About four months ago, the family learned John will need a kidney transplant.
The Cosby home — which was being prepped for John to have a safe space following a kidney transplant — was in the direct path of the EF-2 tornado that touched down in Clark County on Feb. 28.
The tornado tore off the roof, rafters and trusses, rendering it unlivable, but Cosby and her children were not home that morning, instead staying with relatives.
“House or no house, the fact that we weren’t home? Amazing. Miracle.”
At stage 5 of kidney disfunction, John’s life requires special attention to maintain his health.
Cosby said John is dependent upon a certain about of fluid each day — calculated based on his most recent labs — for optimal kidney function. He receives nutrition through a g-tube.
“John is very regimented — we must maintain a strict schedule for him to ensure he gets his fluids/nutrition and medications on time, every day,” said Cosby. “We have rearranged our lives in every way, shape and form in order to best care for John and to give him the best chance at life. We look like we have a chemist lab on our kitchen counter as we have to mix different medications as well as his formula each day.”
Cosby said when John was initially diagnosed, doctors were hopeful he would get several years with his kidneys and treatment, delaying the need for a transplant until later in life. However, last December it was determined that was not possible.
“We are tiptoeing around dialysis,” said Cosby. “The plan is to transplant before dialysis. It does a lot of good — it can save a life —but in his case it can impair developmental milestones. It’s a good option to keep him alive, but not a great option to keep him thriving.”
John receives care from the Nephrology Department at Dayton Children’s Hospital. He will become active on the transplant list this month.
“He is the happiest, most joyful baby. Even with all of the doctor’s visits, poking and prodding. He just is happy and joyful,” said Cosby. “(Dayton Children’s) have been beyond amazing to us and especially to John. They feel like family, and we know we have the best team surrounding John.”
Dayton Children’s does not perform organ transplants, so John will be transferred to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus when the transplant time comes and for a period afterward before transferring back to Dayton.
“A living donor would be between the ages of 18 and 45-50 and healthy,” said Cosby. “Unfortunately, my husband and I are not a match. We don’t have family members that meet the baseline requirement or are able to donate.”
John’s transplant team told the Cosby family that sometimes random people reach out saying they want to donate an organ to a child.
“I can’t even imagine,” said Cosby. “How truly selfless of a complete stranger. Even if that doesn’t happen with John, I think raising awareness is amazing and so, so valuable and needed.”
Cosby also said she is a firm believer in miracles, and “obviously things can happen.” And happen they did.
Cosby’s husband, Seth Cosby, a firefighter/paramedic with the Springfield Fire Rescue Division and former police officer with the Springfield Police Division, was on duty when the tornado struck. Jennifer, John and his three siblings were staying with their grandmother at the time, so no one was at their home on Buena Vista Road that morning.
“We weren’t home. We can’t ask for anything more than that, period,” said Cosby.
The Cosby home, which is an 1800s farmhouse, was once a two-story home. Following a fire, the second floor was removed, but the upper flooring remained, thus saving many of their belongings. Still, it is unlivable.
“They don’t make them like they used to,” said Cosby, who immediately went to her home to salvage John’s supplies.
While navigating the repair process with their insurance company, the Cosbys are staying with family but are also searching for temporary housing closer to the area that would be suitable to meet John’s needs and keep their other children close to school and activities.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude,” said Cosby. “The outpouring of support has been just phenomenal; the texts, the phone calls, people just showing up and saying, ‘What can we do?’ There is so much uncertainty ahead, like the transplant. It’s such a big thing for such a little guy.”
A GoFundMe account has been set up to support the Cosby family.
“Seth and Jenn have dedicated their lives to serving the community and taking care of their family,” said Lexi Crisp, who organized the GoFundMe for the Cosby family. “As friends, family and members of the community, we have the opportunity to rally around the Cosby family during this challenging time in their lives.”
Contributions to the GoFundMe will go directly toward rebuilding the Cosby home and alleviating the financial strain caused by the tornado’s destruction and caring for John.
“Things can only go up, right?” said Cosby with a laugh. “We’ll get through it, and the main thing is we’re all totally fine and can tell a story. That’s what matters.”
Contributions to the Cosby family’s GoFundMe account can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-hope-help-support-the-cosby-family
Anyone interested in learning how to become a potential kidney donor for John Cosby can get more information at: osuwexmedlivingdonor.org
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