Louie and his caregiver, Rozi (me), will be departing for Rochester, MN on May 30, 2025 after his dialysis treatment. It is going to be a long drive, as Angel Flight West cannot accomodate an emergency flight that far. The decision was made that we will move temporarily to Rochester to await the call as there is no other way to get him there within the required 8-12 hour time frame.
Preparations are being made behind the scenes to make this as smooth a transition for Louie as possible. Dialysis is being coordinated between Fresenius Kidney Care in Butte and Mayo Clinic Dialysis in Rochester, housing is being secured, paperwork is being gathered, and bags are being packed. We have found ways to cut costs along the way, but it will be a big adjustment for us both.
In speaking with the nurse coordinator assigned to Louie's case, as well as his nephrologist (kidney specialist) at Mayo Clinic, the wait should not be a long one and he needs to get there as soon as possible. The general consensus is that once he is on the list (he is dangerously close to reaching his weight loss goal), it should be somewhere between 2 weeks and 2 months before he gets the call for surgery.
There is still some work to be done by his team to get him to that point. He has worked so hard and done his part, so now it's time for us to take over and do ours. His dialysis nurse, Anna, has been instrumental in coordinating with Darla from dialysis at Mayo, and there will still be meetings and appointments to clear him for surgery once we get there, so he will not be going in for surgery immediately by any means.
He plans to keep Boomerang Bakery open as usual until we leave. Donuts will not be available until after he returns and is off quarantine, so please use these next two weeks to come in and visit with him, give him your well wishes and prayers, and get your donut fix. Pasties will still be available in limited supply while Louie is gone, so if you'd like a case of pasties you can contact Kimmy, Trina, or message the Boomerang Bakery Facebook page to place your orders.
I will update this page as often as possible to keep everyone up to date and provide as much information as I can as we go. You can also follow along with our trip on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok) under Louie Menicucci or Rozi Benbo Pearson.