The Impact Of My Dad’s Kidney Failure On My Life
Each of us experiences unique opportunities and challenges that set us apart from others. Although everyone endures some sort of hardship, successful leaders are the people who learn and grow from those experiences. My dad’s kidney failure has led to some major opportunities and challenges that I have faced throughout high school, which shaped who I am today. In 2017, my sophomore year at Taylor High School, my dad’s kidneys began to fail. When I got to the hospital, my dad was feeling worse he had ever felt before. He was immobile, gaining multiple pounds a day, unable to stand, and fluids were oozing out of his skin due to the excessive swelling. He ended up gaining 125 pounds of water that his body failed to excrete, physically causing him to start drowning in his own bodily fluids.
On what felt like a normal October day, I saw water begin to seep out of my dad’s skin; this is a sign of the kidneys not correctly removing the body’s liquids. My whole family had never seen anything like this occur, causing all of us to go into shock. We thought that we were going to lose my dad. Ever since that October night in the hospital, I choose to cherish every moment that I am given, because one never knows when someone else or your own life will end. Now, I take advantage of all occasions by loving others, giving me a greater appreciation for people, family, and relationships. This experience with my dad has taught me that everyone will have an impact on you. Now I realize how important it is to take advantage of our time together when I meet someone new.
From that day, my dad’s illness began to plateau. He ended up getting dialysis, a pump that removes excess water and toxins from the blood, every day. At first dialysis didn’t help, but after two weeks, my dad had lost all of his added weight and more within a couple days. When my dad talked to the doctor about it, the doctor said that he had never before seen anything like that happen. It was unquestionably a miracle by God. The fact that God had the power to heal my dad like no one has ever seen before blew my mind; this changed my view of God in the most incredible way possible. I now saw God as someone truly capable of anything, causing my faith in Him to grow dramatically. I have been constantly molded by my own set of experiences and challenges. Some of the character traits I gained that make me who I am today include: a realistic appreciation for my love of family and my confidence in knowing the Lord. Each of these qualities will continue to define the mature person I will become, as each one is grounded in my faith in Christ.
