Kidney Transplant Rhonda Fogleman
Donation protected
Rhonda's Story:
My story started 9 years ago. On Friday the 13th in October of 2006, the doctor told me that all my symptom's were caused by a low thyroid. By 1:00 in the morning I felt as if I was drowning. Went to the ER and was told my kidneys had failed and I would need dialysis. At age 41 I had never really heard of dialysis before but within 2 hours I had tubes in my chest and was hooked up to the machine. Neither I or my family knew the journey we were all going to take from that point on. After a kidney biopsy the news got worse. I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer (Amyloidosis). I was told that without treatment I could only expect to live a year but with treatment I could live 5 years. I still had a 16 year old son to get through the last year and half of high school so I decided to fight and fight hard cause my job wasn't finished yet. I was the only one with this disease to stay in Idaho for treatment. I spent a month in the hospital going through chemotherapy and my first stem cell transplant. Between dialysis and chemotherapy I have never been so sick. My immune system was compromised so I was back in the hospital with pneumonia within a week after going home. Six months later, I went in for my second round of chemotherapy and second stem cell transplant. My hair had just started to grow back and away it went again. Over the next year I spent weeks in the hospital due to my immune system. After 6 months, my numbers started to climb again so they put me on a chemotherapy pill but after a few months it caused my feet and hands to go numb so we had to stop. For 9 months all seemed to be going well until my liver started to swell. I started chemotherapy again but this time through an IV, every Friday. After a year, the doctor took me off to see if my numbers would stay stable. For the last 2 years my cancer has been dormant, but the doctors can't explain it, I'm an anomaly they say. So my cancer doctor and my kidney doctor got together and pushed to get me a kidney transplant. As far as they know I'm the first in the U.S. to get listed with this disease. Because of the length of time I've been on dialysis I should get one very quickly.
This is just some of the highlights of the last 9 years, I've tried not to overwhelm you. I would like to say that on this journey I have learned that hair doesn't make you beautiful. The kindness and compassion of strangers will always surprise and awe you. When you feel you can’t carry yourself anymore, Always remember the 3 F's, Faith, Family and Friends. That's where you find your strength. The saying "Never judge cause you don't know what that persons journey is" holds true. Be kind and be courageous. Give someone your smile.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, if nothing else I hope it inspired you to pay it forward.
My story started 9 years ago. On Friday the 13th in October of 2006, the doctor told me that all my symptom's were caused by a low thyroid. By 1:00 in the morning I felt as if I was drowning. Went to the ER and was told my kidneys had failed and I would need dialysis. At age 41 I had never really heard of dialysis before but within 2 hours I had tubes in my chest and was hooked up to the machine. Neither I or my family knew the journey we were all going to take from that point on. After a kidney biopsy the news got worse. I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer (Amyloidosis). I was told that without treatment I could only expect to live a year but with treatment I could live 5 years. I still had a 16 year old son to get through the last year and half of high school so I decided to fight and fight hard cause my job wasn't finished yet. I was the only one with this disease to stay in Idaho for treatment. I spent a month in the hospital going through chemotherapy and my first stem cell transplant. Between dialysis and chemotherapy I have never been so sick. My immune system was compromised so I was back in the hospital with pneumonia within a week after going home. Six months later, I went in for my second round of chemotherapy and second stem cell transplant. My hair had just started to grow back and away it went again. Over the next year I spent weeks in the hospital due to my immune system. After 6 months, my numbers started to climb again so they put me on a chemotherapy pill but after a few months it caused my feet and hands to go numb so we had to stop. For 9 months all seemed to be going well until my liver started to swell. I started chemotherapy again but this time through an IV, every Friday. After a year, the doctor took me off to see if my numbers would stay stable. For the last 2 years my cancer has been dormant, but the doctors can't explain it, I'm an anomaly they say. So my cancer doctor and my kidney doctor got together and pushed to get me a kidney transplant. As far as they know I'm the first in the U.S. to get listed with this disease. Because of the length of time I've been on dialysis I should get one very quickly.
This is just some of the highlights of the last 9 years, I've tried not to overwhelm you. I would like to say that on this journey I have learned that hair doesn't make you beautiful. The kindness and compassion of strangers will always surprise and awe you. When you feel you can’t carry yourself anymore, Always remember the 3 F's, Faith, Family and Friends. That's where you find your strength. The saying "Never judge cause you don't know what that persons journey is" holds true. Be kind and be courageous. Give someone your smile.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, if nothing else I hope it inspired you to pay it forward.
Organizer and beneficiary
Shelley Thayer
Organizer
Nampa, ID
Rhonda Fogleman
Beneficiary