Two decades on dialysis

[okarol]

Two decades on dialysis

By Dee Tubbs
Bastrop Daily Enterprise
Fri Oct 24, 2008, 07:28 PM CDT

Bastrop, La. -

James Scroggins celebrated a special milestone recently, not a birthday or anniversary, but something just as important.

On October 4 of this year, Scroggins had been on dialysis for 20 years.

Just after turning 45, Scroggins began feeling bad and went to see his doctor. The doctor said his kidneys were shot and  he needed to be placed on dialysis.

Scroggins started on hemodialysis. A machine balanced his electrolytes by filtering his blood and removing excess water, salt and other waste products of metabolism.

Scroggins then started on peritoneal dialysis and could go anywhere he wanted and without worrying about getting back for treatment. He just took his supplies with him.

But Scroggins never felt sorry for himself and never got down because of his illness. On the days he didn’t have dialysis, he could be found fishing, running nets or in his garden. Produce from the garden was sold to pay medical and other bills.

In February 1993, Scroggins had his right kidney removed due to cancer. Exactly six months later, his left kidney was removed for the same reason. As soon as the doctors would let him, Scroggins planted a huge garden and his wife, Bonita, took tomatoes to his doctors that weighed a pound a piece.

“James has been through a lot on dialysis but he never quit trying to do something,” Said his wife. “He is raising tomatoes now in a big barrell and he puts handles in hoes, shovels and hammers for friends when he feels like it.”

Scroggins was treated to a party at Morehouse Parish Dialysis center on Friday morning.

Surrounded by staff and family members, he was given a plaque to commemorate the day.

“This is a celebration of life,” said Angel Crawford, clinic manager. “That’s what we want to pass on to others, that it is a celebration.”

Scroggins and his wife of 46 years have a son and daughter-in-law, Carl Wayne and Pam Scroggins, and two grandsons, Wesly and Heath. He also has a daughter and son-in-law, Belinda andd Jim Corley, and three granddaughters, Tonya, Tiffany and Talia.

“This has been my life for a long time,” said Scroggins. “I’ve had good times and bad times, but it has kept me going and I’m happy for that.”

http://www.bastropenterprise.com/news/x398380658/Two-decades-on-dialysis