Patrick's Story

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The Day My Life Changes

The Day My Life Changed

Life was moving at full speed — work, family, future plans — until the day the doctor delivered the quiet, devastating news: end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It felt like the ground had vanished beneath me.

The sudden reality of dialysis was jarring, forcing me into a new, rigid schedule defined by a machine. My energy was constantly depleted, my independence felt lost, and the waiting — the endless, agonizing wait for a potential transplant — became the backdrop of my entire life.

In those dark, early days, I felt isolated, defined solely by my illness. Dialysis was physically draining, but the psychological toll was even heavier. I struggled with the unfairness of it all, questioning my strength and my future. I saw myself as a patient, not a person.

The turning point wasn’t a sudden medical breakthrough — it was a mental one. I decided to stop asking “Why me?” and start saying “Watch me.”

I reached out to others who understood this fight — my fellow Nephro Warriors. Through their stories and shared resilience, I found my voice and rediscovered my purpose. I realized that while kidney disease had changed my path, it did not determine my destination. It stripped away what was comfortable, but it revealed a strength I never knew I had.

Today, I choose to be a warrior. Whether I’m managing my condition, waiting for a gift, or living post-transplant, my mission is to advocate and inspire.

But the struggle isn’t just physical and emotional — it quickly becomes a desperate financial fight. My state disability benefits ran out far sooner than expected, forcing me into a terrifying gap while I waited for the lengthy Social Security benefits process to conclude. This delay placed my entire life in jeopardy: without a stable income, I risked losing my home, which in turn could make me ineligible for the precious transplant list.

The reality is that fighting for survival often means fighting for housing and financial stability — just to stay in the race for a second chance.

If you’re standing where I once stood, overwhelmed and exhausted, please know this: you are not alone. You are stronger than you feel right now. Keep fighting.

💚 Support Patrick’s Journey: https://gofund.me/e8f509f5c