Type 1 Diabetic’s Journey Through a Motorcycle accident, COVID, Dialysis and Transplant
Katie’s journey through numerous health struggles and a traumatic accident has illuminated the remarkable strength and resilience she possesses to persevere. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a teenager, she has faced challenges beyond what any young person should endure.
“As a high school sophomore, I started experiencing intense thirst and frequent urination. My mom, a nurse, took me to the doctor, and we discovered my blood sugar was over 1000. Initially, I didn’t grasp the severity, just thinking I couldn’t have sweets anymore.
At the hospital, I received sugar-free snacks that worsened my blood sugar control. Nurses taught me to administer insulin by using oranges and saline. Despite my mom’s nursing background, diabetes was new to both of us, so we attended appointments and classes together. My friends supported me by carrying sugar-free snacks like Jello, cheese, and cashews.
I managed my diabetes well with my mom’s help until she passed away in 2009. After she passed away, I fell into extreme depression and didn’t really care anymore about taking care of myself and managing my diabetes.
I was also diagnosed with RSD (Reflex Sympathy Dystrophy) at the age of 19. RSD is like Neuropathy but after many tests I finally had the right diagnosis and started receiving treatment. The pain I experience from RSD feels like stabbing, bone pain and deep aches in my entire body. Some days are better than others and I’m grateful for the good days.
In 2019, I began experiencing new symptoms related to my diabetes, including fatigue, migraines, and vomiting. Feeling lost in the Emergency Room, I was referred to a nephrologist and learned about chronic kidney disease (CKD) and dialysis.
Despite my CKD being stable at Stage 3 for a couple of years, a motorcycle accident in August of 2021 left me with 42 broken bones – including a couple shattered discs in my spine, and a brain injury.
After months of hospital stays and rehab, my kidney function declined to Stage 5 due to the accident and a less kidney-friendly diet. Following fistula surgery and a chest catheter placement for dialysis, improving my diet in the hospital stabilised my eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate), postponing the need for dialysis for at that time.
Just a couple of months after my accident, I ended up with COVID and I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. It did affect my respiratory system, but it was mostly causing me to experience severe gastrointestinal symptoms. I was constantly vomiting blood and stomach acid. I also had extremely high blood pressure the whole time.
I went legally blind from the high blood pressures, COVID and from also receiving heparin injections. The COVID symptoms lasted for about 4 to 5 months and then I suddenly felt better.
I had to eventually start dialysis in March of 2022. With little to no education about dialysis I didn’t know if I could do this alone. My husband at the time wasn’t very supportive.
I’m divorced now and have an amazing significant other and care partner. He is the person that crashed into me causing the accident with our motorcycles. He’s been a great person with helping me with my kids, taking me to my dialysis appointments, and he stayed by my side when I was in the hospital recovering from the accident. He’s saved me in every way possible.
I got evaluated for a kidney transplant shortly before my accident, and because of my injuries I was ‘put on the back burner’ until I was fully healed. I eventually ended up being placed on the transplant list in November of 2023. Earlier this year on January 26th, my partner donated his kidney to me. The motorcycle community was my best support system when we were both recovering from surgery.
After all these bad outcomes in life I’ve learned to stay positive because I know God has got me through it. I know that everything happens for a reason but all the negative things that have happened to me ultimately saved me. I am happier now than I’ve ever been.”
Other resource
CKD patient information (CKDEx’s 30+ core articles about CKD)
Last Reviewed on 20 April 2024