Naujaat woman needs kidney
Patient has to find her own donor, say doctors
Northern News Services
Monday, January 18, 2016
NUNAVUT
Elizabeth Kusugak has been beating the odds most of her life and she's not about to give up now.
Kusugak, 60, is in need of a kidney donor.
She had one kidney removed three years ago and doctors recently informed her that her second kidney is not functioning well.
They told her she has approximately two years before her remaining kidney can no longer carry the load and she would need to start undertaking dialysis treatment.
Kusugak enjoyed a storied career in radio, starting as a CBC clerk in 1980.
She had a 21-year career with the network, rising through the ranks to become operations manager in Rankin Inlet in the early 1990s.
She held the position until her retirement in 2005.
Not one to idle away the hours, Kusugak accepted employment with the Hamlet of Naujaat as a finance director a year later and remains in the position today.
She is joined in Naujaat by her husband, Cyril, and the majority of her children and grandchildren.
Kusugak said three years ago, the doctors thought they could go in and remove a cyst on her kidney.
She said once they saw the size of the cyst, they decided to remove the kidney.
"If I reach the point where I have to go on dialysis, they can teach me how to do it at home but dialysis can only get you so far for a short period of time," said Kusugak.
"I need to receive a new kidney and the doctors told me they don't look for donors and that the patient has to find their own donor.
"They do have a system where, for example, if a family member tried to donate a kidney that wasn't a match for me but they know it's a match for someone else, then there's a possibility of a trade off if they have a kidney that's a match for me."
Kusugak travels to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg for treatment every three months.
She said she continues to work and live a normal life but always, in the back of her mind, she knows her condition is going to get worse.
"I have the booklet, A Gift of Life, on finding a donor and I have a number for a potential donor to call.
"They have to contact me first and I have to ask them some questions to make sure they're really serious about being a donor.
"I don't want to get anyone involved in something they're not 100 per cent positive about doing.
"I need to believe the person is willing to go all the way with me if they're a match, and not have to deal with someone saying they're not sure they really mean it once we've begun the process."
Kusugak said three people have contacted her about the possibility of being a donor and all three are in the process of having blood checks to see if they're a match.
She said she was very emotional when she first came home after receiving the news, because the reality of it finally hit home.
"This is a real thing, a happening thing, not something I can simply erase or correct a little mistake, and get on with my life.
"I had to talk with my kids, which was very difficult for me at first.
"My daughter, Wendy Kusugak, is always my escort when I go down to Winnipeg and she was stronger than I was, talking with her brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews to tell them exactly what was happening with me.
"Of course we all got emotional and cried together but I said I want to be positive about this because the more positive you are in a situation, the more you're able to achieve.
"So I'm positive everything will turn out right."
Kusugak said she and her family were too emotional trying to deal with the situation during the Christmas holidays.
She said that emotion led to fear and doubt trying to seize control of her, which she won't allow to happen.
"I'd wake up in the middle of the night afraid my life is really that short now."
"I'd worry about what's going to happen with my husband and grandchildren. All of these things came into my mind but I said no to them and decided I was going to push those thoughts away and be strong."
Kusugak said fear still lurks in the back of her mind that she might not be able to find a donor match.
But, she said, she's determined to brush the fear off and remain positive during her search.
"Like everyone else, I want to continue my life. I want to live with my grandchildren, I want to see my kids all get married ... I want to see everything that happens with them.
"I know I can't live forever and my day will come. I can't help that.
"But, as long as I know there's a chance I can get help and continue my life, I'm going to look for it!"
