Ambers battle with end stage renal disease

Hi! My name is Courtney, I am fundraising for my dear coworker and friend Amber Cunningham.

Earlier this year, I began travel nursing and happened to meet Amber on my first travel assignment in St. Petersburg, FL. It was easy for Amber and I to form a friendship. She was always looking out for me at work and making me laugh.

Amber's personality was similar to mine. We connected quickly. Eventually, we started hanging out outside work and getting to know each other more.

When I met her, it was impossible to know the battles she was dealing with on a daily basis. She was so full of life that you would never know she prays every night that she wakes up the next morning. Here is her story...

When Amber was born, both of her kidneys never matured enough to function properly. Right away, she went on the list for a transplant. It wasn't until 2005 at 15 years old when she got her first kidney transplant. The kidney she received rejected despite measures to prevent it from doing and she had it removed in 2010. She ended up with lymphoma (cancer) in 2011, she did chemotherapy for 2 years and went into remission. She ended up back on the transplant list but had to begin dialysis 3 times a week because both of her kidneys were not working. In 2012 she received her second transplant.

During that time Amber had went to nursing school and graduated as an RN. She finally had hopes for a normal life. 10 years passed, it wasn't until she began a travel nursing assignment in Florida when things started to go downhill again.

In November 2021, after frequent hospital visits for high blood pressure the doctors ended up taking another biopsy of her kidney. They notified her that her kidney was failing for the third time. She ended up losing her job from prolonged hospitalizations due to her body retaining so much fluid she became overloaded and very sick making it impossible to work. Her body began recovering but she continued to do dialysis 3 times a week. In order to afford expenses she needed to work. She accepted another RN position and due to dosing off at work from excessive exhaustion from dialysis, she lost her job.

As she still continued to fight, she became strong enough to work once again, fighting to make ends meet, that's when we met earlier this April. Toward the end of our contract she became incredibly sick once again requiring her to end her contract 2 weeks early. This time she was having excruciating abdominal pain along with vomiting. Doctors told her that her kidney needed to come out right away, it became infected and was going to kill her if it wasn't removed. She proceeded with surgery in July 2022. She would now be dependent on dialysis since she had no more kidneys.

A few weeks ago, she developed complications again, a fever of 102, coughing up blood, excessive fatigue and the list goes on. She was diagnosed with right lung pneumonia. She was started on antibiotics and discharged home. After finishing the antibiotics, she did not get better. She returned to the hospital to find out that the pneumonia had worsened. Different antibiotics were started and one of her scans revealed a 4cm aortic aneurysm. Doctors told her it was small and follow-up was not needed and they sent her home again. A few days ago, she ended up back in the hospital coughing up dark red blood. Her hemoglobin became critically low and she needed 4 blood transfusions! They also informed her that her aneurysm is rapidly growing, cardiac surgery is on the table. She will be undergoing a bronchoscopy to clear out her lungs are take tissue samples. Her BNP (heart failure blood level) is elevated at this time, she is suffering from severe cardiopulmonary edema from being so overloaded.

July 2023. Amber continues to struggle she lost her job as a RN once again and struggled to pay her expenses here in FL. She was denied another kidney transplant from one of the biggest hospitals in FL which ultimately led to to relocate back home to Michigan. Shortly after returning to MI, her breathing got worse so bank she requires home oxygen, her blood levels continue to drop and she has remained hospitalized since. She now has heart failure and her lungs continue to fill with fluid to compensate for no kidneys.

Amber is on the urge to lose everything. Because she cannot work, she is behind on rent, bills, and expenses. As a friend, I can only do so much and I know with times right now, people might not be able to help either. But if you can, I encourage you to donate to help with Amber's medical expenses along with her necessary expenses to live until she can make it on her ago once again.

She is one of the strongest individuals I have ever met, and I know she would deeply appreciate anything!

With love,

Courtney