My Fight for Life: Living With Kidney Failure
I’m Tristian Wallace, a writer in my 60s living with end-stage kidney failure.
For the past several years, dialysis has been keeping me alive. Several days each week I spend hours connected to a machine that does the work my kidneys can no longer do. It is exhausting and often painful, but it is the reason I am still here.
Dialysis is not a cure.
It is simply a lifeline that keeps me going one week at a time.
My hope—and my fight—is to reach a kidney transplant.
My Story
I grew up in Minnesota and attended Roosevelt High School, later earning a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Minnesota.
Like many young people chasing opportunity, I moved to New York. Within three months I found work as an accountant at a law firm, and over the years I built a stable and comfortable life.
In 1984 I married a wonderful woman, and together we raised one son and two beautiful daughters.
In 2014 my wife passed away, and the loss left a deep emptiness in my life.
To cope with the loneliness, I began writing stories. Writing slowly became a passion and a way for me to find purpose again.
But in 2020 everything changed.
I became severely ill. I could barely keep water down and was constantly vomiting. Doctors discovered my kidneys had shrunk dramatically, and my hemoglobin had fallen to a dangerously low level of 4.
I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease and began dialysis treatments twice every week.
The Financial Reality
Dialysis keeps me alive, but it is also extremely expensive.
The savings I built over decades of work have slowly disappeared because of hospital bills, medications, and treatments.
To try to support myself, I self-published a collection of my short stories on Amazon. Unfortunately, sales have been modest—fewer than 500 copies, bringing in less than $1,500.
Because dialysis leaves me exhausted and requires frequent treatments, finding regular employment has become nearly impossible.
My Treatments and Medications
My monthly care currently includes:
• Amlodipine 20mg
• Pantoprazole 40mg
• Ecosprin 150mg
• Torsemide 80mg
• Vitamin D3 (60,000 IU)
• Multivitamins
• Erythropoietin injections (10,000 IU)
• Iron sucrose infusions
• Whey protein supplements
• 12 dialysis sessions every month
Together these treatments cost around $8,000 per month, placing an enormous strain on what remains of my savings.
Why I Continue Writing
Writing has become my purpose during this difficult chapter of life.
Stories give me something meaningful to focus on. They allow me to connect with readers around the world and remind me that creativity can still exist even during hardship.
When someone reads one of my books, it means far more than a purchase.
It means someone believes in my ability to keep going.
My Hope
If I manage to sell 20,000 copies of my book before Christmas, I hope to use the success not only to stabilize my own situation but also to help others facing kidney disease and dialysis.
Many people in this community struggle quietly, and if I ever gain a large audience, I want to use it to create something positive for others in similar circumstances.
How You Can Help
If you would like to support my journey, there are a few simple ways:
š Read one of my books
☕ Buy Me a Coffee
š Donate via PayPal
Even sharing my story with others can make a meaningful difference.
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