Young mother hoping for second chance

Katrina Rodriguez, 21, and her son Brayden.

A young mother with failing health is hoping for a second chance, hoping that a living kidney donor comes through soon. You might have seen signs around town with her and her baby boy. Karina Garcia, 21 of Devine is the mother of a 3 year old, Brayden Guardiola. 
“I just want to be here for my baby, 100 percent,” Garcia said in an interview Monday.
She has had over a dozen signs printed, sharing her story, and has a few more to put out if anyone wants to display one.
“She’s a very strong person,” said her grandma Angelita Garcia. “Nothing gets her down. She keeps pushing forward. She is a kind person and she is so brave.”
Karina shared a little about her medical history, as doctors began noticing signs of kidney damage when she was just a teenager.
“At 19 I was diagnosed with lupus nephritis. I was stable with mild lupus flares and decent kidney function with my treatment plan,” Garcia said. “In January 2022 I got Covid which instantly took my kidney function down to 15%. Throughout the year I tried several medications from chemotherapy to newly approved medications. Every day was rough. I was in bed most of the year. I wasn’t able to eat. I dropped down to 80 lbs. Being sick for so long I developed vision and heart problems also.”
“By December 2022 my kidneys function went down to 4%. In March 2023, I began dialysis and am now looking for a kidney donor. A second chance,” Garcia said.
She also wishes to make everyone aware that “kidney disease can be silent,” Gracia said.
“People need to do regular checkups and be aware of that,” she added.
You can get tested to see if you can donate a kidney to Karina by going to livingdonor-methadistsa.com and typing in Karina Garcia Date of Birth 10/1/2001. If you would like to display a sign or are interested in being tested to see if you are a match, contact Karina at 210-527-0003.