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Kirsten Ernesaks: Gift Of 8 Campaign
I am 45 years old, and I need a Kidney!
At the age of 20 I was diagnosed with kidney disease, and I was told I would need a kidney transplant. In 2004, after 3 long years of dialysis, I was blessed to receive a kidney from a living donor. It's been 19 years since that transplant, and the freedom it had gave me is indescribable. Other then taking a few anti-rejection drugs I was able to live a very normal life. I was able to travel, I was able to eat the foods I wanted, I was able to work, and so much more.
That transplanted kidney failed 11 years ago now. I had to go back on dialysis. I do dialysis at home, but still have lost my freedom, and it is all very hard. The only thing I can do is wait for a new kidney, but because the list is so long and my antibodies are so high I could be waiting a very long time. My goal is to stay healthy long enough to one day have another transplant, and get my freedom back.
Dialysis isn't a way to live, it's just life support.