Army Veteran’s kidney transplant was “flawless”

Gregory Zielsdorf was on the kidney donor list for three years.

Zielsdorf, 49, works at Erie VA as a transportation assistant. He served in the Army from 1995 to 2016 and served two tours in Iraq.

During his time in the Army, he experienced flare ups of gout and his kidney levels changed for the worse. After becoming non-deployable due to his kidney failure, he retired.

Zielsdorf moved to Erie after his retirement and sought care from Erie VA in 2017. His doctors saw he needed service for his kidneys, began lab work and referred him to be put on the organ donor list at Pittsburgh VA, where he was given a transplant coordinator and met with transplant doctors.

“I thought everything moved so fast. I was put on the list in 2017 and in August of 2020, during COVID-19, I received a call that they have a kidney for me,” he said. “I heard stories of organ transplant waiting times taking 10 to 15 years. You can’t live on dialysis forever. Luckily, I never had to do dialysis to any great extent before receiving the kidney transplant after three years on the donor list.”

Zielsdorf received care at Erie VA for blood work and checkups, but the transplant surgery was performed at Pittsburgh VA. He felt he had to do very little and his transplant coordinators at Erie and Pittsburgh VA handled everything. The VA transplant coordinators make sure everything before and after the transplant surgery goes smoothly.

“VA is quick to respond and tell me who to see.”

“My transplant experience was flawless,” he shared. “If there’s ever anything that comes up, VA is quick to respond and tell me who to see. When I first got the transplant, I was in a hotel because they keep you down in Pittsburgh for a week after you’re released from the hospital so you’re close by in case anything comes up. I had a major bit of cramping for whatever reason. They advised me to go to the emergency room and reassured me I would be fine.

“The transplant coordinator, surgeon and doctors came to the ER to verify everything was fine and good to go. This went so smoothly. The care is amazing. Not just the Erie or the Pittsburgh VA, but VA in general. They care about Veterans and they want to see them get better and get whatever service they need. It’s been amazing.”

Since the transplant, Zielsdorf has not had a flare up of gout, though he’s aware he may need to be put on the kidney transplant list again due to his young age (doctors say a kidney lasts 10 to 12 years).

“If you are a Veteran and have the opportunity to have VA take care of you, do it. If you want to be an organ donor, I strongly encourage you to because there are a lot of people in need. It does a great service. I’m very grateful, and the families are very grateful to those donors because it gives them some extra time with their loved one,” he added.