DENVER— Eric Weichselbaumer wants no pity. He wants to encourage kidney donation.Eric’s uncommon bleeding problem worsened with age. After a cardiac attack in his early 30s, doctors found Eric had blood clotting difficulties.
“That started it. The heart attack was unexpected. He was otherwise healthy, Eric said.
Years later, a baseball-sized blot clot slipped through his left ventricle in January 2022. It split into tiny fragments that attacked most of his main organs, including his kidneys, and required the amputation of his left leg.
“Eric had terrible blood clots. Blood clots are usually localized. It was like every part of his body, including his heart and kidneys, said Eric’s transplant doctor at AdventHealth Porter in Denver, Dr. Hunter Moore.
When Eric’s kidneys failed, his wife, Amanda, donated one. She matched with a donor waiting list member but not her husband.
I hope my kidney donation altered the lives of the recipient and their family. Eventually, it helped my family boost my husband up the list, get him a kidney, and reach where we are now, said Amanda.
Amanda moved Eric up the donor list, allowing him to obtain a kidney in nine months instead of three to five years.Eric is back to being a husband, father, and great golfer with a new kidney and prosthetic leg. He navigates the path differently now.
“I don’t care if I do it differently. Eric stated he still manages.Eric plays on the U.S. Adaptive Golf Tour and hopes to play golf and spend time with his family.
“Completing the national championships with one of my best friends was cool in the adaptive world. Eric said he was delighted to continue his competitive adventure. “We had two amputations before kidney surgery. It’s hard for anyone with end-stage renal disease, kidney failure. It’s crucial to help these people alter their lives.”
