PKD Life - Summer 2021 - 21

OPTIMISM IS
A CHOICE
NIKKI WNUK, 42
GREENDALE,
WISCONSIN
Optimism and teamwork
are the key words when
Nikki Wnuk talks about how
she has gotten through the
COVID-19 pandemic while
having PKD. On February
4, 2015, the mother of two
learned that she had the
mutated gene and was diagnosed
with PKD. At fi rst, she
was in shock-she had never
even heard of the disease
before-and then she and
her husband, Jason, kicked
into high gear. They did their
research, followed protocols,
became active volunteers for
the Walk for PKD, and joined
a PKD support group that
inspires them both.
" I am a very optimistic
person. It's a choice I make.
When I learned that I have
around seven years until I go
into kidney failure, I had my
couple of days where I felt
down and sorry for myself,
but I picked myself right back
up and powered through. I
know the situation isn't going
to change if I'm mad about
it, " Nikki says.
She faced another hurdle
with the onset of the pandemic.
She had to go off
tolvaptan because she was
Th ankful
for caring
famil y and
fr iends .
unable to get to the Mayo
Clinic safely for monthly
checkups. (The silver lining is
that she actually feels better
off the medication.) Then her
husband was furloughed for
several months. (He has since
found employment again.)
She still chose optimism; in
fact, she got a tattoo saying
" Thy Will Be Done " to remind
herself to stay present.
Nikki, who ironically works
as a complaints and grievances
specialist, explains the
reason for her resilient drive:
" There is a 50% chance my
daughters [Kahlen, 15, and
Kortnie, 11] may have the
mutation. I want them to see
me be strong and to know
that they can do the same. "
Another challenge came
when the Milwaukee Walk for
PKD was made virtual. That's
where teamwork came in. A
very active volunteer, Nikki
was disappointed until she
decided to have her own walk
in her town. Family, friends,
and work colleagues signed
up, Nikki arranged for masks
and hand sanitizer and chose
a route, and everyone walked
throughout her neighborhood.
They raised awareness
and more than $500. " I am
so thankful and mindful of
all the people in my life who
support me in big and small
ways. They don't even wait to
be asked, " she says.
*
When the
Milwaukee Walk
for PKD went
virtual, Nikki
Wnuk and her
family planned
a neighborhood
walk and raised
over $500.
LEARN MORE
For up-to-date information about COVID-19 and
PKD, visit PKDcure.org/coronavirus.
PKDCURE.ORG
21
http://www.PKDcure.org/coronavirus http://www.PKDCURE.ORG
PKD Life - Summer 2021

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