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Thin to death

A 54-year-old woman who suffers from a chronic kidney disease is losing weight as rapidly as she is losing hope.

The woman, Verma Lynch of William Street, Franklyn Town, told THE STAR that since October 2004 when she was diagnosed with having defective kidneys, she has dropped from 120 pounds to 87 pounds and presently 82 pounds in the last five months.

The disease, she said, is robbing her of the ability to earn money to buy food and maintain what little health she has left.

Lynch also does not have the $20,000 needed to do a lithotomy, an operation to remove two large stones in her left kidney, to spur the growth of her shrunken right kidney. In fact, she cannot think about surgery until she gets her weight up.

"The last job I got was in May 2004 when I had to look after an elderly lady, but I got sick in the October," she said, "Now, I am too sick to work and we can hardly buy food and the bills cannot be paid."

Pain in side

Lynch said that she remembered waking up one morning last October with a pain in her side and thought it was gas.

"For two days I have it and it cannot get better," she said, "I could hardly eat or walk so when I went to the doctor they told me to do an ultrasound, and they found the stones in my kidney,"

She was later admitted to the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) for one week. She presently has bi-weekly check-ups.

Lynch added that since she has no insurance, it has been eating away at what little sayings she has.

She showed THE STAR a medical document stating she paid $19,000 at the urology clinic to run urine and blood tests.

General Practitioner, Dr. Japhthah Ford told THE STAR that Lynch is approximately 18 pounds underweight for her age and height, but that her wiry frame was not uncommon with her condition.

Based on a weight chart on a scale, she ought to be 61 kilograms or 134 pounds rather than her 37 kilograms or 82 pound frame.

Loss of appetite

Ford was in agreement, "For her five feet, two inches frame she should at least weigh 100 pounds," Ford said, "Part of the reason is that with renal malfunction she could have loss of appetite.

Ford added that her weight loss could also jeopardise her surgery.

"She could become anaemic and unable to stand up to the rigours of surgery," he said, "And since the kidney is not only responsible for making blood cells but controlling blood pressure, her blood pressure should not exceed 130 over 85."

He explained that condition could also raise her blood pressure dramatically. Other symptoms include feelings of fatigue pains, and blood in the urine.

However, if she never does the surgery there are dire repercussions. Her kidneys will eventually shut down and she will go into renal failure and need to use a dialysis machine, he said.

But while she may live on the dialysis machine for year, without a transplant, in time her kidneys will waist away, eventually killing her.

However, Lynch says she cannot get any help from her five children, ages ranging from 14 to 33, as they are also unemployed.

Dagean Cumberland, her 33-year-old daughter said that she sometimes works as a hairdresser, But business is so slow right now, she told THE STAR, But whenever I braid hair, I give to her what I can.

Sixteen-year-old Shanique Muir said that it is frustrating to see her mother in this state and unable to do much. When I come home from school, I will cook and so, she said, tears filming her eyes.

A family friend, Urcelyn Ebanks, who works in the UK as a receptionist says she is eager to help but she cannot do it alone.

I know that if others help, we can pool what we have to help her, she said.

In the meantime, Ford advises that she eat dark green leafy vegetables, and other foods high iron such as liver, and sardines. Ford, who is a medical consultant at the Food For the Poor also advises that she goes to her nearest church to get assistance.

This matter of people going hungry can be helped, he said. She will be referred to the Food For the Poor where she will be fed.

Anyone willing to help Lynch may donate funds to Account number 86010 at any Nova Scotia branch islandwide. She may be contacted at 473-2662.