Save Shok's Life
Donation protected
https://m.facebook.com/Save-Shoks-Life-100955491660124/
Dear Friends,
First, allow me to thank you for considering reading this letter. Your time and energy is greatly appreciated. Thursday Evening, August 2, 2018 became the most scary, emotional, important day of my life. While on my journey to be healthier, in July, I started having problems with my blood pressure. My legs became very swollen and I figured I really needed to see a doctor. I mentioned for months that I needed to start seeing a doctor more regularly and become more in tune with my health. So, I saw a doctor and was given medication to help control my blood pressure and ease my swollen legs. After a month, I was home and my heart started pumping really fast and hard like it wanted to jump clean out of my chest. I became scared and assumed I was having a heart attack, so I called the ambulance. I was rushed to the hospital and after receiving some fluids and medications; I was informed by doctors that I was in stage five-kidney failure. Kidney Failure means that your kidneys are damaged and can't filter blood the way they should. You are at greater risk for kidney disease if you have diabetes or high blood pressure.
I remained in the hospital for a week and went through several tests and evaluations. I was released August 9th. With the help of some very, very important close friends and family, doctors and nurses, I am here today.
My kidney function has gotten worse due to having high blood pressure for a long. Currently, my kidneys are not functioning, as they should. I may look like I am fine and healthy, but I am not. I’m blessed and Thankful that I am not in need of dialysis right this moment, but it is coming. I have changed to more healthy eating practices, exercising and watching my weight, I’m ok. However, I am in need of a kidney transplant. The goal is to have the transplant before the need of dialysis. A transplant would give me a better chance to continue to do the fun things I enjoy most, like spending time with my family and friends along with working and doing what I love.
However, finding a kidney for a transplant is not easy. There are 100,000+ people on a waiting list for a deceased donor kidney like me. Time is not on our side. Some wait for years; many die while waiting. The average wait time is five years or more for a kidney from a deceased donor. However, there is another option. Receiving a kidney from a living donor. This is where you come in.
For those of you who not know a lot about living donation, the following are factual information about kidney donation:
• You only need one kidney to live a healthy, long life.
• Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny incisions.
• The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks.
• The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by my insurance. The hospital can give you extensive information on this, but you won’t pay for anything
• You will have a separate team of healthcare professionals to evaluate you as a living donor. Their job is to help you understand the risks and benefits and look out for YOUR best interests.
• The physicians will let you know if you can or can’t donate.
You can also learn more about living donation on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation or by contacting the NKF’s free, confidential helpline at 855.NKF.CARES (855.653.2273) or [email redacted]. If you want to talk to someone who’s already donated a kidney, NKF can also help.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If donating a kidney to me is something you would like to consider, I would be happy to tell you more about my story and explore the process of determining if you are a match for me. You can also contact my transplant center
MUSC (Medical University of South Carolina) directly at (843) [phone redacted].
Augusta Medical University Transplant Center directly at (706) [phone redacted].
Please consider being an organ donor. Not only after death, but while you’re living also. Please help me by sharing my story with everyone you know. I want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation. I’m prayerful that my efforts will help me receive a kidney soon and encourage others to consider helping the many people on the wait list.
Thank you!
Dear Friends,
First, allow me to thank you for considering reading this letter. Your time and energy is greatly appreciated. Thursday Evening, August 2, 2018 became the most scary, emotional, important day of my life. While on my journey to be healthier, in July, I started having problems with my blood pressure. My legs became very swollen and I figured I really needed to see a doctor. I mentioned for months that I needed to start seeing a doctor more regularly and become more in tune with my health. So, I saw a doctor and was given medication to help control my blood pressure and ease my swollen legs. After a month, I was home and my heart started pumping really fast and hard like it wanted to jump clean out of my chest. I became scared and assumed I was having a heart attack, so I called the ambulance. I was rushed to the hospital and after receiving some fluids and medications; I was informed by doctors that I was in stage five-kidney failure. Kidney Failure means that your kidneys are damaged and can't filter blood the way they should. You are at greater risk for kidney disease if you have diabetes or high blood pressure.
I remained in the hospital for a week and went through several tests and evaluations. I was released August 9th. With the help of some very, very important close friends and family, doctors and nurses, I am here today.
My kidney function has gotten worse due to having high blood pressure for a long. Currently, my kidneys are not functioning, as they should. I may look like I am fine and healthy, but I am not. I’m blessed and Thankful that I am not in need of dialysis right this moment, but it is coming. I have changed to more healthy eating practices, exercising and watching my weight, I’m ok. However, I am in need of a kidney transplant. The goal is to have the transplant before the need of dialysis. A transplant would give me a better chance to continue to do the fun things I enjoy most, like spending time with my family and friends along with working and doing what I love.
However, finding a kidney for a transplant is not easy. There are 100,000+ people on a waiting list for a deceased donor kidney like me. Time is not on our side. Some wait for years; many die while waiting. The average wait time is five years or more for a kidney from a deceased donor. However, there is another option. Receiving a kidney from a living donor. This is where you come in.
For those of you who not know a lot about living donation, the following are factual information about kidney donation:
• You only need one kidney to live a healthy, long life.
• Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny incisions.
• The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks.
• The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by my insurance. The hospital can give you extensive information on this, but you won’t pay for anything
• You will have a separate team of healthcare professionals to evaluate you as a living donor. Their job is to help you understand the risks and benefits and look out for YOUR best interests.
• The physicians will let you know if you can or can’t donate.
You can also learn more about living donation on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation or by contacting the NKF’s free, confidential helpline at 855.NKF.CARES (855.653.2273) or [email redacted]. If you want to talk to someone who’s already donated a kidney, NKF can also help.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If donating a kidney to me is something you would like to consider, I would be happy to tell you more about my story and explore the process of determining if you are a match for me. You can also contact my transplant center
MUSC (Medical University of South Carolina) directly at (843) [phone redacted].
Augusta Medical University Transplant Center directly at (706) [phone redacted].
Please consider being an organ donor. Not only after death, but while you’re living also. Please help me by sharing my story with everyone you know. I want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation. I’m prayerful that my efforts will help me receive a kidney soon and encourage others to consider helping the many people on the wait list.
Thank you!
Organizer and beneficiary
Dionne Dunlap
Organizer
West Columbia, SC
Thomas Harling
Beneficiary
