OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Daryl Duchatschek suffers from Tuberous Sclerosis and recently had his second kidney transplant. He's now recovering, and using his experience to help his daughter Jenn Mortimer, who suffers from the same disease.
“Has it brought us closer, yeah [we're] closer," Daryl said of his and Mortimer's common battle with the disease. "Not that we were ever far apart, but it’s closer because now we share the same thing, bad kidneys.”
Mortimer explains that she was recently hospitalized due to complications from her condition. She says being able to lean on her Dad's experience in dealing with tuberous sclerosis has been invaluable for her.
“When I was in the hospital I had a lot of questions…" she explained. "I would always take screenshots and stuff and send them to him and be like, 'What does this mean?'…he texts me back and be like, 'OK, that’s good, that’s bad, we gotta watch this.'”
While she's back at home with her family now, she says her condition has led to some tragic complications, such as losing her third child during pregnancy.
Despite all her complications, Mortimer says her kidneys are still mostly functional, and while she knows a transplant may be needed down the road, she's now seeking treatment to help alleviate her kidney problems without transplants. For the time being though, Mortimer says she's "just very happy [that I'm] able to come home and take care of my children."
As for Duchatschek, he says he's grateful to the people like his friend Ellen Kempf, his donor, and everyone who made it possible for him to get his new kidney. He says he takes comfort knowing that there are still people out there, who would be willing to give their kidney to his daughter too, if she ever needs it.
“It’s awesome to know that there are still people out there that will donate," he said.
Mortimer has set up a gofundme to help pay some of the expenses related to her recent hospital stay for anyone interested in giving.
