At first, she believed it was her Crohn’s disease. Ten years ago, the East Grand Forks, Minnesota resident was diagnosed with the inflammatory bowel disease and she figured her pain and fatigue were related. But after performing bloodwork, her gastroenterologist said her Crohn’s was under control and she was dismissed.
She continued listening to doctors who told her the pain was in her head — the result of anxiety. She taught junior high and high school and thought, perhaps, her work was causing too much stress, so she quit her job but the pain didn’t go away.
Jerrica also had extremely high blood pressure, but her doctor didn’t investigate it further. Eventually Jerrica’s doctor retired and she started seeing a new doctor who had just finished residency. This doctor immediately ran tests, including an ultrasound, and diagnosed Jerrica with nutcracker syndrome.
Nutcracker syndrome is a condition in which the left renal vein is compressed by the aorta and another artery. It can lead to symptoms such as flank pain, pelvic congestion and blood in the urine.
Jerrica went to a major medical center near home, expecting the doctors there would help her find a solution. Instead, she became frustrated.
“The doctors were condescending,” she said. “They told me, ‘Yes, you do have nutcracker, but you should just drink water and take Tylenol.’
That was a really hard time. I was sinking into a depression. All my coworkers said, ‘You deserve a second opinion.’”
Jerrica Googled “nutcracker syndrome” and found the UW Health Renal Autotransplant Program. Her primary care provider referred her to the program and, within a few months, she was fast-tracked to the selection team.
While other doctors Jerrica had seen performed only ultrasounds to diagnose her condition, the doctors at UW Health also ordered a venogram — a test that let them see the veins in her legs.
“They went the next step further and that was really exciting for me,” she said. “I was thinking, ‘Someone actually believes me. I’m not crazy!’”
The doctors determined Jerrica would be a good candidate for a renal autotransplant, which is a procedure in which the surgeon removes a patient’s left kidney and replaces it elsewhere in her body.
Jerrica’s surgeon, Dr. David Foley, transplanted her kidney to the area of her left hip in November 2024. She could immediately tell the difference in her symptoms and everyone around her noticed a rapid change in her energy levels.
“I woke up and my five-year headache and abdominal and flank pain were gone,” she said. “It was like all those years of pain had just been wiped clean.”
Jerrica has mostly recovered from the surgery but remains amazed how she was able to find the care she needed at UW Health.
“I would be so exhausted before my surgery,” she said. “I would come home from work and crash on the couch and it would take me all weekend to recover.”
The surgery has alleviated her exhaustion, giving her renewed energy in the evening, allowing her to exercise and ride horses.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the care on the team at UW Health,” she added. “As soon as I walked into the clinic, it was so validating. I hadn’t had that for a lot of years.”