THIS IS A BLOG ABOUT THE KELLY MESSMER BROADCAST
INTRODUCTION
I did a Broadcast with Kelly Messmer on June 20th, 2025. Here's the link to that Broadcast:
https://www.youtube.com/live/dKyDD4SrQ_Q?si=CbUEzYbvoJSTAMUp
Kelly is a PKD Patient, a survivor of an Aneurysm Surgical Procedure at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago on June 24th, 2025 , a Wife, Mother and PKD Kidney Advocate for the Polycystic Kidney Foundation for the State of Indiana.
Kelly has a very interesting and unique Kidney Story. On her 4th birthday, Kelly was in the car with her Mother. They had just picked up her Birthday Cake for her birthday party scheduled for later in the day. That party never happened. While at a stop light, her mother suddenly placed her hands on her head. She never regained consciousness and passed away the next day at the age of 34, from a cerebral aneurysm. For days before the incident, her Mom had been complaining of severe headaches.
What Kelly has learned as she was growing up is that Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD,) & brain aneurysms run in her family.
At the age of 20, she herself experienced a severe headache , which landed her in the hospital with HBP. There she was diagnosed with PKD herself, a non- curable disease. She has battled kidney stones, anemia & cysts on her liver.
During her first pregnancy, she developed HBP, straining her kidneys. Protecting her second child, she underwent 4 rounds of IVF & chose a gestational carrier.
In addition to kidney moniterring, Kelly has undergone regular cerebral MRIs every 2-3 years to chect for aneurysms.
The day before Thanksgiving in 2024, at the age of 42, an MRI detected a possible aneurysm, which was confirmed by a follow up CT scan & cerebral angiogram, showing a 4 mm aneurysm, small but significant. On June 24th at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, she is underwent a successful brain craniotomy to clip and remove the aneurysm.
Kelly hopes that her experiences will help other PKD/ANEURYSM Patients and perhaps her 2 sons in the future if needed.
KELLY'S BACKGROUND
Kelly was born in New Brighton, Pa and then moved to South Carolina in High School. She went to college in Augusta, GA. After college, she went on staff with a college ministry and then transitioned into Fundraising and Development working for hospitals and Academic Medical Centers.
Kelly is married to her best friend and rock, Will who is a Lt. Col. in the USMC. They have two beautiful and wild boys (Ryan 7 and Parker 3).
KELLY'S FIRST EXPERIENCES WITH POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE
On her 4th birthday, Kelly was in the car with her Mother. They had just picked up her Birthday Cake for her birthday party scheduled for later in the day. That party never happened. While at a stop light, her mother suddenly placed her hands on her head. She never regained consciousness and passed away the next day at the age of 34, from a cerebral aneurysm.
WHAT KELLY LEARNED ABOUT PKD? BRAIN ANEURYSMS & HER FAMILY
Kelly learned that PKD & Brain Aneurysms run in her family. Her maternal grandmother & uncle both had PKD & aneurysms that ruptured and we're clipped but not fatal. Her Uncle had 2 kidney transplants & some paralysis of his hand and leg due to ruptured aneurysm. Her Aunt had PKD & passed away on dialysis at 67. PKD traced back to maternal GM on her Father's side.
KELLY'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH PKD AND BRAIN ANEURYSMS
At the age of 20, Kelly experienced a severe headache while on a trip, and subsequently went to the hospital where they diagnosed her with high blood pressure.
During the hospital stay, the 20 yr old Kelly was also diagnosed with PKD- a non curable disease PKD is a genetic, inherited disease. She subsequently has learned that she has the PKD 1 (ADPKD) gene.
FOLLOW UP TO HER DIAGNOSIS
Since her diagnosis, due to her family history, she has undergone regular kidney monitoring & regular cerebral MRIs every 2-3 years since sge was 20 to screen for aneurysms.
Kelly tells us that the; "MRI screenings are fairly easy. You go into a long tube and have to lay very still. Sometimes I would have to get dye contrast that would make you feel very very warm for a few seconds. The MRI only lasted a few minutes. Whenever I would get an MRI I would lay in the machine and pray and think about how lucky I am for the chance to be able to get a scan for early detection unlike my mothers and others that I know that did not get that chance. "
KELLY'S BATTLE WITH KIDNEY STONES, ANEMIA AND CYSTS ON HER LIVER
When she got her first kidney stone, she thought she was dying. The pain was so unbearable that an ambulance was called. She ended up in the ER and was put on a few pain medications to help ease the pain. She was finally able to pass the stone.
