Markesha Gonzalez

LIVING Kidney DONOR NEEDED

Life is Precious! The journey to a new kidney continues 5 years later! MARCH IS KIDNEY AWARENESS MONTH DONATE AND SAVE A LIFE

My name is Markesha but they used to call me Sugar growing up. I am a 49 year old loving wife of almost 26 years, mother of 3 adult children and grandmother aka Gigi. I am also a daughter, sister, the oldest granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend. I have been battling kidney failure since 2018, but through it all I am surviving. I am a believer in Christ and believe in miracles.
I am passionate about helping others often forgetting to take care of myself. My passion to help others led me to work in the real estate industry and eventually start my own event planning business. At one time I did dream of becoming a lawyer however, lupus and the kidney failure would not allow due to the stress and many doctors appointments.

I was diagnosed in 2018 with kidney failure. It was at a doctors appointment where my doctor looked at me and immediately sent me to the emergency room to be admitted. January 2018 changed the course of my life. I was taken in to emergency surgery where a chest catheter was placed so that dialysis could begin. I was in the hospital until February 2018, where I then had to begin going to a dialysis center once home 3 days per week. This was a big change which affected my husband and children who supported me and still support me. There have been many hospital visits and overnight stays, but my faith has kept me strong though it all. Even on the days where I do not feel like doing anything they make sure that I am still enjoying life as best as I can with laughter.
I eventually had several surgeries to do dialysis at home, which only lasted for 1 1/2 years due to an infection that occurred in my stomach. This led to another surgery where an arm fistula was done so that dialysis could be done in my arm 3 days per week. This involves 2 needles being put into my arms each dialysis treatment for 3 1/2 hours each time. This has affected me because the scars on my arm don't look pretty and at first was afraid to show my arm, but I realized that I am a survivor and my scars show that.
There are many activities that I miss out on like running and jumping jacks, and bowling. I have to be careful of what exercises I do due to my arm and not being able to lift over 10 pounds. There have been many changes that I have endured such as being able to attend a church service. My immune system is very compromised and I have to limit interactions with too many people, which has also prevented me from attending events with friends when invited. Having kidney failure has definitely has been an isolating experience, but with the support and prayers of my family and close friends I continue to survive.
Also with low energy many times I just cannot go or even entertain at home. I have missed out on traveling with my family that we used to do yearly due to the dialysis schedule. I have also had to accept that my daily routine involves making sure that my daily medications are taken and I adhere to a diet based on the kidney failure, often not being able to enjoy certain foods.
Through this process real estate and event planning has slowed because it takes so much energy and can become stressful which affects my blood pressures which can affect the kidney as well.
For the last year I have been able to become strong and stable in my health so that I could begin enjoying activities with my friends and family, even joining a the sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho. This sisterhood has been a breath of fresh air and each day I feel more and more happy.

At age 49 years of age, I am still young. A kidney transplant would mean hope that I can live and enjoy life with my husband, children, and grandson, who are the loves of my life. A transplant would mean a breath of fresh air, a new outlook on life, a new beginning, a new birth.
My hope is that once I have the transplant I will become an advocate for others going through the same thing and support them, such as I did supporting the cure for Lupus. I am looking forward to restoration of motivation and energy and exploring my options after the transplant.

I am sharing my story because only my inner circle family and friends have known what I have endured these last 3 1/2 years, at the time I first shared my story. Now it is going on 5 years and I am still on this journey praying a new kidney is found. My husband who selflessly wanted to donate his kidney to me unfortunately found out that he could not and therefore we are praying that God will touch someone's heart that reads my story and will get tested and donate a kidney.
The emergenecy call to action is "PLEASE HELP, PLEASE DONATE." You can live with one kidney after donating and by the grace of God and so will I.
Please help me and my family by sharing my story even if you cannot donate, so that a living donor will come forward, and my new life free of dialysis can begin.

Blessings,
Markesha

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