Triumph over Tragedy

My Great Awakening …. Triumph over Tragedy  

By Jonathan Traylor – Host of Hope with Jonathan /Podcast 

Have you ever watched an episode of your favorite medical sitcom on TV and wondered what it would be like to experience a real-life Traumatic experience? Well, I experienced one and lived to tell the story! Take a second and breath deep and close your eyes as I take you on my Personal Journey with battling Kidney Disease & Emergency Kidney Failure! 

On July 8th of 2019, I went into emergency Kidney Failure!! I can still remember the horrible feeling of not being able to breath properly, the heart palpitations and the strangest rash on my tongue, and falling in the floor with zero strength after days in the bed in which in my mind I thought I was fighting the flu, I couldn’t keep any food down, and everything tasted terrible and had a metallic after taste!  

I still remember calling 911 and praying at my bedside, I still remember the ride to the hospital in the ambulance as my breathing began to get worse, still remember when the ER Doctor and nurses staff came rushing in after getting my blood labs results, I remember the sounds of the chopper blades from the helicopter as they rushed me to a hospital in San Antonio, Texas{ my local hospital wasn’t capable of giving me the treatment needed } I still remember when we landed and the ER doctor said, “You better grab the crash cart”!!  I was in complete Kidney Failure! Stage 5 ESRD! 

Afte 3 days in the ICU fighting for my Life and I had already begun hemodialysis unknowingly, I had finally begun to come to, and I had every hose, tube and line you could imagine attached to me. I tried to speak but couldn’t due to being intubated, what a scary moment it was! I wanted to speak but couldn’t, and my family wanted to communicate so I resorted to hand sign language {my sister is hearing impaired}, I remember my Mom speaking to me and my family wife Melissa, Son Jett, and, Daughter Mackenzie, she was holding my hand {so grateful for my loving family}. You see I had put them all through a nightmare and I was responsible for this whole traumatic episode! 

I spent 3 days in that ICU, I then graduated to a normal standard hospital room, I spent 2 weeks in total there at Methodist. During my stay I had a lot of time to think and reflect on what had got me here? and What course in life caused this? I wish I had taken better care of myself and didn’t for 41 years of my life, I had done what I wanted and ate what I wanted and when I wanted. I had neglected doctors and caring for my Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension {top 2 reasons for kidney disease} for years, due to anxiety and white coat syndrome. I had to do some soul searching in the hospital, I had to come to a realization of acceptance, forgiveness {for myself and other traumatic events in my childhood} and most of all I had to be willing to change!! 

In the two weeks stay, I received renal dietary instructions, had a permcath { a central line for hemodialysis } installed, and to say that it was all overwhelming is an understatement, I had to adapt quickly and give up foods and bad habits that I was addicted to for many years, as I left the hospital unknowing that this journey had just begun for me and not knowing what to expect, I began my new life with doing in center hemodialysis, 3 times a week, another life altering experience back to back, but yet I had to adapt quickly if I wanted to survive! I did in center dialysis for 10 months and then transitioned to Home Hemodialysis {NxStage} with my wife Melissa as my care taker. I did so for 3 months! 

I did dialysis for 13 months in total until my miracle Gift of Life of Transplant {Thankful to my Donor and My Donor Family Rest in Love Scott!} 8/11/20! After that during my recovery, I started Hope with Jonathan Live Streaming show & Podcast based on my near-death experience to bring awareness and help other kidney patients in need of a living donor, but that’s another story for next time!  

Side Note: Obviously, I paraphrased portions of my story and I must include that I had to leave out some details {I may include in other blogs} I wanted to add that if it wasn’t for my Strong Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the love and prayers of many family and friends, I wouldn’t have survived this life altering event! I stand before you writing this as a living testimony and a miracle of purpose! God wasn’t done with me yet and has a plan and vision for me! God Bless You! Friends! 

 By Jonathan E. Traylor, Sr. 

Host- Hope with Jonathan /Podcast