Last year, two weeks before our 30th Summer Music Festival~Suzuki Kingston program in July, Carole’s illness took a nasty turn and put her in hospital, on dialysis. The outlook was grim, to say the least.
Over the course of the previous year, various unexplained symptoms, such as swollen, red hands and intermittently swelling feet, had been incorrectly diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, the term scleroderma reared its nasty head. It is related to arthritis in that they are both auto-immune diseases. The prognosis was not pleasant yet it was thought that Carole could manage for many years. Then suddenly her kidneys faltered in a big way.
So, on to dialysis, about which we all learned more than we ever wanted to know. Even though the process keeps people alive, it is truly a wrenching procedure that takes place three time a week for several hours at a time. It was terribly hard on Carole, to the point where she had to take a tranquilizer in order to endure the treatment.
Carole is one determined and strong person, as I have learned to love and admire over the course of our 30 year working relationship. She concluded that as long as her kidneys were having their work done for them by a machine, they had no incentive to get up off their hind legs and start taking care of business themselves.
So she went off dialysis, with the approval of her physician. She has 15% kidney function which is the minimum required for independent living. She holds the thought that her body knows how to heal itself and she is giving it a chance to do just that. Every night, as she is falling asleep, she pictures her blood flowing easily and perfectly through her kidneys, cleansing and renewing itself.
Last week, the dialysis ports were removed from her body. For the first time in nine months, Carole could take a shower! For a person who loathes baths, this was bliss! She stayed in the shower until the water ran cold.
Carole is feeling so feisty, her natural state of being, that she is planning on being with us in July. We will have a glorious celebration to welcome her back.
I want to invite the world to come celebrate our living, breathing miracle, called Carole Bigler, with us.
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1 comment:
Fantastic news about Carole. I had no idea her health problems were so serious, and I'm delighted that she is so much better. Carole, you are an amazing role-model, not only in all the ways you have been inspiring, but in this additional way as well. Way to go! I shall hope fervently for your continued improvement and well-being.
Eleanor Beach
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