Jamestown teenager's recovery continues

A Jamestown teenager continues to recover from a kidney transplant she had in March.

Emily Gunderson, 17, received a kidney from her father, Troy, on March 18 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Since then, Emily has had new challenges, according to her father and a journal the family has been keeping the Caring Bridge Web site.

Emily had Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, a disease that destroyed her kidneys, prompting the need for the transplant.

The challenge with the new kidney has been two-fold. First, doctors need to prevent the body’s rejection of the kidney. Preventing the return of FSGS is the second part of the challenge. Both situations require a careful balance of drugs and protocols, according to Sheri Gunderson, Emily’s mother and a nurse.

Sheri describes getting the kidney to function properly as “a complicated case.”

Emily got out of Methodist Hospital in Rochester March 29 and moved into Ronald McDonald House to recuperate. The stay there meant highs and lows in health, doctors’ appointments and tests, plus short hospital stays.

By April 25, Emily was home. The ups and downs continue, with a general improvement in her overall health, her father said in an e-mail. But, the battle isn’t over, especially with FSGS.

Emily and her father are back at Mayo Clinic this week. Troy is getting a re-check on his surgery. Emily’s kidney function reached a precarious state and doctors are doing lab tests. According to Sheri, the “line between stable and questionable is thin” in Emily’s kidney health.

To follow Emily’s recovery, go to www.caringbridge.org. Type in emily gunderson to reach the family’s Web site.

Tags: local news, news, recovery, kidney, transplant, gunderson