Rebecca (Becky) Bull
Donation protected
We are trying to raise funds for our friend Rebecca (Becky) Bull. Becky suffers from FSGS (focal segmental glomerulosclerosis genetic) a hereditary disease that caused her to go into renal failure. Becky was first diagnosed with Stage 4 renal failure in August, 2012. She was put on the transplant list and started dialysis December 2, 2012 and continued through April, 2015 when she got the call from Winston-Salem, NC hospital to come right away. They had a kidney for her transplant. Before that call, she previously received 2 calls to come in to get her kidney transplant but by the time she got there both were given to someone else who had a better match to the kidney. Since FSGS is a hereditary disease that caused the renal failure, no one in her family is eligible to donate a kidney.
The third time was her lucky day! Becky got the call while at a horse show in Knoxville and was told to come to Winston-Salem NC immediately. They had a kidney for her. Her husband, Tony, worked driving a truck and was sometimes gone weeks at a time. When she got this call, he was in another state. She hurried home, grabbed her bags she had already prepared and started her long drive to North Carolina. She called her sister Sebrina, who lives in Asheville, NC and told her she was on her way. The next morning, her prayers were answered. She got the transplant. She was so happy and sad at the same time. Unfortunately, the kidney she was receiving came from a deceased donor who died in a car accident. Everyone in the operating room was crying due to these circumstances.
Tony got to the hospital in the morning and stayed by her side for 2 weeks. He came back home because he needed to go back to work. The bills were going to be piling up.
After the transplant she stayed 4 days in the hospital. They then stayed at the SECU Family House. This is a place to stay for out of town patients during recovery. She stayed 2 weeks there and then came home but needed to go back to Winston-Salem every week. She would go home from the hospital on Thursday but needed to go back on Sundays. She did this for 2 months.
Then it was back and forth once every 2 weeks for 3 months. Then once a month for 3 months, every 3 months, then every 6 months, and finally just once a year. Needless to say, these trips were costly. Gas, overnight stays and meals. Plus, Becky could not work.
All was going great! In October 2018 Becky started having medical problems. She couldn’t eat, had diarrhea and vomiting. On August 7, 2019 she went to the ER due to high blood pressure. She then found out she was in renal failure AGAIN! Her kidney had rejected. She stayed 1 week in the hospital and started dialysis immediately. After she came home from that costly hospital visit, she had to go to a dialysis center 4 days a week. She needs ANOTHER kidney transplant. Becky only has Medicare and can’t get assistance anywhere else. Hospitals won’t even start the process of transplant because of the lack of insurance and they are requiring Becky to have at least $10,000 in her bank account before they’ll even start the process. The average transplant costs over $100,000 and Medicare only covers 80%.
Becky is 63 years old and has plenty of life to live. She would like to continue to see her 2 grandchildren grow up and continue with her passion of walking horses. She would like to continue being active in the East Tennessee Walking Horse Association Ladies Auxiliary. She is, and has always been, a fighter having been diagnosed with cancer 5 different times since the age of 27 and beat it every time. She continued working while being treated and raised her 2 sons. Becky has worked since she was 15 up until 2012 when she got so sick, she had to quit and went on total disability. After the transplant, everything was great. She returned to work part time and was feeling like her old self again. Until her worse nightmare came true. REJECTION! Therefore, her work had to be cut down to only 2 days a week with having to do dialysis 2 days a week and going to the doctors.
Becky is heading to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN on Friday 1/17/2020 for evaluations to see if she can be a candidate to be put on transplant list there. Unfortunately, with only having Medicare, she has a costly and long road ahead of her. We are trying to raise funds to help her with medical bills and are so appreciative for any donations received.
The third time was her lucky day! Becky got the call while at a horse show in Knoxville and was told to come to Winston-Salem NC immediately. They had a kidney for her. Her husband, Tony, worked driving a truck and was sometimes gone weeks at a time. When she got this call, he was in another state. She hurried home, grabbed her bags she had already prepared and started her long drive to North Carolina. She called her sister Sebrina, who lives in Asheville, NC and told her she was on her way. The next morning, her prayers were answered. She got the transplant. She was so happy and sad at the same time. Unfortunately, the kidney she was receiving came from a deceased donor who died in a car accident. Everyone in the operating room was crying due to these circumstances.
Tony got to the hospital in the morning and stayed by her side for 2 weeks. He came back home because he needed to go back to work. The bills were going to be piling up.
After the transplant she stayed 4 days in the hospital. They then stayed at the SECU Family House. This is a place to stay for out of town patients during recovery. She stayed 2 weeks there and then came home but needed to go back to Winston-Salem every week. She would go home from the hospital on Thursday but needed to go back on Sundays. She did this for 2 months.
Then it was back and forth once every 2 weeks for 3 months. Then once a month for 3 months, every 3 months, then every 6 months, and finally just once a year. Needless to say, these trips were costly. Gas, overnight stays and meals. Plus, Becky could not work.
All was going great! In October 2018 Becky started having medical problems. She couldn’t eat, had diarrhea and vomiting. On August 7, 2019 she went to the ER due to high blood pressure. She then found out she was in renal failure AGAIN! Her kidney had rejected. She stayed 1 week in the hospital and started dialysis immediately. After she came home from that costly hospital visit, she had to go to a dialysis center 4 days a week. She needs ANOTHER kidney transplant. Becky only has Medicare and can’t get assistance anywhere else. Hospitals won’t even start the process of transplant because of the lack of insurance and they are requiring Becky to have at least $10,000 in her bank account before they’ll even start the process. The average transplant costs over $100,000 and Medicare only covers 80%.
Becky is 63 years old and has plenty of life to live. She would like to continue to see her 2 grandchildren grow up and continue with her passion of walking horses. She would like to continue being active in the East Tennessee Walking Horse Association Ladies Auxiliary. She is, and has always been, a fighter having been diagnosed with cancer 5 different times since the age of 27 and beat it every time. She continued working while being treated and raised her 2 sons. Becky has worked since she was 15 up until 2012 when she got so sick, she had to quit and went on total disability. After the transplant, everything was great. She returned to work part time and was feeling like her old self again. Until her worse nightmare came true. REJECTION! Therefore, her work had to be cut down to only 2 days a week with having to do dialysis 2 days a week and going to the doctors.
Becky is heading to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN on Friday 1/17/2020 for evaluations to see if she can be a candidate to be put on transplant list there. Unfortunately, with only having Medicare, she has a costly and long road ahead of her. We are trying to raise funds to help her with medical bills and are so appreciative for any donations received.
Organizer
Darleen Parisi
Organizer
Jefferson City, TN