Lizbeth Long Journey Medical Fund
Donation protected
In 2004 I was living the american dream. Having came here from Colombia and learned English, I'd put myself through college and after many years I'd finally landed a wonderful job working for a Telecomunications company as a Worldwide customer service representative. I had traveled the world, become active in fitness and biking, made many new friendsand now began working on my Master degree in Lidership development.
But in 2007 everything crashed; Lupus, an auto-immune disease I'd learned to live with for twenty years, begin to flare up. I developed nephritis, a chronic inflamation of the kidney. This led to a kidney failure and started dialysis three times a week. Then, in February I suddenly found myself in a hospital with one of my feet having turn cold, black and in constant extreme pain. For weeks I endured this until they amputated my leg below the knee. Months of rehab and learnig to use a prosthetic followed. Then that fall, the other leg has to be amputated. I spent mos of 2007 either in a hospital or a clinic. More months of rehab would follow. And various complications, usuallyin the form of infections from catheters, would keep me returning to hospitals on a regular basis. At least once I was in the ICUon respirator, unconscious, with friends weeping over me.
Despite all these interruptions I managed to complete my master degree, and was yearning to get back to work. My coworkers were jast as eager to have me back: when I stopped by to visit they'd even scattered rose-petals on the floor in the office! but in my condition, my returning was not feasible for the company, so I've been on permanent disability ever since.
In February it will be ten years that I've been on dialysis waiting for a transplant. Dialysis not fun; it's uncomfortable, time-consuming, risky(catherer infections occur often), and restrictive: you can't "skip"dialysis, which makes most distant travel nearly imposible. I'd once looked at dialysis as the end of the road. It amazes me that I'm still here! But hopefully I'm closer to the light; this year the transplant finally will take place at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore Maryland, three hours from Philadelphia. After the transplant I will have a number of expenses that are not covered by the insurance. the first month I have to stay in a hotel near the hospital for observation and have to pay for transportation back and forth. I won't be able to drive for a couple months. For the first year afterward I will have to go to the hospital for monthly checkups. Another expense is the anti-rejection medication, not covered by insurance.
I have created Lizbeth Journey Fund at GoFundMe for thosewho might want to contribute.
I thank you in advance for your help and generosity.
God may bless you and your families.
Sincerely
Lizbeth
But in 2007 everything crashed; Lupus, an auto-immune disease I'd learned to live with for twenty years, begin to flare up. I developed nephritis, a chronic inflamation of the kidney. This led to a kidney failure and started dialysis three times a week. Then, in February I suddenly found myself in a hospital with one of my feet having turn cold, black and in constant extreme pain. For weeks I endured this until they amputated my leg below the knee. Months of rehab and learnig to use a prosthetic followed. Then that fall, the other leg has to be amputated. I spent mos of 2007 either in a hospital or a clinic. More months of rehab would follow. And various complications, usuallyin the form of infections from catheters, would keep me returning to hospitals on a regular basis. At least once I was in the ICUon respirator, unconscious, with friends weeping over me.
Despite all these interruptions I managed to complete my master degree, and was yearning to get back to work. My coworkers were jast as eager to have me back: when I stopped by to visit they'd even scattered rose-petals on the floor in the office! but in my condition, my returning was not feasible for the company, so I've been on permanent disability ever since.
In February it will be ten years that I've been on dialysis waiting for a transplant. Dialysis not fun; it's uncomfortable, time-consuming, risky(catherer infections occur often), and restrictive: you can't "skip"dialysis, which makes most distant travel nearly imposible. I'd once looked at dialysis as the end of the road. It amazes me that I'm still here! But hopefully I'm closer to the light; this year the transplant finally will take place at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore Maryland, three hours from Philadelphia. After the transplant I will have a number of expenses that are not covered by the insurance. the first month I have to stay in a hotel near the hospital for observation and have to pay for transportation back and forth. I won't be able to drive for a couple months. For the first year afterward I will have to go to the hospital for monthly checkups. Another expense is the anti-rejection medication, not covered by insurance.
I have created Lizbeth Journey Fund at GoFundMe for thosewho might want to contribute.
I thank you in advance for your help and generosity.
God may bless you and your families.
Sincerely
Lizbeth
Organizer
Lizbeth Gonzalez
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA