Quadruple amputee, mother of 3, receives life-saving kidney donation from her brother

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) – A mother who became a quadruple amputee after giving birth to her third child received a successful living-donor kidney transplant.

In February 2024, at 27 weeks pregnant with her third child, Brie Morgan Bauer’s life changed.

With her shoulders feeling stiff, she went to the doctor, thinking her husband’s recent battle with the flu had gotten her sick. Unbeknownst to her, Bauer was having contractions and needed an emergency cesarean section.

Bauer’s son, Beau, was born prematurely, but she lost consciousness before giving birth and went into a coma for 10 days.

Bauer was diagnosed with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, a rare and aggressive infection that’s caused by group A strep bacteria.

The septic shock and organ failure resulted in numerous surgeries.

She gets through the pain with laughter – and sometimes a little dark humor.

“I would say, ‘I used to be really hands-on with my kids,’” she joked. “I don’t think people know it’s OK to laugh.”

Bauer’s biggest necessity became reality when she found a match in her brother. Last week, she posted that he saved her life and that she is still trying to process it.

Dr. Jeffrey Klein, a transplant nephrologist at the University of Kansas Health System, said a working kidney could make prosthetic use possible for the first time — something Bauer’s fluid retention from dialysis has prevented.

“When you have limbs that require a prosthesis, if you swell, then you can’t wear a prosthesis, or the size changes and it doesn’t fit right,” Klein said. “Coming off dialysis and having a kidney that can manage fluid for somebody is life-changing because all of a sudden, those other things are possible.”

A perfect match gave her a second chance. Now she’s doing what she has always done: taking the next step.

“I know I’m not going to be growing back arms or legs. It is what it is,” Bauer said. “I’m not going to let this situation stop me from what I want to do in my life.”