Voices of PKD: Megan Kuck
In February 2005, my husband and I had a second ultrasound to help us determine the gender of our second child. During the ultrasound, the tech went quiet and told us that she would be right back. In just a few moments, the room was filled with doctors and nurses. Our baby was definitely a girl, and there was something very wrong.
It took weeks and multiple visits to specialists to try to get some answers and a plan of care. We were not given many answers, so we did our own research and found the possible diagnosis of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD), which we had never heard of. I was told that she had a “text-book case” and that it was fatal.
On April 14, 2005, our precious angel baby, Lauren Elizabeth, was born weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces. She received the best care available, but her oxygen level wasn’t good, even with a ventilator. I got to hear her cry and see her beautiful eyes once. We were able to hold her and be with her for most of her 3 hours and 33 minutes on this earth. Several months later we finally received the official diagnosis that she had had ARPKD.
