My Story – Kathleen Castro

Kathleen Castro lives in Hamburg, NY. She has Blood Type O. Contact herby using the form below.

Hello, my name is Kathleen. I am a single, divorced mother with a 19 yr old daughter who is currently studying to be a Physician Assistant in college. She wrote in her entrance essay that I am the reason she decided to go into medicine. I have had so many health issues that she has practically become my personal nurse.

I was diagnosed at the age of 4 with Juvenile Diabetes after I had been in a coma for 4 days. From there I had severe kidney stones at the age of 18. My doctor at the time would not perform surgery because I did not have health insurance. I walked around with those stones for 9 months before I could get health insurance and by then they were considered a pre-withstanding condition and the insurance would not cover the surgery. That experience began my kidney problems. I was down to 50% kidney function. I managed to hold there for years. When I was pregnant with my daughter, she almost killed me. I had to have a c-section a month and a half early from my due date. We both survived. My doctor told me never to get pregnant again and my kidney function dropped to 25%.

I went 17 yrs with no problems until I developed breast cancer almost 3 years ago. The radiation from that did the rest of my kidney function in and I had to consider dialysis. I also recently had a parathyroidectomy. Last year I had to have a blood transfusion because of menopause gone wrong so I am a type O blood type but there are some other antigens now to match. So here I am now on peritoneal dialysis which is slowly starting to not work. I foresee having to go back to hemodialysis.

Meanwhile, I keep busy by gardening and quilting and keeping our dog, Juno (a half sheltie & half mini aussie) entertained. I can no longer work because I get tired very easily.

My daughter is the one thing I can always count on and this whole ordeal has been a lot of pressure on both of us but especially her.

I am a devote believer in the power of prayer and I know that God will bring someone to help us out and that eventually everything will work out.

Thank you very much for reading a little about my life.  =)

junior13jj@live.com

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