She had anemia when she was first diagnosed with PKD and had to have Iron infusions.
As for her liver, a scan of a random MRI of my stomach showed that she had cysts on my liver. For now it is just being watched.
KELLY'S EXPERIENCES WHEN HER FIRST CHILD WAS BORN
During her first pregnancy, she developed HBP, putting a strain on her kidneys.
"My son Ryan was born seven years ago in 2017. My mother had preeclampsia with me and I was born a little early. With my high blood pressure I was seen by the high risk maternal fetal team at womens and infant hospital in Providence, RI and was monitored twice a week. Around 37 weeks my blood pressure was spiking and so my Doctor told me they wanted to go ahead and induce me and get the baby out."
"After a week in the NICU due to our son needing help breathing we were able to take him home. When we got home I was not feeling well and checked my blood pressure and again it was super high. Will and I left our son Ryan, with his grandparents and I went back to the hospital. I was checked for preeclampsia and thankful I did not have it. My blood pressure was able to be controlled by blood pressure medicine."
ADJUSTMENTS MADE WHEN HER SECOND CHILD WAS BORN
When her Second Child, Parker was born, certain adjustments were made for the safety of both mother and child.
Kelly went through 4 rounds of IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) and chose a gestational carrier.
"Our second son was born 3 years ago in 2021 by a wonderful woman who heard our story and wanted to help. We were matched by a surrogacy agency. We did 4 rounds of ivf to get 2 viable embryos. My first round of IVF failed and we did not get any embryos. Rounds 2 and 3 we got one and a round for we did not get any. Come to find out my AMH (egg level) was very low and my thyroid function was off. Kidney disease is also associated with thyroid dysfunction. Anyways we talked to my doctor about preserving my kidneys and bc of my hypertension. We threw around the ideas of using a Gestational Carrier and she was on board with our plan. . My dad and brother were also extremely nervous with the idea of me getting pregnant again due to hypertension."
THE PHONE CALL THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING
On the day before Thanksgiving in 2024 at the age of 42, Kelly receiveda startling phone call informing her that a recent MRI had detected a possible aneurysm.
"With my husband being in the military we move around alot and I get new Drs. especially new Nephrologists every move. We had just moved to a new state and my new Nephrologist sent me to get my bi-annual MRI brain scan. The day before Thanksgiving I got a voicemail that said, "we are calling to tell you that we are referring you to a Neurosurgeon". With it being the holidays I knew that the Drs. offices were going to be closing for a few days and I was panicking. Questioning what is going on and wondering what they saw. I called the Drs. office and begged for someone to call me back ASAP. They finally called me back and said, there was something abnormal on my scan - a suspected 2mm aneurysm at the communicating segment of the left internal carotid artery and that I would need further testing."
As a follow up, Kelly had a CT scan & a cerebral angiogram, that confirmed the existence of a 4 mm aneurysm. Surgery was recommended.
". In late December, 2024 I met with a Neurosurgeon who acknowledged the abnormality and sent me for a follow up CT scan of the head that Indicated an aneurysm. Finally, an Angiogram was done late January that confirmed a 4mm cerebral Aneurysm. I was given both options of a stent or clip. After talking to a few Neurosurgeons at Duke and Northwestern I decided to go ahead with the recommended cerebral craniotomy and have a clip placed on the aneurysm. "
The surgery was successfully performed on June 24th at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago. Kelly is currently at home convalescing.
KELLY IS PART OF A STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
Kelly is part of a PKD study at the University of Maryland.
" I had a full study done on me by Dr. Terry Watnick who studies PKD patients at the University of Maryland Medical System. Every year her wonderful staff follows up on me to see if
This includes a second study concerning PKD & Aneurysms.
"Again Dr. Watnick asked me in the study to follow PKD patients with aneurysms. Again, it has been a yearly questionnaire."
CONCLUSIONS
Kelly's greatest hope is for a cure.
" My greatest hope is for a cure for PKD. I constantly worry if my children have this disease as they have a 50/50 of inheriting PKD. Knowing what I know about this disease and all the ways it could affect them in the future via aneurysms and transplants I do not want them to have this disease or pass it down to their children."
With support from her family, her church and her faith, Kelly advises us as a reminder, to have all that regular scans whatever that may be" as "early detection can save lives.
