She did a fantastic job.

Also a big thanks to my professor, Laurel, for networking to find a media outlet for this story and cause.

And to everyone, thank you for your well-wishes, please help to continue to get the word out (talking up the blog site), and please consider being tested as a potential living kidney donor!!!

Contact me at elmscrip@yahoo.com, or call my cell at 508-241-2991, to find out more. Please, help save Jenny.

Thank you,
Lorne

PLEASE NOTE BLOOD TYPE CORRECTION - O POSITIVE CAN BE TESTED!

Hi All,

Just a minor correction that might broaden the field of candidates to be tested as potential living kidney donors for my sister Jenny. I had previously said that only people with type A (positive or negative) or type O negative blood could be considered for testing. In fact, type O positive blood will also be considered. So please pass this important info on to people.

Thanks everyone!

Lorne