In 3 years, I lived through kidney failure, two organ transplants (kidney and pancreas transplants) and survived the West Nile virus. After 32 years of living with type 1 diabetes, my kidneys failed. I spent 7 months on dialysis when my only brother and hero donated to me his left kidney. My transplant team's full plan of treatment was to correct what caused the kidney failure--the diabetes. And so I had to be medically requalified for another transplant, and 18 months later I was paged to receive a pancreas transplant.
The fast paced life I once knew as CEO of an auto supplier was returning until, four months after my pancreas transplant, I contracted the West Nile virus. I was immunosuppressed because of the transplants and so I suffered a very serios case of the West Nile virus. I went from being Vice President of the National Association of Automotive Suppliers Scholarship Fund and presenting scholarships in front of 1000+ people to a speech therapy patient who sounded as if I had a closed head injury.
It has been eight years since my comatose state and surviving the West Nile virus. Today I've written a book about my experience growing up with diabetes and surviving 4 major health challenges (dialysis, kidney transplant, pancreas transplant and the West Nile virus) over 3 years. Read more at www.jlewiskemp.com
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Hi Jacquie,
May 26, 2011 - 6:47pmYou have indeed overcome many challenges in your lifetime. Sharing your experience of survival and the unselfish love of your brother is an inspiration to all readers of your book and those who visit the EmpowHer website.
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How did I hit send without adding my name to the article? Article by Jacquie Lewis-Kemp
May 26, 2011 - 4:31pmThis Comment