Still Standing

Hi, my name is Adrian. In 1984, when I was 19 years old, 5 months after the birth of my daughter, I became ill.  After many hospital admissions, 7 months later, I was diagnosed with SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus). Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease where your body's immune system attacks the skin, joints, brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and blood cells because it cannot differentiate between healthy and unhealthy organs and tissues. When I became sick, Lupus, at this time, was virtually unknown and not considered a viable serious disease.  Because Lupus (SLE) mimics many other diseases, I was very often misdiagnosed.

In 1993, my Lupus caused my kidneys to fail and I was on dialysis.  I was in remission for 3 years with no Lupus attacks.  I was able to receive a kidney transplant September 2000, from an anonymous donor, which lasted 8 years.  January 2008, I got pneumonia and because of the strength and high dosage of the antibiotics, five months later my kidney transplant failed, and I was back on dialysis, which I still now have been on for ten.

By March of 2011, I noticed my feet and legs were getting cold, numb, and turning black, causing difficulty when I would stand or sit.  Soon after, I was diagnosed with PAD and PVD caused by Lupus.  PAD and PVD is Peripheral Vascular and Artery Disease.  A circulatory disease where narrowing of veins and arteries reduce blood flow to your limbs.  My legs did not receive enough blood which caused the coldness, numbness, and my legs to turn black.

Between 2010 and 2015, I had meningitis, causing me to lose 65% of my hearing.  Also, 3 severe Lupus attacks, two of which I was on life support and a third degree medical burn from an allergic reaction of the medication given to me by IV.  I also developed gangrene, which is dead tissue caused by a lack of blood flow, on my third and fourth toes on my right foot.  I had double hernia surgery, 3 days before my daughter, Tamika's birthday. During this time, I also had five separate balloon Angioplasty surgeries to open the arteries in my legs.  Then began the amputations of 4 toes on my right foot and one toe on my left, and then another toe amputation on my left foot on my 50th birthday.

By this time my PVD and PAD was getting worse and my left toe amputation was not healing.  October 2016, I had an amputation below the knee of my left leg.  However, the PVD and PAD caused a severe infection.  One month later, I had to have an amputation above the knee of my left leg.  Then the pinky toe on my right foot developed an ulcer and was amputated in February the next year.

December 2017, I started Occupational and Physical therapy to learn to walk with my prosthetic leg.  Because of Medicare and Medicaid cut-backs and my health causing me to be denied by any other medical insurance, I will not be able to continue therapy when my Medicare and Medicaid funding ends April 30, 2018

My family, especially my twin sister, Andrea encouraged me to start a Go-Fund-Me page.  The money raised will go towards my therapy. Please help me on my journey to walk, so I can dance with my niece and walk my dog in the park again.