Help defeat my friend’s evil kidney
Dawn Taylor was the first new friend I made when I moved to Portland in 2005. We’d had some Internet interactions before that through our membership in the Online Film Critics Society, but we didn’t meet in person until she sat next to me at the “Fantastic Four” screening in Portland. We laughed at that movie and quickly became BFFs.
That makes Dawn’s husband, Patrick Hurley, my BFF-in-law. As tart and sassy as Dawn is, Patrick is sweet and goofy, like a big ol’ puppy. (Dawn is secretly sweet, too, but she won’t admit it.) I got to know Patrick because he came to a lot of screenings with his wife. They’re a fine pair. I love them.
Last year, one of Patrick’s kidneys turned to the dark side and attempted to kill him, having been inspired by an equally sinister gall bladder that had to be forcibly removed. Patrick now requires dialysis a few days a week for the rest of his life (or a kidney transplant; let us know if you have one lying around). His health problems cost him his job, which decreases his ability to pay for the bills incurred by his health problems. He and Dawn do not have insurance. Patrick qualifies for disability payments — but those won’t kick in until March 2012. The government likes to wait a few months before it helps you out, in the hopes that in the meantime you will get better or die.
So here’s what I want you to do: Go to this page that some friends of ours have set up, read more about Dawn and Patrick, feel compassion for them even though you don’t know them, then click the “Donate” button and contribute a few dollars. The account is operated by Patrick’s sister. (Edit: Her name is Erin Davis, her husband is Scott Davis. Their names are on the PayPal account.) All the proceeds will go straight to Patrick and Dawn to help them pay their bills.
I can personally vouch for the 100-percent legitimacy of this cause. Give a dollar, give $10, give $50, give $1,000 — whatever you can give, it will help. These people are my friends, and they need help from their fellowmen. Were you hoping to do something charitable and kind for someone this Christmas season? Here’s a perfect opportunity.
December 13th, 2011 at 11:52 am
I hope “Scott Davis” is the friend that set up the PayPal for Dawn and Patrick, or I just got scammed!
My thoughts and prayers are with you guys. I have a close friend who went through something very similar. (After being on the waiting list for over 3 years he finally got a new kidney and doesn’t have to be on dialysis any more!)
December 13th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
I just tried, and it either didn’t work at all or I sent it twice…I’ll try to figure it out. After all, Dawn makes birthday cakes for you!
December 13th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Worked for me, but I also got “Scott Davis”. Hope that’s right!
December 13th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
On the information page under the donation button it says, “That button leads to the paypal page for Scott & Erin Davis (Patrick’s Sister) who are managing the fundraising.”
December 15th, 2011 at 2:09 am
I am a seventeen year kidney transplant and my wife is a six year kidney transplant. We have helped a number of other people who have faced End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) There are four bits of advice we always give.
1. I do not know if your friend has heard of donor swaps. If you have a donor that does not match you (e.g. wrong blood type), you can join a group that will trade donors. Say either you or his wife can donate, either you or she could become part of the swap. Just a few weeks ago, there was a four way swap with donated kidneys coming from and going to various parts of the country. The National Kidney Foundation can provide information on this for you.
2. There is another type of dialysis called peritoneal. It involves putting a dialysis fluid into your abdomen through a catheter and then draining it out after a few hours. Not everyone can do it, but if you can, it is fantastic. We hooked up at night and unhooked in the morning. I never lost a day of work and felt great. My wife worked two jobs. You can read abou tperitoneal dialysis online.
Simply put, hemodialysis is draining and debilitating. Peritoneal is life enhancing. In the latter you do everything and take care of yourself. The former is passive and others take care of you.
3. Fight! ESRD can be a bureaucratic combat zone. My wife was denied a transplant and she went to war. At one time you could google her name and get 12 pages of newspaper articles that only skimmed the surface of her battles. Nice and accepting doesn’t always cut it. Junk Yard Dog tenacity may be needed.
4. Get support. Whether it is a support group or just conversations with people who have suffered through dialysis, you would be amazed how helpful it can be for both for patient and spouse (feel free to share our email address to your friends if they want to talk or write to two veterans of dialysis and transplants).
December 25th, 2011 at 12:04 am
Awwww, I read this a lil past midnight — officially Christmas — consider it done.