12/16/2025
On January 19, 2025, in Honolulu, HI, I fixed my favorite snack- Chips & Queso! I am planning to watch USC vs. Indiana PLUS
NFL Playoffs - Rams VS Eagles - needless to say a great day of just ME, this Queso and no interruptions!
I felt a mean case of heartburn settling in almost immediately! I had only had… like one bite! Why do I have heartburn?? I thought I should take some antacids!! As I stood up, my first inclination that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore made itself known.
Right in the center of my chest came a pain that felt as if it was splitting my chest plate in half. It was excruciating! The pain was so bad all I could do was walk in a circle. I couldnt get away from the pain. Yes, it was a heart attack.
Unbeknownst to me- my Kidneys had stopped working. The Potassium build-up had reached fatal levels. Thank God Walt was home and called 911!
Before the day was over - before the next dawn came I would be diagnosed with ANCA Vasculitis- the killer of the glomerulus in my Kidneys.
After 6 hrs of debate - the MD’s were trying to figure out how they would get a heart Cath and a Kidney biopsy done and in which order. The aspirin I had recieved in the ambulance was now a huge problem.
For the next 45 days I would be completing at least one incredible treatment each day- 6 Days a Week!
To try and save my Kidneys - they threw the kitchen sink at my body. Mon, Wed, & Friday, I did HARSH in-clinic or in-hospital Hemodialysis; Tues and Thursdays, & Saturdays, I did an all day Plasma Pheresis, and on Fridays I completed Chemotherapy treatment. Not to mention the 75mg of Prednisone I was taking daily!
I had one day off- Sundays.
Anyway - that is how much my life changed in a very small amount of time.
Thank God for the MD’s at Kaiser in Honolulu! Someday I will tell you about my wonderful Nephrologist in Hawaii!
