When Karen Rodas and Paul Rybkin’s son Nathaniel was born, he lived for just 36 hours. He had a rare condition called Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), which causes cysts to grow in the kidneys and can lead to kidney failure.
In 2013, Karen and Paul had another child, Maddy, who also had PKD. The condition caused Maddy’s stomach to swell, and she spent the first 18 months of her life in and out of hospitals. Despite the treatments, her health started getting worse.
Maddy became very tired, sleeping up to 18 hours a day, and she was always vomiting. Doctors were worried she might not survive unless they found a kidney donor. Then, her dad Paul was tested and found to be a match.
Karen was nervous about the surgery. “With Paul and Maddy, two of my most precious souls, going under the knife, my nerves were a wreck,” she said. The surgery went well, and both Maddy and Paul recovered.
“Daddy’s kidney has saved our little girl,” Karen shared. “Now she has so much energy. Her tummy, which was swollen before, is now just a little round. She’s a happy and healthy two-year-old.”
Paul, however, said he only did what any father would do. “We’ve been on a rollercoaster, but any father would have done what I did,” he said. “It’s part of being a parent.”
Now, Maddy is thriving and growing up as a healthy girl. Karen shared a post about Maddy’s graduation from preschool, saying, “It’s hard to believe our little baby is getting ready to start kindergarten.”
Maddy will eventually need another kidney transplant in about 25 years, but for now, her parents feel relieved. “It feels like a lifetime away,” Karen said.
Maddy’s journey continues to be shared by her mom, who updates everyone on her progress. Today, Maddy is 9 years old, and the family is happy to see how far she has come.