..they want $15,000 in an escrow account, because they don't want to give a man a heart who can't take care of it,
By Chase Purdy theledger.com
For two women looking to save their in-laws, the time to act is now.
Her husband's father in desperate need of a new heart, Hannah Gregory of Lakeland took to her phone and computer to reach out to someone, anyone, willing to contribute to her effort.
Crystal Bell did the same thing, all the way from Brunswick, Ga., to help her sister-in-law in Lakeland find a new kidney.
For years, the medical ailments afflicting Kenny Gregory, 54, and Jane Bell, 31, have kept their family members on the hunt for help. The goal has always been simple, to restore some flicker of normalcy in their lives.
"He's on an IV pump right now at home," Gregory said of her father-in-law. "He has three grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. He's unable to even go outside and toss a ball with the kids."
Though their conditions differ entirely, the intensity of their need is growing. For Kenny, his pulmonary pressure must stabilize before he can be placed on a heart transplant waiting list. The longer he waits, the more diseased his heart becomes, Hannah said.
"The last couple of months he's been in and out of the hospital more than he's been at home," she said. "Your pacemaker is supposed to shock you when you go out of rhythm. His pacemaker is working at every heartbeat."
Unable to exercise outside for fear of straining his cardiomyopathy in the Florida heat, Kenny's doctors have urged him to try and build strength by walking through Walmart on a regular basis — a far cry from 11 years ago, when he often passed the time by fishing.
For Jane Bell, much of her life has been a miracle. When she was 16 years old, doctors estimated she had six years to live.
Nearly 16 years later, Bell said she considers her life a blessing, despite day-in and day-out worries and the crush of time.
For two years she's undergone regular dialysis treatment to keep her body working properly.
She said the average lifespan for someone on dialysis is five years, and the waiting list for a new kidney normally takes about three years.
Despite her condition, Bell said she lives her life in stride.
"I don't know anything different, this is just my life," she said.
"I think that my feeling is that back in August when I needed dialysis ... I came back with a renewed sense of understanding that the things you go through in life is for the understanding of how you can help other people."
For Crystal, the decision to volunteer herself became the best way to help.
Unwilling to stake her faith on the organ waiting list, she decided to offer her own kidney.
And even though she isn't the right blood match for her sister-in-law, it hasn't stopped her from taking a hands-on approach to finding an organ that will work.
"Time isn't something that we have a whole lot of, so we're trying to find someone as quickly as possible," she said.
Jane needs a donor with Type O blood, and with the help of social networking websites such as Facebook, Crystal said she's working to find someone with that blood type willing to donate one of their kidneys.
So far she's gotten several responses.
For the Gregory family, the first step to finding a heart is demonstrating to doctors that finances are available for medical care after surgery, some $3,000 a month, initially.
Kenny Gregory said his insurance will pay for most of the cost, leaving him with still expensive co-pay bills.
"That's why they want $15,000 in an escrow account, because they don't want to give a man a heart who can't take care of it," he said.
Hannah Gregory echoed her father-in-law's sentiment in her pleas for help.
"He will die if he doesn't get the money," she said.
"That's a son, husband, father and grandfather. He has people and things to live for.
"TO LEARN MORE
To learn more about supporting Kenny Gregory in his quest for a new heart, please call the National Transplant Assistance Fund at 800-642-8399 or visit www.ntafund.org"TO LEARN MORE
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Learn more about Jane Bell's search for a new kidney by visiting her pages on Facebook called "Donate Life for Jane".
“You Have the Power to Save Lives – Register to be an organ and tissue donor & Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”
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