“It’s a challenge. You gotta do your due diligence, take medications, go to doctor appointments, gotta structure yourself. Stay with it, even though sometimes you feel like giving up. You gotta keep your head up and keep on going because it isn’t easy.”
Shannon Short’s Journey with Dialysis
“When you don’t make a lot, every little bit helps,” says dialysis patient Shannon Short, whose life changed drastically after learning his kidneys were failing. Thanks to the East Tennessee Kidney Foundation’s Dialysis Travel Reimbursement Program, Mr. Short is able to make it to every treatment without the financial stress that often keeps patients from receiving the care they need.
Diagnosis and a Life-Changing Access
One day during treatment, he began feeling unusually unwell. Blood work revealed something was wrong, and he was rushed to the emergency room. There, doctors discovered a severe sepsis infection. “They pulled the port out of my chest, and it’s a good thing they did, or I wouldn’t be here,” he recalls.
His mother, Pat, remembers the scare vividly: “We got the call, the doctor gave him antibiotics, then did blood work and said to get him to the hospital ASAP.
Recovery was slow. Managing his new wound made sleep, showering, and daily comfort difficult. “I had to get acupuncture just to get rid of the tension in my neck,” he says. But in time, Mr. Short began to feel better and to see the light at the end of many tunnels.
Adjusting to a New Routine
Diet and fluid intake are constant challenges. “They tell you not to drink more than 32 ounces a day. Sometimes I get thirsty. Over the weekend, if I drink a lot, I can feel it by Monday. I chew on ice chips and candies, but you can only do so much of that.”
Dialysis has also changed how much he can eat. “I eat a lot of salads, vegetables. I can’t eat as much as I used to, dialysis shrunk my stomach. I never thought at my age I would be going through something like this, ever.”
“Stay with it even though sometimes you feel like giving up; you gotta keep your head up and keep on going because it is not easy.”
-Shannnon Short
From Full-Time Work to Full-Time Health
Understanding how difficult the transition had been, his supervisor helped make one of Shannon’s dreams come true: attending his first Tennessee Titans football game. “I had never been to a pro football game. Coke, they take care of their people. My boss got a hold of the lady in Nashville and got me tickets to a Titans Game.” The company covered all accommodation, ensuring Shannon could enjoy the experience without worry.
“I got to meet the players, got shirts, jackets, hats, I met the drumline and cheerleaders. Coke set all that stuff up, took care of parking, food,” he says. “My boss said, ‘when you’re ready to come back, we will be here.’”
Waiting for a Transplant
As a qualified candidate for a kidney transplant, Mr. Short was thrilled to receive the long-awaited call that a kidney was available. But an untimely illness prevented him from moving forward with the operation. “I had to wait six months until being considered again.” Now back on the list, he continues to maintain a strict diet, stay active, and keep up with testing. “My tests have been 100%.”
Strength, Support, and Perseverance
Still waiting for his transplant, Mr. Short attends dialysis three times per week. “I put my earphones on, listen to music, and go to sleep. I let the time pass by and just try to concentrate on myself. I do what I have to do then go home.”
Mr. Short looks forward to seeing his dialysis clinic social worker, Stephanie Boyles. “Stephanie has been a big help; she has been a tremendous help to me. We need more people like that.”
When surrounded by other patients at the clinic, Mr. Short shares his thoughts, “You never know what someone else is going through up there besides yourself. You wonder, ‘what is their story?’”
Asked if he ever thinks about skipping dialysis, he shakes his head. “It would be too much fluid on my body. It’s hard to breathe. I would not recommend that for anybody.” He stresses the importance of regular treatment and infection prevention. “When you sleep at night, you have to be elevated and if not, fluid could drown you. You don’t have much energy at all when you go through this.”
Even with challenges, Mr. Short stays strong: “It’s a challenge. You gotta do your due diligence, take medications, go to doctor appointments, gotta structure yourself. Stay with it, even though sometimes you feel like giving up. You gotta keep your head up and keep on going because it isn’t easy.”
Support from family, friends, and coworkers keeps Mr. Short motivated. “I got a lot of people, family, friends, people I work with that pray for me every day. I’m glad to have that, keeps my mind focused on what I gotta do to get better. I got people to keep me in line. I keep my head up and keep going.”
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about becoming an organ donor, please visit tennesseedonor.org.
Be the Match: Become A Donor Today
There are over 15,000 people in Tennessee currently living with kidney disease and that number continues to increase every year. However you can help make a difference by registering to become an organ donor today.
Kidney donation is something that can be provided by a living donor. Living donors allow for an immediate impact and help spare patients long wait times by being on a waiting list.
In 2023 more than 6,900 transplants were made possible by living donors.
You can help save a life today by registering to become an organ donor on your drivers license or becoming a living donor.
Tennessee Donor Services provides a variety of resources and information about the donation process. Click the link below to learn more about how you can have an impact on someone’s life today.