Clock ticking for woman waiting for kidney

Clock ticking for woman waiting for kidney
1 day 9 hrs ago

Olivia Webb

Richmond County Daily Journal

Like so many others in her situation, she’s trying to wait; but it won’t be long before Twana Meece has to go on dialysis. Unless she can get a kidney transplant.

“I’m hoping for a more normal life,” said Meece, who added that family is what keeps her going. She has been on the donor list at Carolinas Medical Center for almost two years.

According to statistics from the National Kidney Foundation of the National Capital Area, approximately 70,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant in the United States. Of those waiting, approximately 15,000 a year will receive a transplant, and about half of those will receive a kidney from a living donor.

The 50-year-old Rockingham woman’s only son, Alan, is unable to donate. His medical testing results showed early signs of the kidney problems that run rampant through Twana’s family. Her husband Wayne was ruled out as a donor because of high blood pressure.

“I’ve had so many friends that have wanted to donate,” said Twana. “But if you’re taking any kind of medication, they won’t let you.”

Twana’s kidneys are functioning at 19 percent. When that drops to 10 percent, she won’t have a choice. After watching her late mother, and now her brother, undergo dialysis, Twana said she terrified of it.

“But they told me that it will get to the point that I’ll be so weak; I’ll be sick and throwing up, and they said ‘You’ll walk in there begging them to put you on dialysis,’” said Twana.

Indeed, her day-to-day wellness is already going downhill. Whether the junction will be reached in weeks or months is entirely uncertain.

“You can see the fatigue, how it affects her,” said Alan. “She’s just hurting so badly.”

Twana has to use pain patches for a coexisting ailment: Degenerative disk disease.

“I can’t cook; Alan has to go out and get us a burger or something. There’s no leisure in visiting, and I can’t go to church anymore,” said Twana.

“She’ll sweep one room and just be exhausted,” said Wayne. “Alan and I try to help by splitting up the chores. I’ll sweep and mop and do a lot of the cleaning, and he does the clothes and the dishes and gets our meals.”

Twana already went through quite an ordeal to have a fistula installed in her upper arm - which will make it possible for her to hook up to a dialysis machine for four hours a day, three days a week.

“It would just be a bridge to keep her going until she can get a donor. We’re hoping somebody will understand that they don’t have to live with but one kidney,” said Wayne.

“I love Twana with all my heart. She’s so good to Alan and me. I don’t know what in the world we would do without her. I wouldn’t hardly be able to live.”

Family friend Shirley Faye Williams, who has known Twana for more than 25 years, said potential donors should know that they would be hard-pressed to find a more loving, caring person.

“If they (donor) are healthy, and really felt an inspiration from God to do it, it would not be wasted,” said Williams. “She does not abuse herself or her body. She was always such a ‘going’ person. She worked with special needs kids in Marlboro County Schools for over 26 years, and she planned to work until her retirement age. Now she is just so exhausted all the time.”

Williams is married to Wayne’s first cousin, Tommy. The joke is that the two wives are their husbands’ family’s favorite relatives.

“They always say ‘If anything happens, ya’ll (Wayne and Tommy) are going have to be the ones to go. We’re keeping Twana and Shirley Faye.”

According to the Meeces, Twana’s insurance would pay for all donor costs - from initial testing to surgery, even travel expenses. All communication regarding donation is done through a different team than the one handling Twana’s surgery.

“They don’t want their to be any pressure on that person to donate,” said Wayne. “But if anybody wanted to talk to someone about being a donor, the transplant center has very good resources, like they have a social worker talk to you about what life will be like before, during and after the operation, and that you understand what you’re getting into.

If and when Twana gets the call saying they’ve found a donor, she said she has to be at the hospital in Charlotte within three hours.

“I’ve got my bags packed,” said Twana. “Mine, Wayne’s and Alan’s.”

For more information about becoming a donor for Twana Meece or others like her, contact the Transplant Center at Carolinas Medical Center at 1-800-562-5752. The Meece family can be reached at 582-4200.

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