Fundraisers are being held around the community for eight-year-old Micah Lambert as he prepares for a kidney transplant that he needs.
At only three-years-old, he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.
“He’s been sick since he was nine-months-old, but he didn’t get diagnosed until he was three,” stated his mom, Candace Lambert. “We received the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease with stage 3b kidney failure when he was three-years-old. From the time he was three until just last year, he remained stable in stage 3b. He didn’t do any big jumps.”
Last year, things started to change.
“Last year, he started being tired more. He started retaining fluid a little bit, and when we went to our appointment late last year, he was a late stage four,” explained Candace. “This year in January, we were hospitalized for what they call an episode. He can’t intake any fluids, and it is just a symptom of kidney disease. We were there for three or four days and then came home. For the next two weeks, he was sleeping a lot. He was barely awake during the day. We called the doctor, and they said it may take a little more time for him to regain strength. About the third week, he started getting a little bit more energy, but then he fell right back down that following week.”
With all the changes and the levels of exhaustion he has shown, the decision was made that it is time to do something more for him.
“In March, we had a follow-up appointment, and they wanted to start growth hormone therapy to try and help his body get ready for a transplant. With kidney disease patients, they’re usually stunted in growth. He has the bone stature of a five-year-old, and he’ll be nine in October. They wanted to start growth hormone therapy,” continued Candace. “Then, his teacher started calling me from school in April, and I was having to go pick him up a lot because he was sleeping in class. He had gotten where he was asleep 75% of the time he was at school. He was only awake three to five hours a day. We had an appointment on May 11, and the doctors looked at his numbers, everything declining, his retaining fluid, and the way he was sleeping. They decided that they were ready to go ahead with the transplant and start dialysis. We had an appointment on the 17 to get a consultation for the dialysis catheter port to be placed, and we just had the dialysis catheter port placed on the 23.”
He and his parents are now preparing to be able to do peritoneal dialysis at home. They will receive training on how to do it, and his father is going to be tested to see if he is a match for his kidney.
“We have to go every week to get it flushed until we have our dialysis training. He’ll be able to do dialysis at home since we live so far away,” informed Candace. “The dialysis training is a week-long class. We have to stay in Jackson for a week. Micah has to be with us, and both me and his dad have to be there for the training class. As soon as the class is over, we’ll come home, and he’ll start dialysis at home the next day. As soon as we start dialysis, they’ll start making appointments. His dad is supposed to be getting tested to be able to donate because they’re the same blood type. They’re going to test Micah and get all the baseline numbers and everything that they need. Then, my husband will have all his tests done. If he passes all of that, then he has to go through psychiatric evaluation, which is something all transplant patients do. Then, they will schedule a transplant. Their goal is two months, so they’re looking at the end of July and beginning of August.”
In order to assist with the costs, various fundraisers have been set up around town.
“My husband will be out of work for four to six weeks if he’s a match, and he’s the only one that works. It’s just not possible for me to work having to take care of my children and taking off with Micah,” explained Candace. “Kelly Holloman at Just Tee’sin offered to help us with a t-shirt fundraiser. All the proceeds we get from it will go to helping us get back and forth to Jackson. If the Ronald McDonald House is full in the end of June, we will have to find somewhere to stay. It’ll go to food while we’re there. When my husband has to be out of work, it’ll go to wages. That’s one of the fundraisers. We have a few jars set up in town at a few hotspots.”
Other fundraisers are also being planned to help them out. Anyone who would like to order a t-shirt or make a contribution can contact Candace Lambert at 601-530-5696. Payments can be made on PayPal @cLambert050512 or cashapp $clambert3.
