A CHRISTMAS WISH | Laurinburg Exchange

LAURINBURG — It’s not a simple request, however Ashley Alston-Shiflett wants a kidney.

Like most individuals who’ve a kidney dysfunction, Alston-Shiflett didn’t have any warning indicators to alert her that one thing was unsuitable. However a routine medical go to revealed there was bother.

The 33-year-old has end-stage renal failure, stage 5. Based on the Mayo Clinic, end-stage renal illness happens when the gradual lack of kidney operate reaches a sophisticated state. With end-stage renal illness, the Mayo Clinic says a affected person wants a transplant or dialysis to remain alive.

Nonetheless, Alston-Shiflett’s nephrologist believes she is an effective candidate for a transplant — so long as she will discover a dwelling donor.

“A dwelling donor has a life span that’s longer than a deceased donor,” her physician mentioned.

However ready for a donor may take years, which is why Alston-Shiflett made a daring determination.

She positioned a decal on the again window of her Ford Fusion: “I Want A Kidney Blood Sort O or O +/-.” The decal lists Alston-Shiflett’s telephone quantity and e mail deal with as nicely.

Alston-Shiflett’s blood kind, O+, is uncommon.

Based on the American Crimson Cross, about 43% of People have kind O Blood and kind O + is likely one of the first to expire from its excessive demand.

Perhaps you’ve seen tales the place strangers join on social media and make connections that save lives. It hasn’t been that type of story for Alston-Shiflett. She mentioned she’s joined Fb kidney teams however finally ends up with an inbox filled with spam.

“I get lots of people making an attempt to say they’re from abroad and so they’re making an attempt to promote an organ,” she mentioned. “And you realize, you possibly can’t try this.”

Since kidney illness runs on each side of Alston-Shiflett’s household, she will’t attain out to a relative for a kidney donation.

“My mother had kidney failure and she or he handed [away] 5 years in the past,” Alston-Shiflett mentioned. “She didn’t have an opportunity for a kidney. They didn’t suppose she could be a great candidate for a transplant.”

Life on dialysis

Whereas she waits for a donor, Alston-Shiflett has dialysis 3 times every week, 4 hours per session.

Her three youngsters are presently dwelling with their father due to her well being points.

It’s a tough scenario for her children, she mentioned.

“My son, he’s 15 years outdated and he retains his feelings bottled up, then acts out later,” Alston-Shiflett mentioned.

And dialysis has modified her life in methods she couldn’t think about.

Three days every week, she will get up at 5 a.m. in order that she will make her 6:15 a.m. appointment. Then she’s hooked as much as a machine to flush the toxins from her system like working kidneys do. Alston-Shiflett mentioned her liquid consumption is restricted to 32 ounces a day in order that her physique isn’t overwhelmed.

She had began with in-home dialysis, however it didn’t work correctly and she or he grew sicker. In 2020, Alston-Shiflett spent 33 days within the hospital after shedding numerous blood. She mentioned she didn’t suppose she was going to outlive. However she did and with the assistance of her father, her religion grew.

Alston-Shiflett mentioned her power comes from perception in God.

Days earlier than her March 2 birthday — Feb. 27 to be precise — Alston-Shiflett mentioned she turned saved.

“Me and my dad have been baptized collectively on July 4,” she mentioned, her eyes lighting up.

Organdonor.gov, a division of the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers, stories that there are 106,843 males, girls, and kids on the nationwide transplant ready checklist. In 2020, 91,099 individuals wanted kidney transplants, 22,817 have been obtained.

Regardless of these sorts of statistics, Alston-Shiflett believes God spared her life for a cause and that she’s going to discover the donor she wants.

Since placing the decal on her automobile, Alston-Shiflett mentioned she’s gotten two telephone calls from potential donors.

“They reached out and mentioned they’d name again, however they by no means did. My dad, he additionally has the decal on his car up in Roanoke Rapids, NC, and one is being made for my pastor. He lives up there, too.”

Alston-Shiflett mentioned she needs a second likelihood at life as a result of she wants extra time along with her children. She needs to have a traditional life the place she doesn’t need to cope with the draining therapies 3 times every week.

“I used to have the ability to do much more earlier than the kidney illness,” she mentioned. “I’d wish to get again to that. Earlier than the kidney illness, I used to be extra lively and was in a position to go on trip. However I can’t try this now with out taking the day out [for dialysis]. It needs to be arrange upfront.”

Should you donate

So, what does donating a kidney seem like for a dwelling donor?

The American Kidney Fund, which is the nation’s main kidney non-profit, says on its web site that if an individual has two wholesome kidneys, you’re in a position to donate one and stay with only one wholesome kidney.

“As a kidney donor, your danger of getting kidney failure later in your life isn’t any greater than it’s for somebody within the normal inhabitants of comparable age, intercourse, or race,” the positioning states.

To be a dwelling donor, an individual has to take a collection of medical assessments to find out if that individual is wholesome sufficient to donate. These assessments embody most cancers screenings, blood and urine take a look at, colonoscopy if over 50, and an electrocardiogram [EKG].

Donors additionally meet with a psychologist to make sure the donor is mentally and emotionally prepared for the method.

Wish to assist?

To assist Alston-Shiflett, name 910-318-7392 or e mail [email protected]

To turn into a dwelling kidney donor, register to donate at www.donatelifenc.org.

Cheris Hodges might be reached at [email protected]