The Peru Gazette

Zachary, Ryon, Riley, Brady and Nicki O'Connell

By John T. Ryan

On February 5^th Nicki and Ryon O’Connell will help their son Brady celebrate his second birthday and it would be understandable if they reflect on their experiences over the past two years. On November 15^th Brady returned home after having undergone three kidney transplant surgeries over a ten-week period. Brady has been hospitalized for about nine months since his birth and his parents have almost always been at his side. Fortunately, the O’Connell’s have experienced overwhelming support from family, friends, employers, co-workers and our community. Nicki explained, “Prayer, faith, family and community support have been very important to us. We’re very grateful.”

Ryon and Nicki O’Connell have always been busy people. Along with Brady they have two other sons – Riley who is seven and Zachary who is four. Ryon teaches 5^th grade at Peru Central and coaches girls’ basketball and J.V. football. Up until the time Brady was born Nicki taught elementary school in Mooers. Brady’s kidney and circulatory problems came to light about five weeks following his February 5, 2007 birth when he suffered an accessory renal vein rupture and multi-organ failure. Brady’s life was in jeopardy, but thanks to the CVPH Medical Center and the Transport Team and Pediatric Care Unit at Fletcher Allen Medical Center he survived. During a six month hospitalization Brady gradually regained use of his organs with the exception of his kidneys. He returned home on August 21, 2007 and was put on a waiting list for a kidney transplant at Children’s Hospital of Boston.

At home Brady underwent twelve hours of nighttime kidney dialysis daily. Ryon and Nicki hoped he would receive a kidney the following February or March. Every time the phone rang they thought that it had to be the transplant doctor calling, but months passed without that phone call. Ryan explained, “They actually turned down ten to fifteen donors waiting for the perfect one.” Brady couldn’t receive a kidney from a living donor because his vascular system was so incomplete. Finally the call came and on August 21, 2008 Brady underwent twelve hours of surgery and received two kidneys. Not long after surgery the renal vein clotted, but there was still hope. On September 24^th the O’Connell’s brought Brady home but as Nicki said, “Brady wasn’t himself. He was very sick.” After only two days at home an ambulance had to be called and soon Brady was back at Boston Children’s Hospital intensive care unit and then back to the transplant floor.

Nicki explained that one day Brady’s doctor came in and said, “I have an open OR date thirteen days from now.” That meant that on October 9^th Nicki would have an opportunity to donate her kidney to Brady. A kidney from a living donor was possible now because of the blood vessels that were implanted during Brady’s first transplant. Nicki and Ryon, Ryon’s brother and three friends had been evaluated as donors and Nicki was the best match. Nicki said, “It’s funny. Ryon and I almost didn’t discuss it. We both knew it was going to be me.” While Nicki’s surgery (the first surgery in her life) went very well, Brady’s transplant wasn’t successful. Nicki explained, “Blood was flowing through the kidney, but the kidney wasn’t working.”

  Time was becoming critical. It’s very uncommon to put a baby through three transplants in the course of two or three months, but Brady’s dialysis was very difficult to administer because scar tissue was forming in his one usable vein. So on November 4^th Brady underwent a relatively brief four and one-half hour third kidney-transplant surgery. Nicki and Ryon could see the difference right away. Nicki said, “I said to myself I think this one’s going to work. He didn’t look sick. He seemed calmer. There was something about him.” Ryon and Nicki checked Brady’s catheter every five minutes to see if he was making urine. After a short time, Nicki noticed the tube filling and called the doctor over to check. The kidney was functioning normally.

Riley is very happy to have Brady home

  Since returning home there have been weekly trips to both Burlington and Boston where doctors take blood tests and observe Brady. Last week Ryan and Nicki received the good news that the trips can be reduced to alternate weeks. Riley and Zach no longer are afraid that their mom isn’t going to return when she leaves for the trip to Boston. While this reporter was talking to Ryon and Nicki the boys played their video games and got into an occasional brotherly disagreement. They came up to mom and dad wearing soda-flavored chapstick and looked for a kiss. Brady sat on his mom and dad’s laps looking for hugs, then walked over and began playing with his brothers. The O’Connell household is returning to normal and it’s a wonderful way to begin a new year.