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Man suffers renal failure, seeks help

Brunswick News - 8/15/2017

Aug. 15--Loren Mells has faced an uphill battle for quite some time. The Darien resident has suffered from diabetes since 1992.

But, while that was burden enough, things got worse. Mells developed kidney disease as a result of his diabetes.

"I was diabetic and I had high blood pressure. I was on medicine for that for a long time and I handled it OK," he said. "But then I found out that I had stage three kidney disease."

That was serious news for the 47-year-old father of three. According to the Mayo Clinic, chronic kidney disease occurs when a condition impairs kidney function, which filters waste from the body through urine. Symptoms are often undetectable and that allows the issues to go untreated until serious deterioration occurs.

Some of those include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue and weakness; sleep problems; changes in urination; swelling of feet and ankles; persistent itching; chest pain, if fluid builds up around the lining of the heart; shortness of breath, if fluid builds up in the lungs and hypertension that's difficult to control.

"It was back in January when things started to elevate and now I'm in end-stage of kidney failure," he said.

Since the diagnoses, Mells life has drastically changed. He can no longer work the long hours he worked prior. That has put a strain on him and his family.

"I used to be working two jobs. I was in the bail bonding business and worked at the paper mill. I worked 12-16 hour days," he said.

Mells is currently undergoing dialysis, a treatment that filters the waste from the body for the kidneys. It is a temporary solution. The real answer for Mells is a kidney transplant.

"Life is dialysis now. Treatment is like a job to me. It is a big difference compared to the life I used to have. ... It was a big wake up call," he said.

Mells is currently on the waiting list at Mayo Clinic, hoping that any day he will receive a call saying a donor has been found. It is tricky though. A living donor is a primary goal. But it has to be a match to Mells' blood type.

"You want to try to get living donor kidney because it lasts longer. So if you can get a sibling or family member to donate, that's ideal. But if someone donates a living kidney and they compare it and it's a match ... that lasts longer than getting one from someone who might pass away in a car accident," he explained. "I've got a bag packed. I'm just waiting on a phone call."

Regardless of where the kidney comes from, there will still be a long road ahead. Mells will have to take medication for the rest of his life. He will also be faced with paying the astronomical costs of that medication. Mells suspects insurance will not be helping cover that for long.

"I worked for Georgia Pacific for 23 years. But I've been out of work now since May. I probably won't have insurance very long and my short term disability will run out. That's why Mayo Clinic suggested that I start a GoFund Me account," he said.

"So some of my friends set that up for me. Maybe Medicare will kick in ... I hope so. But the medication is going to be $6,100 ... for the rest of my life. It's for the anti-rejection medication and all of that."

Friends and families are also hosting fundraisers to support Mells. And he is holding out hope that a solution will present itself soon.

"I have three kids and a grandchild. It is kind of hard when you're used to being an independent person and doing for everyone else. Now you can't do what you used to do ... it's hard," he said.

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