My story began last year. Although I never had my kidneys checked I knew something was wrong. Out of nowhere I would have very bad pain. Last year in 2013, I was admitted to the hospital for a foot infection that was so bad the ER doctor ran into my room and said your body carries some white cells but in my body there were 42,000! I was admitted to the hospital. I drifted in and out just enough to hear the doctor say something about surgery. I assumed it was for my foot but next thing I knew I woke up to my body looking like a blimp.
Anyway, they rushed me into surgery again. When I woke up there were there were tubes coming out of my chest. Weird, I thought. I asked the nurse what was going on. She said they were for dialysis.Wait a minute, I was sent to the hospital for a foot infection and what the heck was dialysis. When the nurse told me, I said I knew nothing about kidney disease or dialysis and that the machines sounded like they were used for chemo patients.
Anyhow, they tried to release me to some nursing home. But I was scared because my mom died in one, so I ducked out of the hospital and came home. But it still hadn’t registered. I had people coming in and out of my home: physical and occupational therapy, nurses, managers, and caregivers because I spent a month in the hospital lying on my back, and I had no strength. I also stopped breathing while I was there so I had a steady stream of traffic and I had dialysis to go to.
I finally told them after awhile to stop coming especially because I had dialysis. Today, I sit here writing my story and asking if you join me in bringing awareness to kidney disease. I am trying to raise enough money to publish my first children’s book called, “Can I Go Home?” It’s about a little boy who has leukemia and is frightened at the big hospital. At the very end he has made new friends and is not afraid for his mom to leave him. My inspiration came from watching the commercial about the children at St. Jude’s Hospital. They are so sad but I thought this might cheer them up.
Donna
Ohio
Submitted 02/10/2014
The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
This story is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
