Spilling the Tea on My Personal Kidney Journey
The Struggle is the Story
When I was first diagnosed with End-Stage Kidney Failure (EKD to the cool kids), I was clueless. I bumbled through the process of scavaging as much real-life information as I could. I hope that this new blog will serve as a useful source to those seeking inspiration, help, or advice in thier own jouney. Take some time to explore the blog, read something interesting, and feel free to reach out if you would like to learn more, have a comment or have a spare kidney burning a hole in your pocket.
The Struggle is Renal: Angie's story
Share your spare!
Welcome to The Struggle is Renal: Angie's story, my very own passion project aimed at educating people about the reality of CKD and a vehicle to help me find a living donor. Explore my site and gain first hand insight into what it's like to live with end-stage renal failure; perhaps my blog will find me a kidney donor, maybe not. Either way let me guide you through the wild world of terminal illness and perpetual fatigue...maybe we'll share some laughs and tears along the way.
My Family
My name is Angela Knowlton-Reiche. I'm a 41 year old mom to 2 special needs children.
I live in Midland, Ontario, with my husband Andrew and our kids Cash (age 11), and Nahanni (age 10).
I have a bachelor's degree in History from Laurentian University. And I've completed most of my Master's in Canadian Studies at Trent University.
I'm currently not working, on long-term disability while I balance renal failure, dialysis and managing my circus at home.
When I was working, I was a devoted social justice warrior specializing in Indigenous Social Service.
Although I grew-up in the big city of Midland, I'm also First Nations from the Red Rock Indian Band on Lake Helen in Northern Ontario.
In May 2018 I had a heart attack, a week later I had quadruple bypass surgery (open heart). It's likely then that my kidneys sustained the damage that began their deteriation.
My son Cash was born on Canada Day Long weekend in 2009. He was born clinically dead (no heart beat, no resperation) and it took 7 minutes to get his little heart beating. He was hospitalized at Sick Kids in their NNICU for a month before being transferred to a lower stage NNICU in Orillia for almost two months. His early prognosis was bleak but my miracle baby beat the odds. He is on the autism spectrum and has mild Cerebral Palsey. Cash has the most amazing imagination and his creativity is going to take him far one day.
My daughter Nahanni was born in March 2011. She is my mini-me in so many ways. She is brave, sweet and sassy. She LOVES animals- especially dogs and horses. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor five years ago after suffering with absence seizures since she was 9 months old. She has some speech and language issuess but she can still talk your ear off.
So that's us in a nutshell. I hope this snapshot gives you an insight into who we are, what our challenges have been and what we are about.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you want to talk more.
Contact
Thanks for your interest in The Struggle is Renal: Angie's story. For more information, feel free to get in touch and I will get back to you soon!