HEARTwork Better Health Diabetes Initiative

We are on our way to the hospital.
They have a potential match for my husband.

Praise God while you Wait! Prayer Request

💔 The Emotional Roller Coaster of Waiting for an Organ Donor Call 💔

As a loving spouse, waiting for that long-awaited organ donor call can be an emotional roller coaster like no other. It's a bittersweet experience, filled with hope and anguish, as you navigate the delicate balance between the possibility of better health for your loved one and the knowledge that it comes at the expense of another family's loss.

The waiting game is torturous. Every phone call or unknown number on the caller ID sends your heart racing, wondering if this is the call you've been desperately waiting for. Each passing moment feels like an eternity, and the anticipation becomes almost unbearable. You find yourself constantly on edge, ready to answer the phone at a moment's notice, afraid to miss that life-changing opportunity.

Hope becomes your lifeline, the flickering light in the darkness. You hold onto it tightly, clinging to the possibility of a new lease on life for your spouse. It brings a glimmer of optimism, fueling your determination to keep going, to stay strong for your loved one. But alongside hope, there is also fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of disappointment, and fear of the weight that comes with the gift of life from another.

Every day, you grapple with conflicting emotions. The guilt of hoping for an organ while knowing that it means someone else has suffered a great loss weighs heavily on your heart. You wrestle with the moral dilemma of celebrating a potential opportunity for better health while acknowledging the pain and grief that another family is enduring.

In this journey, you find solace in the support of your loved ones and the organ donation community. They understand the intricate mix of emotions you're experiencing and provide a much-needed shoulder to lean on. Sharing your fears, hopes, and anxieties with others who have walked a similar path can be immensely comforting and reassuring.

So, as you wait for that life-altering phone call, remember that you are not alone. Lean on your support network, embrace the complexity of your emotions, and hold onto hope. And when the call finally comes, may it bring both gratitude for the gift of life and compassion for the family who has suffered a loss.

Together, we can navigate this emotional roller coaster and find strength in the midst of uncertainty.

🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻

Blood Testing is a regular thing in our life!

Dear Facebook Familiy & Friends,

Some of you may know that my husband Craig is a Type 1 Diabetic and has kidney disease. Over time, his kidney disease has gotten worse causing his kidneys not to work well enough to keep him alive. This is what our family is facing now, and his treatment options are limited to dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant.

A transplant would offer him more freedom and the ability to live a longer, healthier, more normal life. A transplant would also give him more time to do the fun things we enjoy most, like spending time with our family and friends.

However, finding a kidney for a transplant is not easy. Just ask the 100,000+ people on the waiting list for a deceased donor kidney like my husband. Time is not on our side. Some wait for years; many die while waiting. The average wait time is five years or more for a kidney from a deceased donor. However, there is another option: receiving a kidney from a living donor.

Asking a family member or a friend to consider donating a kidney is difficult, but it greatly improves his chances of getting a transplant. A living kidney donation typically lasts longer and has better function.
You might not know a lot about living donation - I know I didn’t before kidney disease affected my life.

Understandably, some people are afraid about the surgery and what living with one kidney will mean for them. Here’s some basic information about kidney donation:
* You only need one kidney to live a healthy, long life.
* Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny incisions.
* The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks.
* The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by my insurance. The hospital can give you extensive information on this.
* You will have a separate team of healthcare professionals to evaluate you as a living donor. Their job is to help you understand the risks and benefits and look out for YOUR best interests.
You can also learn more about living donation on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation or by contacting the NKF’s free, confidential helpline at 855.NKF.CARES (855.653.2273) or [email protected]. If you want to talk to someone who’s already donated a kidney, NKF can also help.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story. If donating a kidney to Craig Perry is something you would like to consider, we would be happy to tell you more about our story and explore the process of determining if you are a match.

However, we know living donation may not be right for everyone — but you can still help!

Consider being an organ donor after death and also, help me by sharing my story with everyone you know. At the very least we want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation. We are hopeful our efforts will help Craig receive a kidney sooner and encourage others to consider helping the many people on the wait list.

Thank you,

The Perry Family

📣📸 Check out our latest social media story post highlighting the incredible work of the HEARTwork Better Health Program at Melanated Pearl Corporation / Melanated PEARL Inc! 💙

🌟 In this post, we want to educate the public about the importance of being a caregiver for someone with Type 1 Diabetes. Crystal Perry, the founder and CEO of Melanated PEARL Inc, shares the inspiring kidney transplant journey of her husband, Craig Perry, who has been living with Type 1 Diabetes for 30 years.

👨‍⚕️ Diagnosed at 20 years old, Craig experienced a stroke in October 2022 after his glucose levels exceeded 800. It was a challenging time, but the Perrys remained determined to overcome the obstacles.

💪 After successfully completing the evaluation process, the Perrys are now preparing for an MRI, the final barrier before being approved for the kidney transplant list. Crystal Perry's vulnerability and transparency in sharing their journey is a true testament to their commitment to Melanated PEARL Inc's mission of educating, uplifting, and empowering others.

👉 Stay tuned for more updates on their inspiring journey and learn how you can get involved in supporting the HEARTwork Better Health Program! Together, we can make a difference. 💚

Join Us this evening at 6PM
Refreshments will be served :-)