Help Me Live Longer

Hey friends! My name is Herbie and this year I was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Failure/Chronic Kidney Disease. Due to being recently rejected for a kidney transplant, I need your help....

HOW IT HAPPENED

 I've lived with one kidney my entire life with no issues. At least none i was aware of but in December of 2018 I had the flu very bad. Many elders and children passed from it. I battled my worsening symptoms for 2 months but began realizing something was very wrong. Very weak, couldn't eat, throwing up every morning/night & spitting out blood all day. So in February of 2018, I resigned from my job, drove back to AZ, checked in the hospital, and my life drastically changed. 

Immediately after checking into the hospital, I was placed in ER for surgery. Without any pain medications or sedation, my neck was cut open and a catheter was placed into my heart. I was then taken to a different medical center 3 hours away to do further testing and treatment. Upon arrival, test results confirmed I also had heart murmurs, hypertension, anemia and other red flags with lab results.  

The next day I woke up with a urinary catheter and news I'd be having surgery to remove my neck catheter and have one placed in my chest. I began dialysis and the surgery didn't happen until two days later. But the time was necessary to take everything in and come to my own understanding and acceptance. 

After almost two weeks and 3 dialysis treatments I  was discharged & started hemodialysis at a treatment center. I've been doing 4 hour treatments 3 times a week ever since. Sometimes lasting until 2am. Unfortunately although my treatments filter my blood and body of toxins, it's rapidly damaging the rest of my body. Loss of vision & hearing, weakening in bones & breathing, swelling throughout body, and heart failure being the biggest concern are the side effects I now have to manage daily. Also my strict diet, medications and pain just kind of control my life now. 

The day before my birthday in October, I had a fistula creation surgery on my left arm. This would be my new access if it matured properly. After 3 weeks being successful on 16, 15, & 14 gauge needles, my chest catheter was ready to be cut and pulled out...literally. I've done so many surgeries without sedation you'd think I'd be fearless lol...but unfortunately haven't reached that point. 

Fast forward 8 months later, I was rejected a kidney transplant due to not having a secondary insurance or minimum acceptance amount of $4000.00. Being compliant with my treatments, medications, and strict diet...it was very frustrating receiving that news. I even push myself to work as much as I'm allowed while on disability but that's proving to be a 'damned if I do, damned if I don't' situation. Plus fainting in front of people is SO embarrassing! Some days I can't breathe, see or walk but I refuse to be in bed all day, every day like suggested.

MY GOAL

Look, I really just want to be healthy and live longer. It's beyond difficult fighting every minute of the day. I can't even brush my teeth without having to take a break or be in agony. I sleep anywhere from 1 - 3 hours a night due to pain. Any of my meals are bland, nothing I typically enjoy and are matched with a handful of pills. Everything in my life is either restricted, minimized or cut off. I earn my own money and receive SSDI, but with so many medical bills I can't keep up. If I didn't move in with my mother I don't know what I would do. That there is another story...having my family see me suffering and assisting me every just plain sucks.

I'm not the type to ask for help. Actually I'm as hard headed as they come, lol. But my life is on the line now and I've accepted I need all the help I can get. Always being active, healthy, helpful, loving and ambitious, it's speaking lightly saying this is all so unfair. But, we are all faced with problems and just have to handle it, RIGHT?! 

WHERE FUNDS WOULD GO

All donations will go to the Transplant Center to accept me to either get back on the list or for testing a live donor match. 

MY FUTURE

Currently I'm indulging in my hobbies/passions and trying to merge that into a career. Music production, recording, photography and graphic design are a few services I've taught myself and offer. I also gained my Dispensary Agent card to join and work in the MMJ Community helping others through their illnesses. During my illness & disabilty, I've realized I DO NOT want to become healthy again just to jump back in the rat race. I was successful before, but unhappy. 

Moving forward I plan to continue chasing my dreams and simply assist and encourage those around me! I have a YouTube channel starting up that is based on spreading knowledge on Kidney Disease, Ways To Manage Pain/Depression, Guidelines To Following Diets, Accepting Your Condition, Staying Positive and other topics to help anyone with illnesses. 

Upon receiving a transplant, my biggest accomplishment will be getting off hemodialysis!!! Following that I would get back to work doing a few things in mind.

1) Passions Become Career

This choice would allow me to support myself doing all the things I love! I earn some inconsistent incomes already but focused on expanding and growing!

2) Medical Field

- Achieve my Nutritionist degree and start a small business from home. This business would offer patients meal plans for their specific health outlines, healthy prepared meals, and the opportunity to purchase fresh/organic foods from a garden I manage. Products or services would be available for delivery. Also services can be requested to be done for patients in their home if it is necessary. 

- Transportation. This would offer handicap patients a reliable source to make their ways to & from their appointments or simple errands. 

- Dialysis Tech/Nurse. Because who better to help these specific patients than someone who went through the same!

3) Basic Job/Devote Free Time

My last choice would resort in getting a very simple job & just devote my free time to helping the less fortunate. Whether it be cooking food/creating clothes for homeless, assisting those incapable of managing daily activities, or something along the lines.

SUMMARY

I  just want to live longer, inspire & not suffer. I NEED a transplant. I really don't know how many more needles, surgeries & medications I can handle before I refuse. Without dialysis, I may have a few months or weeks. I am doing my best to keep fighting!

Thank you for reading my story. I truly appreciate all the love, prayers and help so far! You guys are amazing!