To My Wonderful Friends,
If you
had the super power to extend the life of another person would you use it?
Maybe you do have that super power. And maybe you would be willing to use it to
save my life.
I am
writing to you about my current health challenge and how you can help. This is
not an easy letter for me to write but am facing a life-threatening situation.
I have
end-stage kidney disease. I have three options for treatment:
Dialysis- Home (peritoneal dialysis PD) or clinic
(hemodialysis HD).
Dialysis is only temporary. It is not a cure. Transplants
have the most favorable results. For a transplant from a deceased donor the
waiting time is eight to ten years and the organ will last eight to ten years.
At my stage in the disease I am not a candidate. A
transplant from a living donor has a better outcome, the shorter wait of a few
months and will last twice as long.
Hemodialysis
is exhausting and time-consuming with treatment schedules four to five hours
three to four times a week. Due to the time constraint of the HD, I would opt
for PD. This would require surgically
implanting an access port with a permanent abdominal catheter (a tube hanging
out of my abdomen). Each night I would be attached to a machine that would draw
my blood out, cleanse it and return it. Due to the risk of infection and injury
to the port, I would have to give up my participation in Equessense which would
be devastating to me, but more importantly, the ones who are benefited by this
life-altering therapy.
Although none of the choices are ideal, the best option
would a transplant from a living donor.
I have given a lot of myself in this life. After teaching
special education for several decades and then college for several years, I
retired to devote more time to my true passion. I direct Equessense, an
equestrian therapy program where I use my horses to enhance the lives of
individuals with a wide range of abilities and needs. I work very hard for no
financial compensation. My only currency
is the joy and progress I see in our athletes.
I am doing everything I can think of to find a living donor, so I can
keep giving. It is very awkward and a
huge task to ask someone to give me a body part. It is even more difficult to
live a normal life while being on dialysis, especially for someone like me
who’s extremely active contributing to my community. But, unless I find a
donor, my only choices will be dialysis or death. And, remember, dialysis is
temporary.
We are looking for people who are willing to be tested as
potential donors or could spread the word for me. To find out id you are a
candidate the 1st step is to go online to www.livingdonor-MethodistSA.com
to complete the Donor assessment questionnaire.
I think you need to know my name: Judy Hendon, and DOB 06/22/51. 2nd
step: Arrange a Donor Assessment appointment at:
210-575-4483. If you are a qualified donor you will
receive a head to toe, inside to out, top notch physical exam for free. If you
can help, please do. If you know someone who might, please pass this on to
them. I know this is a big request, but I don’t think I’m done making
contributions to family, friends and community, especially to our most
vulnerable population.
Passing this on to family, friends, work, school,
congregation or any other groups to which you belong would be most gratefully
appreciated.
To learn more about living kidney donation visit the
webpage at:
www.sahealth.com/kidney
transplant. Or call the donor hotline:
210-575-4483 to have a confidential conversation and get
answers to any questions you have. You don’t even have to disclose your name,
only that you are interested in helping Judy Hendon, DOB 06/22/51.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!
Judy
If you happen to be inclined to help, or know someone who is in the san antonio area and know they would help, please let them see this post. Equessense is the organization that she has founded and helped so many people through. Judy is an amazing woman that deserves a second chance.
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