Health Life

4-Year-Old Reveals Dad’s Secret to His Teacher, Who Immediately Calls Her Boss to Request Time Off

4-Year-Old Reveals Dad’s Secret to His Teacher, Who Immediately Calls Her Boss to Request Time Off December 12, 2019Leave a comment

This child's father never suspected his son to speak so candidly to his elementary school teacher, who usually didn't hear many intimate details of the lives of her students' parents. She was shocked by what she heard and immediately called the father to inquire if what she heard was true.

Nancy Was a Beloved Teacher

YouTube / KIMT

This is Nancy Bleuer. Her students call her "Miss Nancy." She's a preschool teacher at Charlie Brown Preschool & Childcare in Mason City. Some people might think that being a teacher is a pretty easy job, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Nancy has to take care of dozens of children every day and sometimes that includes hearing an earful about every detail of their lives.

Camden Was an Ideal Student

Facebook / Darreld Petersen

This is Camden. He's four. What a smile! But one day in class, that smile was gone. Something was wrong and Nancy could tell immediately that Camden wasn't his usual chipper self. It's normal for a kid to have a bad day or two, but when Camden's mood didn't improve after a few days, Nancy knew that she needed to find out what was the matter with Camden.

Getting to the Bottom of His Bad Mood

Facebook / Darreld Petersen

After a few days of Camden's sour mood, Nancy pulled him aside and asked what was going on. What Camden had to say was shocking.

He told Nancy that he used to have a lot of fun outings with his father; the two of them went out to dinner together, visited amusement parks on the weekends and watched their favorite movies, like "Frozen" and "Moana" after school. But, the young boy noted, all of that would have to come to an end soon. Why did Camden think that was the case?

The Confession Was Bizarre

Facebook/Darreld Petersen

Camden continued to talk about how he would soon have no more time with his dad, and how worried he was about his father's future. What could have been going on at home that would cause Camden's father to leave his family? Nancy could have let it go, but she didn't. She decided to call Camden's father, Darreld Petersen, and get to the bottom of things.

His Answers Made Her Leave Her Job

Facebook/Darreld Petersen

Nancy called Darreld to inquire about his son, but what she would find out from him would cause her to not only finally understand what Camden was trying to tell her, but inspire her to take an extended leave from her job.

Sick Father

YouTube / ABC News

What Darreld told Nancy was that he was sick, and not just with a flu or the cold. Darreld had been diagnosed with a life threatening disease called IgA nephropathy. It's also known as Berger's disease. With IgA, immunoglobin A builds up in the kidneys. This leads to inflammation that can cause tissue damage, and ultimately lead to death. This upset Nancy so much, that she immediately called her boss.

From Bad to Worse

Facebook/Darreld Petersen

Darreld was diagnosed in 2010. By 2016, things were getting serious. He ended up in the ER and upon following up with his doctor, he noticed something. Something that would make Nancy request some time off immediately after she found out about it.

The Prognosis Was Grim

Facebook/Darreld Petersen

Darreld's hemoglobin count was low. His doctor sent him for a biopsy, which revealed that he had 20% kidney function. His kidney failure was so serious that he may need a transplant to save his life, and that is just where Nancy comes in.

Getting Desperate

ABC News

Darreld was hospitalized for a week and immediately had to go on dialysis. He was getting treatments three days a week for four hours a day when Camden let his teacher know what was going on after his upset outbursts at school. But what could his teacher do about his father's life-threatening condition?

Waiting for a Transplant

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Darreld would need a kidney transplant. Friends tried to help, but it didn't work out. "I had friends and family come forward who wanted to donate, but these didn't work out, for medical reasons or other reasons," he said. Petersen was placed on a waiting list for a transplant. He was warned it could take months, or even years, to find a donor.

