2008 Woodie Awards
Today's Lesson
Paula Wilder
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Forum
Spring Break is just a couple of weeks away and a trip to the Virgin Islands sounds like a great idea. CCE student Laureen Tyler grew up in the Virgin Islands and would like nothing better than to be able to visit the islands during Spring Break.
When she speaks of her home, her eyes sparkle, she smiles, and she makes my mouth water as she describes her mom's garden that is full of sweet peas, mangos, yams, limes, fresh spinach and a variety of fruit trees. Unfortunately, Tyler won't be going home for awhile, because during the first weeks of the Fall 2006 semester, her life drastically changed.
She noticed a couple of weeks into the semester that she felt fatigued, but like a lot of other students, attributed these feelings to the stress of the semester, her job, and the responsibility of taking care of her two children by herself. As other symptoms presented she decided to check her blood pressure and found that it was 220/143. This abnormally high blood pressure, plus a tightening in her chest, and shortness of breath caused her to take a trip to the emergency room.
This visit was the start of a seven day hospitalization due to complete kidney failure. Tyler ended up having to withdraw from school that semester, quit her job, and she began her new routine of spending almost ten hours a week undergoing dialysis. She even had limitations placed on how much and what she could eat and drink.
Tyler persevered through those first few months of adjustment and then in January of 2007 decided to reapply to Guilford. She stated, "I had to go through a lot of paperwork to get back into Guilford because when you withdraw they really look to see if you are serious about finishing your education. In the end, they were understanding and allowed me to come back. I have found the Learning Commons and my professors to be helpful and understanding. I am going to finish my degree in December of this year and then I'm going to grad school!"
Tyler has recently been placed on the active transplant list for a new kidney. Oftentimes, for kidneys, a family member or friend who matches blood type and other criteria can donate one kidney. With tears in her eyes, Tyler stated, "My son, Deante who is 16, told me that when he is 18 if I don't have a new kidney, he is going to give me one of his and I know he is not just saying that."
When she speaks of her home, her eyes sparkle, she smiles, and she makes my mouth water as she describes her mom's garden that is full of sweet peas, mangos, yams, limes, fresh spinach and a variety of fruit trees. Unfortunately, Tyler won't be going home for awhile, because during the first weeks of the Fall 2006 semester, her life drastically changed.
She noticed a couple of weeks into the semester that she felt fatigued, but like a lot of other students, attributed these feelings to the stress of the semester, her job, and the responsibility of taking care of her two children by herself. As other symptoms presented she decided to check her blood pressure and found that it was 220/143. This abnormally high blood pressure, plus a tightening in her chest, and shortness of breath caused her to take a trip to the emergency room.
This visit was the start of a seven day hospitalization due to complete kidney failure. Tyler ended up having to withdraw from school that semester, quit her job, and she began her new routine of spending almost ten hours a week undergoing dialysis. She even had limitations placed on how much and what she could eat and drink.
Tyler persevered through those first few months of adjustment and then in January of 2007 decided to reapply to Guilford. She stated, "I had to go through a lot of paperwork to get back into Guilford because when you withdraw they really look to see if you are serious about finishing your education. In the end, they were understanding and allowed me to come back. I have found the Learning Commons and my professors to be helpful and understanding. I am going to finish my degree in December of this year and then I'm going to grad school!"
Tyler has recently been placed on the active transplant list for a new kidney. Oftentimes, for kidneys, a family member or friend who matches blood type and other criteria can donate one kidney. With tears in her eyes, Tyler stated, "My son, Deante who is 16, told me that when he is 18 if I don't have a new kidney, he is going to give me one of his and I know he is not just saying that."
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