I Received a Kidney From an Altruistic Donor With Nutcracker Syndrome: Steven Plaskon’s Kidney Transplant Story
Many years ago, when I was 18, my mom found out that polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and heart disease ran in her family. She got an ultrasound and it turned out she had PKD. It’s not always passed down, but when I got an ultrasound, it showed I had it too.
My mom told me some things I could do to help manage it, like drink lots of water and take it easy with the protein. Back then, I was going to the gym and taking supplements to try to impress the ladies. After I found out I had PKD, I laid off the supplements and just worked out naturally. I also saw my nephrologist on a regular basis.
After getting COVID in 2021, my filtration rate seemed to take a nosedive. By April 2025, it was under 20, and my nephrologist said I should start my pre-op testing for a transplant. By July, I needed to have a colonoscopy, an MRI, and an EKG to see if my body could withstand the operation.
From there, I started my journey with the transplant center, Piedmont, going through all their testing. I finally got on the transplant list in November 2025.
My numbers kept going down, and it got to the point where my GFR was 13. My nephrologist started to get me ready for dialysis. I watched all the videos on dialysis and on how a living kidney donor was the best option.
Other than the PKD, I was living the dream. I had a beautiful wife, two great kids, and a lovely big house down in Georgia, so I wanted to live as long as possible. My sons are 14 and 16 years old. I remember when I was that age—I needed my father in my life, so I needed to be around for them.
They wanted me to start peritoneal dialysis, but I knew it would take a serious toll on my body. My grandmother had gone through a lot with dialysis, so I wanted to hold out as long as I could. I knew I could wait another year before going on dialysis, so I pushed it off.
I’m 52. I don’t keep up with social media, and I’m not one to take the spotlight—I like to do things quietly. So it was a challenge when they told me I had to promote my need for a kidney by being on the socials and beating down doors. It was very hard to put myself out there and share my story and let people know what I was going through.
When you’ve done your best not to be a burden, it’s hard to be self-promoting. I really didn’t do much of that. I did create a microsite and asked work if I could send it out. It ended up going to about 2,500 people.
My wife started the testing, as did my father-in-law and mother-in-law, but they were both disqualified. My mom could not donate, obviously, because she had had a transplant herself. My brother wanted to donate, but he has PKD so he could not do it.
On February 20, I was at work and I got an email from MyChart that I had a new appointment. It said March 6: kidney transplant surgery. I thought it must be a mistake.
Then my phone rang and it was Piedmont. I told them about the appointment and that I was wondering if it was real. They said, I hope you’re sitting down, because it is really real.
I was elated, scared, not knowing what’s to come but mostly just overjoyed. I called my wife and shut the door to my office and I just cried tears of joy. All our prayers had been answered.
Steven Plaskon
I was elated, scared, not knowing what’s to come but mostly just overjoyed. I called my wife and shut the door to my office and I just cried tears of joy. All our prayers had been answered.
I went in for pre-op testing and everything was great. My kidney was from an altruistic donor who had Nutcracker Syndrome. My surgeon had told me that there was a 30% chance that the kidney would not be usable, because sometimes kidneys from Nutcracker patients are damaged from prior surgeries. On the day of the surgery, after he had seen the donor’s kidney, he said the chance was more like 60%.
My wife was devastated, but I said, it’s gonna happen, just trust me. A coworker’s father got his kidney on March 6 and ended up living 20 years, so I had a good feeling. The universe was just speaking to me. I stayed calm and steadfast and reassured my wife that everything was going to be OK. I just smiled at her and said, I’ll see you in a few hours.
The transplant was a success. My creatinine has gone up a couple times, but they put me on a high dose of prednisone, and everything should be back to normal soon.
My wife is still interested in donating because both my sons have PKD, so she would donate to generate a voucher that one of them could use when they need it.
They told me my donor was a young male, but I was on the Facebook group and saw that a young lady with Nutcracker Syndrome had just donated, so if it was her, God bless her.
About the Author
Born in Paterson and raised in Clifton, NJ, Steven Plaskon enjoyed growing up in the ’70s and ’80s. After graduating high school, he attended Dover Business College and earned a degree in computer science. Steven worked for a family-run business as a programmer and was promoted to the role of account manager. Along the way, he met the love of his life, settled down in New York’s Hudson Valley, and began his family. Besides cooking and spending quality time with his wife and two sons, he enjoys trips to the shore, riding his motorcycles, and cruising in his Corvette. When Steven is not cruising in his toys, he’s in the garage either maintaining or upgrading them to make them faster. In his spare time, he likes to watch drag and street racing on 1320 Video, NASCAR, or Supercross. He’ll be the first to admit that he is a total gearhead and speed junkie thanks to his father.