Her Response Shocked Everyone

Facebook/Nancy Bleuer

When Nancy heard Darreld's story, she simply thought, 'No wonder little Camden was so worried!' But what she did next was truly astounding. Bleuer wanted to donate her kidney to Camden's father and save his life. She immediately called her boss for time off so she could find out if she was a viable match.

A Heart of Gold

Facebook/Nancy Bleuer

“She was like, ‘I want to donate. What do I have to do?’” said Darreld. He was floored. But to Nancy, it made sense.“I had a co-worker who, years ago, had donated a kidney to someone in her church,” she said. It was after that event that Nancy put donating a kidney onto her bucket list.

'The Right Thing To Do'

Facebook / Darreld Petersen

“It was an important part of her life’s journey, and that was inspirational to me," continued Nancy. "When I heard about Darreld and Camden’s situation, it just felt like the right thing to do.” The offer was beyond generous. How was Petersen going to respond?

Only the Beginning

Facebook / UIHC

At first, he was unsure whether to accept it. Darreld gave in after he was met with Nancy's insistence. But her journey was only just beginning. She still had many steps to go through before the donation could happen.

A Match?

Facebook/Darreld Petersen

First, doctors had to know if Nancy was a match for Darreld. Luckily, bloodwork showed that she was. "I was really excited about it," Nancy said. "I was ecstatic." The next step was scheduling the procedure, which is when it hit Nancy that this was really happening.

Preparing Was an Ordeal

Facebook/Darreld Petersen

But being a match isn't enough. After that, Nancy underwent months of testing as well as counseling. Transplants are serious procedures. Doctors needed to confirm she was ready to donate, both physically as well as emotionally.

The Go-Ahead

Facebook / UIHC

After months of tests and preparation, Bleuer had news for Petersen. Everything was ready to go. "He looked stunned at first," Nancy said. "It took a minute to sink in, but then he hugged me and I knew: OK, he gets it!"

So Grateful

Facebook/Darreld Petersen

Darreld did his best to thank Nancy. "The day he found out, I said, 'We're on, it's a go,'" said Nancy. "Then, he came over and hugged me and he said, 'Oh my gosh.'" He even brought her flowers. "Here was Darreld and his son with a dozen huge roses and I'm crying but of course, it was very nice," she said.

The Procedure

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The two went in for their procedures on June 1 of 2017. The procedures were performed at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. A team of talented doctors, nurses, and surgeons made it happen. After a week, the two were cleared to go home.

Grateful to Hospital Staff

Facebook / UIHC

Petersen is very grateful to the staff who made these procedures possible. “I cannot speak enough about the surgeons, the nurses, and all the staff,” Darreld said. “Just such a positive and supportive environment. You could tell that every person wanted to be there for you.”

Grateful to Miss Nancy

GoFundMe / Nancy Bleur

But, most of all, Darreld is grateful to the woman who made it all possible. He's still not sure how to put it into words. “How do you ever thank someone for saving your life?” he asked. It's an unbelievable gift.

'A Second Chance'

Facebook / Nancy Bleuer

“It’s just amazing. There are people waiting every day for a kidney, for an organ in general. I wish there were more people like her. She’s giving me a second chance at life,” Darreld said.

Camden Gets His Dad Back

Facebook/Darreld Petersen

Camden also understands what this gesture means. “He said, 'You’re going to make my dad better and live a long time,’” Nancy said. “That just melts your heart.” Thanks to his teacher, Camden can go to school unburdened with worrying about his father's health.

For Now, and Years to Come

ABC News

Nancy's gift is one that will stay with Darreld and Camden for years. "It was a very cool response and it's good to know that I'll be able to go to Camden's high school graduation one day and talk about this and think, 'Well, that was crazy,'" she said. Nancy has given father and son something truly precious.

Awareness for Organ Donation

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Petersen hopes that by sharing his story, he can raise awareness for organ donation. Currently, there are 93,000 people waiting for a kidney transplant. For some, the wait will be more than 10 years. To become an organ donor, click here.