My name is Chris Edwards. First off, I want to thank you for taking some time to read this. On July 11, 2007(**supposed to read July 11, 2006), I am donating a kidney to my sister Gloria. For about 10 years now, my sisters health has been in question due to a disease known as Polycystic Kidney disease. Not only has this affected her kidneys, but it also generated other problems. Around Christmas of 1994, Gloria was diagnosed with a brain aneurism. When emergency brain surgery was started, a second aneurism was found. She was given a 3% chance of survival. When most people survive this operation, they do not function as you and I would in everyday life. Miraculously, she survived the surgery, and lives an almost normal life today. However, from that point on, she became a walking pharmacy, literally. I guarantee that she probably has any medication that you could possibly want.

She got married and moved on in her life, and everything was looking okay, until a few years ago. She was informed her kidney function had dropped drastically. Once Gloria told me this, I immediately told her I would give her one of mine. Never an issue, I knew it was needed, so I stepped up to the plate. Well, after many tests and months of waiting, the day is finally here. It has been a long road, and it has not been an easy one. Since then, she has had both kidneys removed, and must visit the dialysis twice a week. Imagine having to do this twice a week, and each time you do it, you feel absolutely horrible and tired. Imagine not being able to eat anything you were used to eating due to proteins and phosphates. I am sure there are many other conditions out there that would cause this, and I am not trying to glorify or make you sympathize for her condition in any way. I am just trying to help you get a feel for what Gloria has been through these past couple of years.  To top all of that off, her aneurisms have caused her to have seizures. Talk about scary. Her husband Cass has been to Iraq twice, and has told me some very gruesome details, but the look on his face after the last group of seizures showed me how bad they were. Its very scary to look into a loved ones eyes, and see that they do not really know what is going on around them.

Well, all of this leads me up to my main point. Gloria's insurance is going to cover the operation. Absolutely amazing. Covering everything except my medication and any appointments after the operation.  My main reason for doing this is her of course. I want to improve her quality of living, period. Doing so is going to keep me out of work for 8+ weeks.  Even when I am able to return to work, I will not be at full speed. I am a mechanic on a military installation. I work mainly on diesel engines; buses, garbage trucks, utility trucks, etc. My fiancé and I are going to be extremely tight on finances for this time period. I intend to do as many odd jobs or part time jobs as I am able to do, but that is going to be next to nothing. As a regular reader of The Daily Column, I asked Richie if I could have a small amount of page space to post a link for this, and he graciously allowed me to do so. I am not a regular on the forums, as I have been doing a lot of searching for some kind of financial relief for this for the past few months. There is not much help out there for me at all, sad to say. Especially since I am doing this voluntarily. To make things even worse, I have just received the exciting news that I have been accepted into the Nascar School of Technology, NTI. As redneck as this may sound, it's an automotive school that has the option of learning to build, fabricate and tune professional quality race cars and engines. That is a few months away, March to be exact, but with the surgery coming up, and then school a few months later, things are going to be very tight.

So I am here, explaining my situation to you. If there is anyway you can help out, I would be so appreciative. I am not expecting you to give your life savings or anything. I am simply asking you for a few dollars if you can spare it. I am just hoping to receive enough money to help out with my bills and anything else that is needed. I know my problems are very far away from being the saddest story told, and I do not want any of you to feel sorry for me or my sis. Just by you taking the time to view this page, it makes me feel like you all care about your fellow human being. I thank you for that. I am going to keep adding more information on this situation on this site.

Thank you once again for taking the time to read this, and thank you Richie for giving me this help. After the local gas stations (gas stations for crying out loud) said no to allowing me to put a change jar on their countertop, this is such a relief and a breath of fresh air. I will put a guestbook page up for you to sign if you would like. Please show your support. Even if you do not want to help out, or can not, please sign and just show us that you care. It would really help out with the family morale to know that even though we do not know you, you still care.

Forever Grateful, Christopher Edwards