Stella Needs a New Kidney

Hi, my name is Stella. In 2014, I found out that my kidneys were utterly full of stones. Since then, I have had upwards of 12 surgeries to remove stones and have bilateral stents replaced every three months. My kidneys are now at the point where the damage is too much. I need a transplant.

To do this, I will have many expenses, from transportation costs (repair, maintenance and fuel), lodging, meals, etc. I live almost 4 hours from the hospital/transplant center in St. Louis, MO. We need reliable transportation to make these trips from Northeast Missouri, where we now live, to St. Louis for appointments before the transplant. Then there will also be the expenses related to getting the transplant, such as anticipated dental work. Then follow up appointments afterward.

I will need to do some repair work on my vehicle to make these trips to St. Louis, including repair work to make long-distance trips and the additional expenses incurred from this point forward for medical appointments. Due to my kidney failure, I am on permanent disability on a fixed income. I never ask for help and prefer to do things independently, but this is more than I can do on my own. I am not asking for a handout, just a hand-up.

More About Me: After putting off my dreams of going to college and becoming a teacher, I finally got my degree and became a teacher in 2012. I also went on to get my master of education degree and continued on with classes for my specialist degree in administration. During this time I also found my soulmate, Tom. He has cared for me at my worst times and wept at the thought I may not come home last year from a severe stent in the hospital. 

When I got the news about my kidneys, I pushed on teaching. In 2017 my dream job teaching wonderful fourth graders was more than my body could bare. I tried going back into my second loved job of travel agent. But it was even too much. I had to quit working. Now I'm on permanent disability with chronic kidney failure. 

I would appreciate any help you can give. Please share on your social media pages to help spread the word. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.