Nov. 25--CASTRO VALLEY -- Angelo Miramontes is a spunky 3-year-old who loves to play with his family's Jack Russell terrier, hug his 4-month-old cousin and tell his mom "no."
The joy that Angelo brings to their lives -- and the reason he's still able to do so -- are why his family will give thanks this Thanksgiving.
It's been three months since Angelo received a donor kidney during transplant surgery at UC San Francisco Medical Center. The kidney came from an 18-year-old man who died; hospital officials would not disclose any more information about him, said Cynthia Canales, Angelo's mother.
Without the transplant, Angelo -- whose energy and abilities were limited -- might not have made it until Thanksgiving.
"On Thursday, especially, we want to thank that boy's family," Canales said. "The gift of life is the most precious gift Angelo ever will receive. Their son is living in Angelo."
Angelo was born with a rare kidney disorder called diffuse mesangial sclerosis. Within two months of his 2005 birth, his kidneys had failed and he stopped making urine. Since his Aug. 20 surgery, in which Angelo's two kidneys were replaced with one donated kidney, Angelo has been urinating normally and using diapers. Potty training is part of his future, his mother hopes.
Other changes have taken place since that life-giving operation. Angelo is walking independently, and babbling in Spanish, English and nonsense words of his
own creation.
He is considered a "special needs" child because his physical and verbal development lag behind others in his age group. In December or January, he'll begin therapy to improve those skills, his family says.
The tube that tethered Angelo to dialysis for 14 hours a day is gone, even though the youngster -- who turned 3 in October -- still asks his mother where it is.
Angelo takes eight medications a day, including three anti-rejection drugs and three antibiotics. Some of the medications have side effects that make him hyperactive, Canales explained, adding that his energy also can be attributed to the enthusiasm of a 3-year-old.
Since the surgery, Angelo undergoes blood tests every three weeks to determine his overall health and kidney function. Doctors also biopsied Angelo's kidney last Friday to determine how well it is functioning, and will perform another biopsy in three months.
Angelo and Canales, a single mother, live with their extended family, which includes Angelo's sister, Camila, 11; an aunt, uncle and baby cousin Sebastian; and a great-grandmother.
They all love to wear T-shirts distributed at a hospital picnic earlier this fall. In bold script, a message across the front of the shirts reads "Celebrate Life!"
Reach Karen Holzmeister at 510-293-2478 or kholzmeister@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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