Marisol's Kidney Transplant

Hi, my name is Marisol Padilla, and for the past 12 years I have been a Lupus survivor. I write that because it’s better to think of myself as a survivor than a prisoner. The truth is, there have been many times over the past decade where I have felt as though I was being held hostage by my own body. I can recount days not being able to stand up and walk because the inflammation in my joints was so overwhelmingly painful, days where my migraines would last almost an entire week and be so intense that I would temporarily lose my sense of sight, days where I would have to feel my way to the bathroom by touching the walls because I couldn’t keep anything on my stomach, and days where my sensitivity to light in general was so high that any exposure to the sun would cause my face to break out in rashes and almost turn completely black. As I reflect on these experiences, I have no choice but to think of myself as a survivor, an overcomer, because when some of the most basic pursuits of happiness, prospering in good physical health, having a positive outlook on one’s position in life, and living a reality of relative normalcy seem to be larger than life and too far away to grasp, what other choice is there?

 For those of you who may not know, Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. To simplify, the inflammation caused by Lupus can affect many different body systems such as the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, and heart and lung (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases).To make it plain, this disease can place some serious limitations on one’s life.

 As a Lupus patient, I currently connect myself to a dialysis machine every night for ten hours to remove toxins from my body due to kidney failure. I guess the bright side is that I can still enjoy the occasional midnight snack as long as it is bed side! Unfortunately though, without the machine, I would not be able to live. If I fail to connect myself by a certain time every night, my face will swell as a result of toxin build up. If I wait considerably longer, I risk the potassium levels in my body rising and ultimately having a heart attack. Consequently, I am unable to take long distanced trips due to my dependency to the machine. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Seven Pounds,” starring Will Smith and Rosario Dawson—Do you remember when the character Emily Posa tells Ben that she longs for the day when she can take a 13 hour trip across country and not have to worry about finding a doctor because of her condition?—That’s me! Just the other night, I had a scare that I would have to be rushed to the hospital because I started throwing up out of nowhere as soon as I connected myself for bed. In my world, sometimes even the simplest joy of laughter is bittersweet because if I laugh too long, it feels as though super intense pressure is rushing to my head which causes me to lose my sense of hearing. I love to laugh, but I never thought I would see a day where laughter could be detrimental to my body and my senses. So once again, I stand, a survivor, not just of Lupus, but (as according to my last doctor’s visit on May 17th, 2016) of chest pain, back pain, end stage renal disease, hypertension, anemia, acute bronchitis, hypotension, SVC syndrome, Pericarditis, and hypoglycemia. As a side note, I’ve been going to church more lately, and I’ve learned about the power of prayer. It’s one of the few things that help me to rise above the weight of anxiety, panic, chest pain and stress that comes along with my ailment.

Don’t get me wrong, this writing is not an attempt to pity myself, only to shed light on the circumstances I have gone through. I consider each day a blessing from God and I hold on to the faith that is described in the bible, that through my endurance, patience, and belief in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I will be healed by the blood of the lamb. Do I still deal with the aches, pains, swelling, rashes, and migraines associated with Lupus? Yes. Must I follow a strict dieting regimen so as not to consume foods with higher potassium levels (Which consists of almost every food known to man!)? Yes. Have I been told that it would be nearly impossible for me to conceive and birth a child? The answer remains the same. Nonetheless, I carry this hope and faith with me every day that I awake. With it, I am a survivor, with it, I am an overcomer, but without it, I am nothing, only a victim.

I am writing this go fund me article with the hope that through your help, I may be placed on the waiting list to receive a kidney transplant and have the funds sufficient for the operation as well as to cover the costs of necessary medications. The minimum amount needed for this procedure is $10,000, and I only have a window of six months to do so. Without the funds, the chance of being placed on the waiting list is slim to none. I am aware that healing may come in many forms, and if this is the route for me to receive mine, I believe it will happen. Thank you for your consideration, thank you for taking the time to read the story of my life, thank you for your help!
 


After church, enjoying the day with the one i love the most.  She give me  strenght when it seems that i can't go on.