By Patrice Stewart
Staff Writer
Mike Flowers recently donated a kidney to his grandson, Brodey Flowers.
Brodey Flowers got the ultimate in birthday gifts from his grandfather, Mike Flowers of Danville.
Mike, 54, donated a kidney to Brodey in surgery Thursday, five days before the boy’s fourth birthday.
The surgery at The University of Alabama in Birmingham Hospital went well and even faster than doctors expected, though there were some post-surgery problems, said family friend Brenda Miller of Hartselle.
Brodey has already been moved to Children’s Hospital, while his grandfather was still at UAB.
“Brodey is doing great, but he’s still got a long road ahead,” Miller said.
The boy could be in the hospital four to six weeks, with a federal program handling much of his medical costs.
Miller is helping plan a benefit concert and silent auction for the Flowers.
“I just decided they needed some help,” said Miller. “There’s a lot of people out there who need help. It’s a lot of expense for all of them. I don’t know how many months Mike will be off work, and the little boy will be in the hospital until the doctors are satisfied with his progress.”
Brodey is the son of Bradley Flowers and Tabitha Flowers, and he has a 6-year-old brother, Brantley Flowers. Mike and Bradley were both working at Wolverine before the plant closed. Mike now works as a chemical operator at Daikin America.
“Brodey was born with problems that ruined his kidneys. One never worked, and there were some bladder problems, and we sort of knew this was coming,” said his grandfather.
Doctors wanted to put surgery off as long as they could, and they hadn’t had to put him on dialysis yet.
“The game plan is that my kidney will keep Brodey from needing dialysis,” said Mike. “We hope and pray this will do it, and if all goes as planned this should do him for 15 to 20 years. But as young as he is, he may need two kidney transplants in his lifetime.”
“But Brodey is a trooper — you couldn’t tell anything was wrong with him if you didn’t know it,” he said. “The funds will go for whatever is needed for him.”