Hilary’s Kidney Disease Journey

Hilary’s kidney disease journey started in 2008. This is her story.

My name is Hilaria but everyone calls me, Hilary. Com’on let me take you with me on my incredible kidney disease journey.

MISCARRIAGE

I had a miscarriage at 22 weeks. I immediately became unwell and developed septicaemia, which quickly led to multiple organ failure and two cardiac arrests. As a result, I lost both my kidneys. This happened again in 2010.

I was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for 2 weeks in a coma but I came out of that. I had to learn how to walk again.  It was a traumatic time for both my immediate and extended family because no-one expected that I would deteriorate so fast. The doctors didn’t hold out much hope that I will survive the ordeal.

In that time, my husband, who was also doctor was running between the house, our 2 children and his work as well. As most people would recognise, one can only depend on friends for only a short time before the excuses start.

With no family close by or in the UK, it was a difficult time for my husband. It was at this point I got my first rude awakening.

KIDNEY DISEASE GENESIS

The doctor told me, I had lost function in both kidneys and I had to go on dialysis. I would need a neckline to do that. It was this and subsequent traumas that led me to set up my emergency childcare service, SafeHaus UK. I did not want any parent, with no family close by to support them in their time of need, to experience what I did.