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Bound by blood
Nick Rieder donates kidney to save the life of brother Kris
nick-and-kris
Nick Rieder, center, donated a kidney in March to his brother, Kris, right. The transplant immediately helped Kris, 31, return to normal activities, like fishing and hunting, both of which he has a passion for. Here, Nick and Kris share a photo with a turkey they harvested with younger brother Kaiden.

MONROE — Kris Rieder recently celebrated his dog, Mollie, passing two senior hunt tests. In May, he bagged a turkey and, earlier in the spring, he helped his sister Kailey shoot a bird of her own.

All of this wouldn’t have been possible without a kidney transplant he received from his own brother Nick on March 15. Prior to the surgery, Kris received dialysis three times a week. The treatment left him fatigued to the point it was difficult to walk.

“I was still able to walk and somewhat enjoy outdoor activities like hunting, but I needed a lot of help doing those things,” Kris said.  “After I received the transplant, it only took about a week or two and I gained a lot of mobility back. I can’t thank Nick enough for risking his life to save mine.”


Diagnosis

Preparing to pitch in a Home Talent baseball game in 2017, Kris visited his primary care doctor, Dr. Robert Cates, for a cortisone shot. That’s when Dr. Cates noticed symptoms of kidney disease, such as high blood pressure and swelling in Kris’s legs. After further testing and a visit with a nephrologist, Kris was officially diagnosed with kidney disease.

“The diagnosis stemmed from an auto-immune disease called IGA Nephropathy,” Kris said. “Basically, my body’s immune system harms the kidneys. I never noticed any issues, other than a little bit of leg swelling and occasional headaches, until I went to my appointment with Dr. Cates and he pointed out the other symptoms.”

It was in those early appointments with his nephrologist that Kris learned he’d eventually need a kidney transplant.

“I was the first person Kris told when he got diagnosed,” Nick said. “He was pretty emotional, so I replied with ‘Well I’ll just give you one of mine.’ Of course it was a simplistic approach, but it eased the tension a little.”

Little did Kris and Nick know that six years down the road, Nick’s statement would come true. Until then, Kris treated his kidney disease with lifestyle changes like a change in diet and medication.


Rejection and Dialysis

Despite small changes, Kris went on the donor list for a kidney a couple years later. The doctors gave Kris cards to hand out to potential donors, which he also shared to Facebook.

“After a few months, the doctors said I had a large number of people call in to try to get tested, which I was extremely grateful for,” Kris said. “My support system has been unbelievable throughout this whole process.”

It wasn’t until early November 2022 that Kris received a phone call on his way home from Janesville telling him there was an available kidney.

“This was a whirlwind of emotions,” Kris said. “My girlfriend and I were coming home from Janesville when I received the phone call, and I was shocked and couldn’t even speak. I had to hand the phone to her so she could do the talking for me.”

After accepting the kidney, Kris and his girlfriend Taylor packed their bags for UW Hospital, where, hours after getting the greatest news of his life, Kris received some of the worst news of his life. After pre-op testing to make sure the surgery would go as planned, the doctors told Kris he was too sick to accept the transplant.

“My heart sank,” Kris said. “If I would have received the kidney, it most likely would have been rejected. I eventually knew it was for the best, and I hope whoever got it is doing great. But knowing what was ahead of me seemed never ending.”

It was at that time that Kris decided to receive dialysis. Despite initial thoughts against the process, Kris knew it was for the best.

“I never really researched dialysis in the beginning, but I told everyone I would never do it and go through that,” Kris said. “In the end I knew it was necessary and it made me a little healthier, and I knew it was only temporary.”

So, Kris went to the dialysis center in Monroe where he sat for four hours at a time, three times a week to receive treatment. Because Kris’s kidneys weren’t functioning properly, dialysis performed the duties normally done by the kidney, such as removing waste and extra fluids in the body, keeping safe levels of minerals in the blood and regulating blood pressure.

He endured these treatments until this past March when his life took a turn for the better.


Transplant

On March 14, 2023, Kris shared with his friends and family on Facebook that he’d undergone tests and would be receiving a kidney from his brother Nick.

In order to match with Kris for a transplant, Nick had to undergo tests to check his blood and tissue type.

“You have to have a compatible blood and tissue type to reduce the chance of rejection,” Nick said. “There are 12 categories, and obviously, the more you match the better. We matched 10 out of the 12, which meant the chance of rejection was low.”

According to the UC Davis Health Transplant Center, there are three tests done to evaluate kidney donors. The first, is a blood test. Much like blood transfusions, certain blood types can only receive from specified types and vice versa. Type O is the universal donor and can give to every type, while type AB is the universal recipient because it can take blood from any other type.

 Once the crossmatch test determines compatible blood types, a potential donor goes through HLA typing, which stands for human leukocyte antigen. Out of 100 identified antigens, six have proven vital in organ transplantation. Normally, matching these antigens with a stranger is rare, which is why Nick and Kris matched so well.

“To be honest, I didn’t really care where it came from, I just knew I needed one,” Kris said. “Knowing it came from my brother means a million times more to me than someone else. The fact he, or anyone, would go through this for me is incomprehensible.”

Although there were risks involved for Nick, such as infection and internal bleeding, he knew the risks were worth saving his brother’s life.

“Infection and internal bleeding are the highest risks with any surgery,” Nick said. “Living with one kidney has some risks, but oh well. I never thought about not doing it because of those risks.”

Nick was out of the hospital within 24 hours and back to working full-time at Disch Trucking and Excavation shortly after. Although Kris stayed a couple days longer, he felt the positive effects right away.

“It was almost immediate that I started to feel better,” Kris said. “I think it was the second day after surgery I noticed being more alert and just overall feeling better. It took about a week to notice a difference in my legs and my ability to walk, but that feeling of being able to walk normally again is one that is hard to explain.”


Recovery

A month to the date from his surgery, Kris was back to doing what he loves best: hunting. He was able to take his sister Kailey out for youth turkey hunt with the help of long-time friend Drew Nafzger.

“I’m just glad he was able to finally get a new kidney and is starting to get back to being normal,” Drew said. “We have gone on many hunts together over the years, and it was nice being able to be together for the first turkey hunt of the year. It was just like the good old days.”

Although Kris still has some limitations, he’s still grateful for what he’s able to do with his new kidney.

“I am getting better by the day, and I notice I am no longer tired throughout the days. I really have no pain at all and haven’t pushed my limits too much yet. I still listen to my body and know when to take a step back and take it easy. The last thing I want to do is cause an issue and be back at square one.”

Looking back on the journey, Kris is grateful for not only Nick, but all of his friends and family for their support.

“My family, friends, girlfriend, have been an unbelievable support system, and I cannot thank everyone enough for everything they have done. The nurses and doctors up at UW are the best around and made this whole process easier. I really am forever grateful for everyone involved in this whole process the last six years.”


How to donate

To learn more about donating a kidney, visit UW Health’s Kidney Transplant page and fill out their questionnaire: https://uwhealthtransplant.donorscreen.org/register/now. 

“If anyone is thinking about being a living donor, I would definitely say think about it,” Nick said. “It’s a good feeling knowing you can give someone a new lease on life.”