OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla_An update on a
story we shared with you earlier this week, 8 year old Noah Markey of Lawton now has a new
kidney. Doctors say his kidney function has already improved dramatically since
the six-hour long surgery Thursday at OU Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City.
What a
difference a few days can make. When we met Noah on Tuesday, he was
apprehensive and nervous, he knew he needed a new kidney, but didn't know when
he would get one. Then the call came late Wednesday night, early Thursday
morning, a kidney was available, it was a match, the end of one life means a
new beginning for little Noah.
We don't know
the name of the 18 year old who died in an automobile accident, but that
tragedy turned into victory when Noah received a new kidney and new life.
"I was
really worried to see what he would look like and if he was going to be happy
or scared when he woke up and they said the first thing he said was did I get
my new kidney? Is it inside?," Noah's mom Melissa said.
It's inside and
it's working. Two days ago his kidney function was 15 percent, now it's already
improved to fifty percent and climbing.
After our story
ran Tuesday night you responded, viewers contacted the Oklahoma Transplant
Center and people were
getting tested.
Thanks to you, Noah
Markey is famous.
"They just
thought it was very cool that a lot of people came forward like that and they
said Noah's famous."
Now he is
famous for being the little boy with a new kidney. Doctors are concerned about
the possibility of infection, so we asked Melissa to take some pictures for us
and considering Noah went through a lengthy surgery yesterday he's doing well.
Looking good, feeling better and thankful.
Polycystic
kidney disease claimed the life of Noah's sister a little more than 3 years ago.
She was only 15 months old. After sharing Noah's story we learned that a member
of the 7news team had polycystic kidney disease as well, Morning Meteorologist Austin
Bowling. Doctors performed surgery on
him as a newborn but didn't expect him to live.
"They put
me into surgery probably a week later and removed the kidney which was a
polycystic kidney. Luckily it was just one kidney rather than two so I'm able
to live perfectly fine with just one kidney."
Now that Noah
has a new kidney his mom said she feels much better about the possibility of Noah
living a long life.
"Having a
new kidney makes me think that he'll be here longer, can do more, possibly have
a family when he's older, do his sports he wants to do. He's very excited about
that."
Noah loves soccer and can't wait to play again, but that's down the road.
If all goes as planned Noah will be out of the hospital early next week. He
won't be going to school for at least a couple of months. He has to take it easy
but Noah Markey's future looks a lot brighter today, than it did earlier this
week.
