John Chirichella

John’s Journey to Live

In March of 2017 for the second time since we got married my husband asked me to take him to the er because he wasn’t feeling well. I knew then something was wrong but i wasn’t prepared for the news we would soon get. John hadn’t been feeling well all week. He was having trouble breathing, putting on weight, and food tasted “different” to him. Once rushed in back, three breathing treatment, a bunch of steroids, and tons of blood work came the words we were not ready for. “Mr. Chirichella, you are a very, very, very sick man.”

Then it was explained to us that he was in complete kidney failure and diabetic ketoacidosis. We could not believe what we were hearing. John had been diagnosed with diabetes just prior to us getting married and did pretty well with his numbers. His creatinine levels were slightly elevated but under control. In a matter of a week they went from 2.6 to 9.?. His kidneys had shut down. They said they would be admitting him and he would need to start dialysis.

The next few days were tests, procedures, a temporary port for dialysis, and then a fistula for long term dialysis. It was at this time that I found out how close I came to losing my husband. I was told if he had waited another four hours or so he would not be here.

John has always been a loving caring person who was always there for people when they needed him. John is always a proud man and would very rarely ask for help.

John has been on dialysis for 1 year now. He goes 3 days a week for 4 hours a day. He has lost 130 pounds, he sticks to a very strict diet. This has allowed John to seek out a Kidney transplant. A couple of months ago John started the process to get put on the transplant list and is now on the list. Now the wait begins.

John rarely asks for help, so when the social worker at the transplant center recommended fundraising and he agreed, I decided to set this page up for him. John and his family are asking for any help in raising funds to help with the medical expenses associated with a kidney transplant not covered by insurance.

John has chosen to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility to the full extent allowed by law for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button.

For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.

Thank you for your support!

Paula Chirichella
John’s wife