Ramon Aguilar
Methodist employee receives life-saving kidney transplant after being on dialysis for over 7 years.
Ramon Aguilar, 63, knew he had a purpose in life and that was to help others. He was able to fulfill his destiny after a life-saving procedure.
“I got another chance [at life] and if I was going to work anywhere, it would be in this hospital [Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant],” commented Ramon. “After everything everyone [staff] did for me, I felt it was my way of giving back.”
Ramon was diabetic and had been in renal failure for about 16 years. One day, he came down with a staph infection and went into septic shock. Septic shock happens when your blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level after experiencing an infection. Ramon’s kidneys never bounced back after this.
Ramon was put on dialysis for over seven years. Throughout the treatment, Ramon never stopped working; he was always seeking new opportunities to grow. Ramon lived in Corpus Christi, Texas at the time and had been a successful business owner for about 34 years. He owned a sleep lab that started in 1990, a respiratory equipment company, a cardiac and pulmonary rehab center in Houston, Texsan and was on the Board of Admissions for the Del Mar College Respiratory Care Program. The first six years of dialysis were going well, however, when it stopped working, toxins began to build up and he began to experience a great deal of side effects. In 2015, his Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) decreased drastically, which qualified him to be put on the transplant waiting list. Unsure of what his future would look like, Ramon decided to let go of his business in December of 2020.
A few months later, on Saturday, March 27, 2021, Ramon received a phone call that would change his life. It was official; he was going to get a new kidney. He began to gather his belongings, medications and other necessities before making his way to San Antonio, Texas. While on the road, Ramon started making phones calls to family and friends. “The greatest fear is not knowing the outcome, so I made sure to take care of loose ends,” said Ramon. “Hopefully everything will be okay and it was.”
The whole process was non-stop; everything was expedited. Ramon arrived to San Antonio at 3pm and was in surgery by 7pm. Ramon suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when the muscles that support the soft tissues in your throat, such as your tongue and soft palate, temporarily relax. This caused minor implications post-surgery. After a couple of days, Ramon began to see definite improvement and he could tell his kidneys were starting to function properly. “I always had faith, I never gave up. I did it all under the guidance of God,” said Ramon.
“He's done remarkably well," said Dr. Luke Shen, who performed Ramon’s transplant. "Whenever I see him down the hallway, he says 'thank you,' he's just so appreciative. It's wonderful to see that in life.”
Ramon is a registered respiratory therapist, but had not practiced in a while. After his transplant surgery, he elected to apply for a position within the pulmonary lab at Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant and got offered the job in May. However, he was instructed by his physician to wait 30 days before he could start.
Ramon’s first day of employment with MHST was July 2, 2021, and he is very honored to be a part of this program. 90% of his work revolves around dealing with kidney patients. He gets to see everyone that took care of him from the nurses, to the physicians, and to the dietitians. It is both rewarding and a blessing all the way around. Ramon also gets to share his experience with other patients who are going through the same process.
Ramon would like to stress the importance of health and kidney awareness. Education and prevention is key to helping decrease the numbers that are climbing due to renal failure. Because deceased donor kidneys do not have a guaranteed lifetime, Ramon lives everyday like it is his last. He hopes that through his story, he can help educate and raise awareness.