Stephanie Remo

“Her heart, her desire, and her fate put her in the position to receive a successful kidney transplant,” says Christina Wallace, RN Kidney Transplant Coordinator.

Stephanie Remo, 52, mother and proud H-E-B employee, received a kidney transplant on Saturday, July 16, 2022. 

In August of 2018, Stephanie had taken a trip to the grocery store with her son when she suddenly passed out. She was transported to Westover Hills ER, where she was diagnosed with stage 4 Lupus and was also dehydrated from the Flu. Lupus is a chronic disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of the body. Unfortunately, this later evolved into FSGS, a rare disease that affects the filters in the kidneys.

Stephanie was assigned a nephrologist that started a plan designed for her condition that included routine tests, blood work, and specific medications. Every three weeks she visited with her nephrologist to monitor her kidney levels. During one of those visits, her kidney levels reached 15%, which meant Stephanie was in dire need of a kidney transplant. Some of the symptoms she described were fatigue, dehydration, and memory loss. From a mental standpoint, she experienced depression, fear, and anxiety. “I didn’t understand what had happened to me,” said Stephanie.

At the time, her son was only 11 years old. As a single mother, she was afraid for her son. “I thought it was the end of the world,” said Stephanie. In the past, a family member of hers had also undergone transplant surgery, and the outcome wasn’t as expected. Stephanie knew dialysis was absolutely not an option for her, so she decided to change her lifestyle and eating habits. She became a vegan, which helped her sustain life. During the process, Stephanie never stopped working. She worked 40 plus hours a week as an administrator for H-E-B and never missed a day of work. Stephanie says, “If I didn’t work, I would have been pondering the idea that I needed a kidney transplant and it would have sped up the process of kidney failure.”

On Friday, July 15, 2022, Stephanie was supposed to go to work, however, the day prior she had been feeling exhausted, so she requested the day off. “I felt like God was telling me I had to get ready,” said Stephanie. She decided to clean her home and relax. That night, a transplant coordinator called her saying, “Stephanie we are calling to see if you have a ride to Methodist? The surgeon would like to know how quickly you can get here.” Stephanie was in shock and described it as a dream. “I can go right now!” said Stephanie. Her hospital bag had been packed and ready to go by the door for four years. She contacted her sister and son right away, and they both accompanied her to the hospital.

Stephanie was put on two separate lists to receive a kidney, the deceased list and the Hepatitis C list. Typically, patients who reach a 15% GFR are put on dialysis, however, Stephanie maintained a 7% GFR without dialysis treatment until the day she got on the operating table. Her doctors could not believe she had been walking around at 7%. All her numbers and tests looked great. Saturday morning rolled around, and Stephanie was in the operating room ready to go. “I embraced this feeling. It was a new beginning. I had another chance at life,” said Stephanie.

Post-surgery, Stephanie spoke about her recovery process. “The level of care from the moment I opened my eyes to when I got discharged was amazing!” She described staff as friendly, helpful and remarkable. “She did everything she was supposed to do and with a positive attitude. Her energy and vibe was infectious,” said Yoli Mendoza, Transplant Assistant. Stephanie was extremely proactive throughout entire transplant process, which helped her reach the end goal. When she woke up, her vision instantly improved. She felt healthier and had much more energy. “I was very well educated. When it was time to leave the hospital, I knew exactly what I needed to do,” commented Stephanie.

Immediately after surgery, Stephanie told her physicians, “I know your job is challenging, but God gave you the gift of saving lives. You were the hands, eyes, and soul to getting this organ to work for me.”

To learn more about organ donation, please visit https://www.donatelifetexas.org/sahealth/.