Life After Pediatric Kidney Transplant: A Mom's Journey Through Dialysis, Surgery, and Recovery

What does life really look like after a child receives a kidney transplant? Many people think transplant is the end of the journey—but for families, it's often just the beginning. This week's guest, Lyndsey Fedorko, returns to the podcast to share the next chapter of her son James's medical journey—life after a kidney transplant. After years of dialysis, hospitalizations, and uncertainty, James received a life-saving kidney transplant from his aunt, marking the beginning of a new season for their family. Lyndsey and Katie reflect on the intense months surrounding transplant surgery, including relocating their family to Houston, navigating the transplant workup process, and the emotional weight of waiting while two surgeries—donor and recipient—happened at the same time. Lyndsey shares what recovery really looked like, from the long hospital stay caused by a rare complication to the daily routines required to protect James's new kidney. Lyndsey shares openly about the ongoing care James still needs, including medications, monitoring for rejection, therapies, and the unexpected challenges that came after transplant—including a rejection episode that required intensive treatments. If you've ever wondered what life after pediatric transplant truly looks like, this conversation offers an honest and hopeful look at resilience, advocacy, and the power of family support. We extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsor for this episode, Gebauer PainEase®. We are pleased to provide more information about this product, and we invite you to learn more by visiting their website. Resources & Ways to Connect: Connect with Lyndsey Children's Transplant Initiative Provides housing and support for families traveling for pediatric transplant care. IROC (Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative) - Support and Educational Resources for families navigating pediatirc Kidney Transplants Connect with us!

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Life After Pediatric Kidney Transplant: A Mom's Journey Through Dialysis, Surgery, and Recovery is an episode from Child Life On Call: Parents of children with an illness or medical condition share their stories with a child life specialist by Child Life On Call®.

This episode is 41:25 long.

This episode was published on Mar 18, 2026.

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