A Walking Breathing Miracle

~Nichellet is a 24 year old college student from Houston, Texas. Faced with an unexpected decline in health, she continues to conquer her spirit. This is her story.~

Life has a way of knocking you down at times.  I believe the important thing to do is to not stay down.  Staying down does nothing for you! It only hinders you from moving forward. How can you move forward when you are defeated? Do not be defeated!  “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” Galatians 6:9. I am STRONG believer in God and I hold this scripture close to my heart. Here’s why.  A year ago, a day after Mother’s Day, I received a huge wake-up call. Yes, an actual call from my Doctor. It was that morning when I decided to stay home from work. I’m a teacher assistant at an elementary school. There was no way I could be around children feeling tired, fatigued, and I had no appetite what so ever. A few days prior I went to the clinic, where they did a routine lab check, which required blood work and a urine sample. Of course, I prayed over everything. I prayed for wisdom for the doctors and I prayed over my labs. I also felt something heavy in my spirit to pray for patience with myself and to prepare my heart for anything. Well, fast forward to the day I received the call, the doctor from the clinic told me my creatinine level was 9. I’ll explain. Creatinine is a compound that is produced by metabolism of creatine and excreted in the urine. It is a good indicator of kidney function. When the number is high, it represents kidney failure and when the number is low, it represents a normal functioning kidney. The normal range level of creatinine is 0.5-1.1. Again, my level was 9. I guess you can see where my kidney function lied. He told me to immediately call my nephrologist and go to the hospital. At that moment, I still did not recognize the severity of the situation. I googled some things (the typical go to) and the symptoms I had were pointing to kidney failure. I was numb, but I prayed and I mean prayed. I cried out to God. I got on my knees and begged God for healing! I had always issues with my kidneys, but I would have never thought it would come to that. I told the doctor from the clinic to send over my labs to my nephrologist. This was around 11am.

I decided to get up and get dressed and go to the grocery store. The only problem was I was feeling so weak and drained that I stayed in the car for a good 45 min. Need I remind you, this is in May, a pretty hot month. I honestly felt lifeless. It was God keeping me because I could have slowly drifted into a deep sleep and passed away. I gathered up enough energy by the Grace of God and walked in the store. Again, my body is very, very weak. Before I left my house, I researched healthy fruits and vegetables that were “kidney friendly.” In my mind, I was thinking if I switch my diet up real quick everything will be okay. I had an energy drink weeks before, so my thoughts were it caused my blood pressure to increase and lead to the kidney failure. I really wasn’t sure. I left the store and drove to my grandmother’s home. I made it there around 2pm. I slept the entire time I was there. I was urinating, but not as much as I should have been. While at my grandmother’s house, my little sister called to see if I was going to make it to her awards ceremony that night. Of course I had to try and make it there, even considering the circumstances. As I was driving to the ceremony my nephrologist called. I watched the phone ring hoping that he’ll give me good news. Nope. None at all. He asked me how I was feeling. I was honest. His words were, “Well it looks like your kidneys has shut down or are about to shut down”. “You’re going to have to come in to the hospital like ASAP.” All I could say was, “oh ok, wow”. Still in complete shock of what he just said. I told him I’d be there, so I went home and called my dad at work. I told him everything my doctor told me. He told me to call my aunt and see if she could take me to the hospital. At this point I am now crying my heart out and praying at the same time. I called my coworker and informed her of everything that was transpiring. She immediately prays for me and comes to my house to console me. My cousin rushed over as well and had his girlfriend’s mother to pray for me. I’m still bawling my eyes out, still in disbelief! I quickly get in the shower after everyone leaves, but my cousin stays with me. My aunt arrives close to 7pm and she drives me to the hospital. My dad already notified my mother, she was at my sister’s awards ceremony.

After arriving to the hospital, my blood pressure is extremely high. I mean frightening high! The nursing staff checks me in and I am then quickly admitted. Soooo many thoughts were running through my mind, as you probably could imagine. My family was there with me for a little while, but soon had to leave around 12-1a.m. I spent 2 weeks in the hospital. The longest 2 weeks of my life! I cried every night. I knew my kidneys weren’t in the best shape, but I never wanted it to come to this. The entire time I thought about my paternal grandmother, “Big Mama”, who passed away 3 years ago. She herself also suffered with failing kidneys. She was on dialysis, and I soon would be myself. After 2 weeks, I was discharged from the hospital and couldn’t be anymore happier. Dialysis continued outpatient, along with the low salt, low potassium, and low phosphorus diet. I quickly adjusted to dialysis, as I went 3 times a week. Fortunately, this happened during the summer and I was able to recover, without missing work. My principal pretty much gave me the run around, but God’s favor was and still is on my life. I returned to work that October! Thank God!! My doctor came to visit me in dialysis and told me that things were looking good and I could possibly get off of dialysis. Yes! Trying to remain calm and not anxious, I call my family. Everyone is excited.

A month later, to my surprise, my doctor tells me that I will need a kidney transplant. At that moment, I died on the inside. I never wanted to hear those words. An actual organ, which I was born with, is now no longer functioning, and I have to have someone else’s. With no hesitation my dad offered me his kidney. I had mixed emotions about it, but it was just about the only thing that could save my life. At this point it’s just a waiting game. Unfortunately, I have been in and out of the hospital 4 times since then for high blood pressure due to kidney function. This in turn also caused me to begin having seizures. By the GRACE OF GOD there was no harm done to my brain!  I couldn’t thank him enough. As of now, my blood pressure has been tremendously better. Now, a year later I am still holding on to faith and reciting Jeremiah 30:17. “The Lord will return to you your health and heal your wounds”.  Recently I received some awesome news! The transplant team called and said I’d be getting a kidney and everything was set for the next morning. Boy was I ready! I didn’t want to tell my entire family just in case something went wrong. What do you know? The surgeon calls me the same day to tell me they have to cancel the transplant because of a blood clot in the right atrium of my heart, due to the catheter for dialysis. I was pissed, sad, and troubled. All I could do was cry out to God and ask him for the same things that I did when I was at home that first morning. Fast forward to present day, I’m still holding on. I am remaining focused. I had to put school on hold, but it is okay because my health comes first. I pray my story encourages you. Never lose hope, remain humble, and stay prayed up! My journey continues.

-Nichellet