​We are way overdue for an update on William and his journey with kidney disease. Since the last update in May, William underwent tear duct surgery without any complications, and was able to come home the same day. We were so thrilled to not stay in the hospital! Since then, we haven’t had any Emergency Room visits or overnight stays in the hospital. It’s been truly amazing.

William continues to struggle with eating anything by mouth. He still receives all of his nutrition through his gtube in his tummy. We often get asked how long he will have the feeding tube. The best answer we have come up with is, “For as long as he needs it”. We really don’t know. We do know that he has been growing like a weed and continues to do well getting his food through his tube. To us, we are just thankful we have a way to feed him. We have seen him take an interest in drinking small amounts of water from a sippy cup, which is great.

Last week we celebrated his second birthday. That was 730 days we weren’t sure we would ever get with him. I wish it were easy to put into words how grateful we are for his life and the odds he’s overcome. He is such a fighter and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down!

Last week also brought lots of doctor appointments, blood draws and shots. He was exhausted but kept smiling through it all. The best part was that his blood work showed his kidney function is STABLE! We were so relieved to hear those words. His blood pressure was also finally under control. We’ve been chasing his blood pressure for almost 2 years and it felt great to know we are making progress. He has been started on a low dose antibiotic that he will take indefinitely to protect against a serious liver infection. We weren’t excited to add another medication to his regimen but it’s necessary.

We have been involved with The Alabama Kidney Foundation since William was born. It’s been important to us to have a sense of community with other kidney families nearby. This year William has been asked to serve as the Patient Chair for the Birmingham Kidney Walk. This is an amazing opportunity for us to share his story. Most importantly, we are able to raise funds to benefit kidney families in Alabama. Chronic kidney disease is a disease for life and the continuous medical care can be financially taxing. The Alabama Kidney Foundation provides transportation to dialysis and medical appointments, as well as other financial assistance.

We would be honored to have you support William. We have created a team, WILD for William, and hope you can walk with us at the Birmingham Kidney Walk on April 28th @ 9:30 @ Samford University’s Track. If you are interested please let us know.

Here is the link to his fundraising page : http://alkf.convio.net/site/TR/Events/General?team_id=1161&pg=team&fr_id=1080

William continues to bless us with his loving personality and wild spirit! We couldn’t ask for a sweeter boy.

Thank you for following along on this journey,

Kaylee and Matchett Gunn

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33