For decades, I worked as a teacher and mentor to students I loved. Then suddenly, I was diagnosed with kidney failure. Now, I’m a dialysis patient who relies on an exhausting treatment to survive. I was first diagnosed with kidney disease in 2016 after a family history of high blood pressure caught up with me. I came off dialysis for a few years after weight loss surgery, but in 2023, my kidneys failed again. I had to stop working, because of having too many doctor's appointments and too many sick days. I lost my private insurance, and Medicaid turned me [...]