Nikki Hamilton's Transplant Fund
Donation protected
This campaign has been set up by friends and family of Nikki Hamilton.Nikki is currently seeking a donor for her 2nd kidney transplant. The following story is written by one of her dearest childhood friends.
The funny thing about memory is that it comes in fits and stops, little things seared in forever, larger details forgotten over the years. That’s how I recall Nikki’s struggle over the past 13 years, starting in 2003 with a mystery illness that was eventually revealed to be renal failure caused by a distorted immune response. The official diagnosis being rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis caused by p-anca vasculitis. A year of dialysis would take its toll on anyone, but people who spent time around her that year saw her handle any struggle with unimaginable grace, positive spirit, and good humor. She might have a splitting headache, eyes glazed over in pain, and still find strength from which to crack a joke about a sour cream commercial that played incessantly, over and over again, on the TV. The renal diet allows for basically nothing that tastes good, save for rice krispie treats, which she enjoyed with gusto. Most of all, I remember trying to put myself in her shoes at every turn—a surgery that required removal of her failed kidneys, endless pills and blood pressure readings and sick days, extended absences from school, biopsies and lab work and needles so big I wanted to cry looking at them—and concluding that I would possess nowhere near her level of grit and determination.
All of that began to change on November 11, 2004 when Nikki received a life-changing organ donation from her Uncle Mike. She spent weeks in the ICU, but every day was growing stronger, recovering a light in her eyes that had been dimmed over the past year. The same, stupid sour cream commercial droned on in the background as we played Go Fish and began to imagine and talk about what her life would look like without constant disease and sickness.
For the better part of 12 years, Nikki has been able to carry on with her life: she has ridden and trained more horses than you can count, passed on her passion for all things equine to little girls and boys as a riding instructor, started and sustained a successful pet-sitting business, adopted her own pets, traveled, binge-watched Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead (seriously, that girl has no free time, I’m surprised she was able to do that!) and laughed and loved with friends and family.
But transplants don’t last forever, and for the past year or so, her “new” kidney had been running on fumes. In November 2016, doctors determined that it was no longer functioning at a significant level, and Nikki has once again started dialysis treatments while she begins the process of finding a new donor and receiving her next transplant.
That’s where you come in!! By donating to this campaign, you’ll provide vital financial support for both Nikki and her next angel-donor.We all know Nikki to be an incredibly hard working woman, who is almost impossible to keep down.However, operating on 5% kidney function is taking it's toll and she will need help for non medical expenses such as household bills, food, transportation,etc.
It is important for us to also be able to offer financial assistance to whoever her next donor is. You see, due to certain medical conditions, Nikki needs a live donor. Although recovery time is usually pretty quick for the donor, they too may need some help with everyday expenses.
Please “share” this page widely with your networks so that we can get as much support as possible for The Amazing Nikki!
The funny thing about memory is that it comes in fits and stops, little things seared in forever, larger details forgotten over the years. That’s how I recall Nikki’s struggle over the past 13 years, starting in 2003 with a mystery illness that was eventually revealed to be renal failure caused by a distorted immune response. The official diagnosis being rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis caused by p-anca vasculitis. A year of dialysis would take its toll on anyone, but people who spent time around her that year saw her handle any struggle with unimaginable grace, positive spirit, and good humor. She might have a splitting headache, eyes glazed over in pain, and still find strength from which to crack a joke about a sour cream commercial that played incessantly, over and over again, on the TV. The renal diet allows for basically nothing that tastes good, save for rice krispie treats, which she enjoyed with gusto. Most of all, I remember trying to put myself in her shoes at every turn—a surgery that required removal of her failed kidneys, endless pills and blood pressure readings and sick days, extended absences from school, biopsies and lab work and needles so big I wanted to cry looking at them—and concluding that I would possess nowhere near her level of grit and determination.
All of that began to change on November 11, 2004 when Nikki received a life-changing organ donation from her Uncle Mike. She spent weeks in the ICU, but every day was growing stronger, recovering a light in her eyes that had been dimmed over the past year. The same, stupid sour cream commercial droned on in the background as we played Go Fish and began to imagine and talk about what her life would look like without constant disease and sickness.
For the better part of 12 years, Nikki has been able to carry on with her life: she has ridden and trained more horses than you can count, passed on her passion for all things equine to little girls and boys as a riding instructor, started and sustained a successful pet-sitting business, adopted her own pets, traveled, binge-watched Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead (seriously, that girl has no free time, I’m surprised she was able to do that!) and laughed and loved with friends and family.
But transplants don’t last forever, and for the past year or so, her “new” kidney had been running on fumes. In November 2016, doctors determined that it was no longer functioning at a significant level, and Nikki has once again started dialysis treatments while she begins the process of finding a new donor and receiving her next transplant.
That’s where you come in!! By donating to this campaign, you’ll provide vital financial support for both Nikki and her next angel-donor.We all know Nikki to be an incredibly hard working woman, who is almost impossible to keep down.However, operating on 5% kidney function is taking it's toll and she will need help for non medical expenses such as household bills, food, transportation,etc.
It is important for us to also be able to offer financial assistance to whoever her next donor is. You see, due to certain medical conditions, Nikki needs a live donor. Although recovery time is usually pretty quick for the donor, they too may need some help with everyday expenses.
Please “share” this page widely with your networks so that we can get as much support as possible for The Amazing Nikki!
Organizer
Nikki Hamilton
Organizer
Newnan, GA
