Donations to Amber for Kidney Recovery
Our names are Alina and Whitney! Our beloved daughter and sister, Amber, has recently been admitted to the hospital due to a her kidneys failing.. Below is a statement that Amber has decided to write for information to those who are viewing!
"So I’ve been debating on posting about this because it’s something that weighs heavy on me and I don’t want to be viewed as a victim and it’s something super personal. But I know I have a huge support system full of friends and family that love and care about me so it’s best to be transparent with what’s going on to have an overall positive experience and speedy recovery. So here we go. So some of you may or may not know that in 2010 I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that attacked my kidneys. I’ve been in remission from that for about 8 years but unfortunately my kidney function has slowly suffered over the years and that on top of having high blood pressure has caused some more issues. I went from feeling completely fine a few weeks ago, to feeling super sick the last week.
Monday I woke up with a terrible migraine, constant vomiting, muscle weakness, fatigue, and just feeling overall terrible. So I went to my lab and got blood work done. Tuesday my doctor called and my levels were really bad. He told me I was essentially now in kidney failure and needed to go to the ER as soon as possible. My red blood cell count was down to 4.8 (should be at 12), my creatinine was at 16 (should be at 0.0-1.0), and my kidney function was down to 3%.
They gave me 3 units of blood to try to raise my red blood count and put in a permanent central line catheter in my chest and started dialysis. The first couple of days were extremely brutal. We couldn’t get my blood pressure (227/111) or my migraine under control so they moved me to ICU and put me on a rotation of blood pressure meds/anti nausea meds/pain meds.
Today I’m feeling a lot better. We transfused another unit of blood and my levels are looking better. My BP is finally getting better. But I have to have it under control without the help of medication before they will release me. I’m able to eat again. Its been about 24 hours since I’ve vomited. And my headache is gone. However, I’ll most likely been stuck here until Monday.
I’ve had 3 dialysis sessions done and will have to continue to be on it until I can find a kidney donor for a transplant. I’ve already started the application process for getting a kidney. As soon as I’m released from the hospital, I’ll be able to finish the testing and continue the search for a donor. Once I find a match, I’ll be out of work for 4-8 weeks for recovery.
Its been a really rough week dealing with all of this both mentally and physically. I appreciate everyone who has prayed, reached out, or checked in on me.
That being said, if anyone has questions, feel free to reach out. I can send reading material over it. And if anyone is potentially interested in donating a kidney I’ve provided the link for the application below. Make sure you choose Medical city Fort Worth and put my name (Amber Steggall) under the recipient part. "
Please visit this link if you are interested in learning about being an organ donor:
https://medicalcityhealthcare.com/locations/medical-city-fort-worth/patients-visitors/living-donor/?fbclid=IwAR0mnLo4X9ilgL6mXGn6Jg3JD5qaIlOac-7XsRaEsC8nVye1Ug8YmS_HF5Y
Unfortunately, this will not be the last hospital stay we are expecting in the near future.. We are absolutely hoping and praying that we find a donor as well as a speedy recovery. We are also hoping that whoever this touches, will pray, share, and donate to this cause.. This GO-Fund-Me will be assisting with insurance premiums, deductibles, out of pocket, and medications until Medicare kicks in. Also, living expenses(rent, utilities) due to any time off during the transplant/recovery process.
Thank you everyone, we love you all! Our family appreciates your love and support!
If you have any questions, please contact us directly!
With Love,
Alina, Amber & Whitney