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Isaac Fletcher, 13, has been in search of a kidney since 2019. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
He was diagnosed with kidney disease after a bout with E. coli. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Over the three years, Isaac has had many hospital stays and routine trips to the dialysis clinic 3 days a week. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
He eventually experienced almost complete loss of kidney function and was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2019. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac became a familiar face at Corewell Health’s Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and made many friends with his positive attitude and creative imagination. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Michelle and Kevin Fletcher, Isaac’s mom and dad, were in search for a kidney for their son. They couldn’t find a match. After several tests, Michelle was about to provide a special gift to Isaac–one of her kidneys. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac and his mom would make the hour-long drive from Ionia to Grand Rapids for dialysis appointments 3 days a week for 3 years, but soon they reached their last day. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Decorations hung from the ceiling where Isaac received dialysis and logged many hours sitting and waiting in his chair. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
“He’s such a great kid and he’s so smart and silly. He keeps us laughing,” said Liz Orme, dialysis technician at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac and Michelle were greeted with a big sign that read “Good luck Isaac and Michelle” with a kidney drawn on it. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Liz made chocolate-frosted Funfetti cupcakes with sprinkles, a special request of Isaac’s, to celebrate his last day in dialysis. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac takes a big bite into his chocolate frosted cupcake. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac’s last hurrah prior to surgery included he and his dad attending a Winter Jam concert at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Michelle wore her super mom socks the day before transplant. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
“It’s definitely going to be weird without Isaac in dialysis. We have gotten to know him, his mom and sisters so well over the years,” Liz said. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
“We have been preparing for the idea of a transplant for quite some time,” Michelle said. “It has all just been surreal.” (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac and Michelle were placed side by side in the holding bay before surgery so they could see each other before they went to the operating rooms. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Kevin comforts Michelle before surgery and says his goodbyes until he sees her in recovery. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
“Isaac was both excited and nervous on the big day,” Michelle said. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Kevin plays with Cody, Isaac’s stuffed animal jaguar, to help ease his nerves before surgery. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Michelle gets taken back to surgery while OR staff talks with Isaac. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Daniel Borreson, MD, works to remove Michelle’s kidney. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Once Dr. Borreson is ready to remove the kidney, he waits for Joel Stracke, MD, to come in and get ready so he can then take the kidney immediately to the recipient. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Dr. Stracke scrubs in and prepares to get ready to bring the kidney to Isaac. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Dr. Borreson prepares to remove the kidney for Dr. Stracke to then take to his Or to prepare it for transplant. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Dr. Stracke gets ready transplant the kidney into Isaac. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac’s stuffed animal, Cody the jaguar, waits on Isaac’s hospital bed outside the OR. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac only had to stay in the hospital for four days post transplant. On average, pediatric patients typically stay a week in the hospital, but Isaac was recovering very well. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
After a month of being home after surgery, Isaac is getting back to his normal routine and a better quality of life. All his restrictions have been lifted and he is back to playing with his cats on their farm in Ionia. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
He’s playing with Legos and video games, dancing to music and playing card and board games like Uno and Settlers with his four sisters Emma, Anna, Elliana and Lillian. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac loves to draw different creatures from his vibrant imagination. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
The first thing Isaac asked for after surgery was to hold his cat, Batman. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac is getting back to an active life of being a big brother and running around with his four sisters. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Isaac has to drink a lot of water post transplant. “They really want to push fluids to water the kidney,” Michelle said. “And we were told that is the best thing for it.” (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
“We’re so super pleased with everything,” Michelle said. “Everyone has been so helpful, and it all went so well. It’s just been surreal.” (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Health Beat)
Since 2019, Isaac Fletcher, 13, and his family have been on a journey in search of a kidney.
In 2019 he was diagnosed with kidney disease after a bout with E. coli.
He eventually experienced almost complete loss of kidney function and was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2019.
For three years, he and his mother Michelle would make the hour-long drive from Ionia to Grand Rapids for dialysis appointments three days a week.
And Isaac became a familiar face at Corewell Health’s Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
He made friends with patients and staff on his road toward a transplant. Isaac and his family spent their hundreds of days in the dialysis clinic playing bingo, watching cartoons, or making arts and craft projects.
“What would you like to do on your last day of dialysis?” child life specialist Mimi Rassi asked.
“Video games, of course,” Isaac said.
After years of countless medical appointments, dialysis was coming to an end because Michelle was about to provide a special gift–one of her kidneys.
“He’s such a great kid and he’s so smart and silly. He keeps us laughing,” said Liz Orme, dialysis technician at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
Liz made chocolate-frosted Funfetti cupcakes with sprinkles, a special request of Isaac’s, to celebrate his last day in dialysis. Other team members stopped by with gifts and well wishes.
“It’s definitely going to be weird without Isaac in dialysis. We have gotten to know him, his mom and sisters so well over the years,” Liz said.
But they were excited Isaac’s kidney transplant meant he would no longer need dialysis.
The Child and Family Life team hung a hand-painted banner that said “Good luck Michelle and Isaac!“ with a kidney giving a thumbs up.
The long road to transplant
“We have been preparing for the idea of a transplant for quite some time,” Michelle said. “It has all just been surreal.”
She said the entire process took nearly two years to pull together, and after all that time it seems kind of crazy that the day finally arrived.
“Isaac was both excited and nervous on the big day,” she said.
His last hurrah prior to surgery included he and his dad attending a Winter Jam concert at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
Just a few days later he and his mother underwent transplant surgery.
“We stayed at the hospital significantly less than anticipated,” Michelle said.
Doctors told her the average child stays about a week post kidney transplant, and because Isaac is so complex, he would most likely take longer to recover.
“Isaac was released after just four days,” she said. “He did so well.”
She said the first day he peed almost 13 liters.
“They really want to push fluids to water the kidney,” Michelle said. “And we were told that is the best thing for it.”
And the good news: Some of the issues Isaac and his family were anticipating after surgery, he never faced.
Life at home
After just about a week of being home after surgery, Isaac is getting back to his normal routine and a better quality of life.
He’s playing with Legos and video games, dancing to music and playing card and board games like Uno and Settlers with his four sisters Emma, Anna, Elliana and Lillian.
“He’s getting used to drinking so much after years of limiting fluid intake while on dialysis,” she said.
Isaac was limited to drinking 1 liter of fluid a day while on dialysis and now must aim to drink at least 2.5 liters each day.
And since his immune system is rather suppressed from anti-rejection protocols, he’s still not going a lot of places.
But Isaac and his mom still visit the transplant clinic twice a week for now.
“We’re so super pleased with everything,” Michelle said. “Everyone has been so helpful, and it all went so well.”
“It’s just been surreal,” she said.
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