The Day I Should Have Died

The day I found out I was in kidney failure is one day I will always remember. But the one thing I knew about that day is that God always has a way of stepping in. Two weeks prior to me finding out I was in kidney failure I was really sick I didn’t pay attention to what my body was telling me. I’ve been a workaholic the majority of my life. On December 14, 2024 I went to work in Fort Smith, AR and I saw three clients. When I finish my last session, I knew something was really wrong. So I went to Subway to grab me a bite to eat. While I was at Subway. I passed out in the parking lot for an hour thinking I was just tired. Once I woke up I was in a stage of panic and decided to drive back home to Fayetteville Arkansas. When I reached Fayetteville, I decided to go to urgent care to see if they could figure out what was going on with me. This was around 6:45pm. The worker at urgent care told me they were full for today and they were no longer taking new clients. I pleaded with the worker and told her I didn’t feel good and I really needed help. The worker told me to come back first thing in the morning and they would see me. Walking back to my vehicle. I was really scared and didn’t know what to do. So I told myself that I would just head home and take a nap. As I was driving down, Martin Luther King Blvd in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I told myself to just go home and take a nap. As I pulled up to the stoplight at the interception at Highway 49 in Martin Luther King blvd, something in my head, told me Kenneth you are really sick and you need help. Even though my body was telling me I really needed help. I just convinced myself to go home and take a nap. As I pulled up to the next stoplight I felt this strange feeling come over my body and something told me to look up. When I looked up in big red letters,the words EMERGENCY, was staring me dead in the face. And without hesitation, I pulled into the parking lot and told myself Kenneth, it is time for you to figure out why you are sick. 

As I was talking to the emergency room staff and I told them I feel like I have diabetes and I do not feel well. I felt like I had diabetes because I was working late and not taking care of my health. After about 20 minutes, the doctor comes running back into the room and told me that they could not treated be there because I was in active renal failure. I looked at the doctor and asked him what does that mean. He doctor told me my kidneys were only functioning at 5% and they were going to transfer me to Washington Regional Hospital to see if they could stop my kidneys from failing. The doctor offered to transport me by ambulance but once again me being stubborn, I told him I will drive myself. Knowing very well I shouldn’t have been driving. Once I made it to Washington Regional I met with the on-call nephrologist and he explained to me my kidneys were actively failing, and if they couldn’t get them under control, then I could pass away. As I was sitting in the hospital room, I thought about two things. The first thing I thought to myself was I will never get to walk my daughter down the aisle if she gets married. And the second thing I thought was I have no one to call. This was a very humbling experience. 

This was the start of my journey dealing with end-stage renal failure. The hospital staff and doctors worked diligently to make sure I didn’t pass away. Within the first 12 hours, they took a biopsy of my kidney and sent it off for testing and 2 hours later put a port into my heart. The first set of test came back negative and they didn’t know what was causing my kidney failure. Throughout the next few days I met with a lot of doctors and when they would come into my hospital room, I noticed they were looking at me in a strange manner. So I took it upon myself to ask the my doctor why was I receiving so strange looks. The doctor simply replied they are all amazed you are actually sitting up talking because my labs were so unhealthy, they really cannot understand why I was not in a comma or deceased. So then I decided to ask another question “if I would’ve went home would I have really passed away in my sleep”? The doctor simply replied yes. After hearing this information something came over me, and I started to cry. But I started to cry because I knew the only reason I was sitting in that hospital was by the grace of God. I knew God was the one who showed me that emergency sign and I felt the journey he has prepared for me would be the best one yet. 

Then following day the nephrologist handling my case came back with some good news and she informed me that my kidneys tested positive for ANCA vasculitis. They were very excited to find the cause of my kidney failure, but it was the worst autoimmune disease to have. It was the worst to have because it’s very rare, doctors cannot identify what causes the vasculitis, and they were still trying to figure out the best way to treat it. After hearing this information I was not scared because I knew that God’s plan was something I need to buy into. 

After being in the hospital for a week. The first part of God’s plan presented itself to me. As I was sitting in my hospital bed watching TV. I had one of the most impactful realizations. I realize this is the first time in 20 years that I took a Saturday off to watch TV. I don’t know why God wanted me to realize this first but I’m very thankful that he did it.

 I know that I have many more lessons to learn. The unknown is really scary but I know that God has a plan for me to see what he needs me to see. At this point in my journey, I smile and welcome each day with a positive attitude and the faith to continue to learn his lessons.

Thank you for taking the time to read this .