Healthy Kidneys for Brianna!

My name is Jolanda, and Brianna has been the nanny for my two boys for three years, even through her medical situations. She is a fighter, this one. Here is a note she wanted to share:

First, my personal website is www.briannaborello.com. Here you can find out a lot about me and see that I'm trying to live as much of a normal life as possible :D

I am not like most girls my age, but at the same time I am. I was two years into college at USF when I started dialysis and continued until I graduated May 6, 2016. I've maintained my job and have continued my acting classes on a regular basis. 

However, at the end of the day, I'm just a girl in need of a transplant while trying to pursue my dreams. More specifically, I need a kidney transplant.

I was diagnosed with a kidney disease called FSGS in 2008, and I went into failure June of 2014. I have been on dialysis since, receiving treatment three times a week, for three hours, at 5:45 a.m.

I have had several complications, more than most dialysis patients should. My doctor has told me I am the most complicated patient he has ever seen. I've had a blood infection that lasted a year, on and off; fluid in my lungs; multiple blood clots in my heart, lungs and clavicle; surgery on my stomach to place a port and to remove it; five catheter exchanges on the right side of my chest and three catheter exchanges on the left; nasal surgery to clear the congestion in my head to prevent a brain infection--unrelated to the disease, but it didn't help with everything else going on.

My doctor even told me that I had a 50/50 chance of surviving when I had those two clots in my lungs. He also said that every year I'm alive is a miracle. Did you know that the majority of dialysis patients don't live past 20 years on dialysis and those with catheters don't live past five? Those are scary, but very real statistics.  

​There have been so many times where I opted out of social events because I thought I shouldn't go because I thought I needed to stay home and rest, but now I regret not going. Obviously I know not to push myself, but I've noticed I have a lot of will power. I have only this one life, and I don't want to miss out on these memories. Thinking about the past few years, I can't really talk about exciting things I've done or even just going out on a Friday night because I haven't done those things. The past six months or so, I've been trying to say yes to everything. I'm in my 20's, I should be having a ball or even going to one! Haha. 

So as you can see I act, look, and go through the same emotional issues as anyone my age. The only thing that sets me apart is that I need a new organ to live out my life, and I'm constantly in the hospital. Between July 25, 2015 and August 16, 2016, I have been hospitalized 66 days over the course of five visits. 

Anything you can offer, I would be eternally grateful and it would be much appreciated. I come from a single parent home, and two years ago, all my mom's life savings was stolen by her financial advisor two years ago, and she is still in a law suit. There were five other victims and Paula spent all the money, so no one will get everything back.

We don't have much. The money received here will go towards the expensive anti-rejection medications after transplant, the hospital stay (I'll be there a week), home health care (if needed), transportation, etc.

Thank you so much for taking the time and the interest to get to know me and everything I'm going through. And for reading all of this, but every detail was important. It certainly isn't easy, but I am surrounded by people who love and care about me.