A while ago I used to post Way To Go Wednesday status updates on the Chasing Joy Facebook Page. I have not done an update like that in a while. But today I have an awesome Way To Go Wednesday shout out to Char Power for having a positive attitude in the face of major health hurdles and Chasing Joy whole heartedly.
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I first met Char at Women Get Social when The SITS Girls brought the conference to Philadelphia. She had such a positive attitude and zest for life. She was so upbeat and joyful that I had no idea of her health struggles until you mentioned having kidney disease. We became friends on Facebook and I kept up with her through her status updates. It was through a Facebook update that I came across Char's Go Fund Me campaign and learned just how serious her situation was. Char has faced and is facing more than most of us have yet she has an amazing attitude. After learning more about Char's heath struggles I felt compelled to interview her about how she manges to Chase Joy through it all. My emailed questions to Char and her responses are below:
Tell me about your Kidney Disease?Well, I had a series of medical issues that went on for the better part of a year that my doctor had treated as individual events. By the time they finally realize what was going on my kidneys had already failed. Ironic that Doctor No longer works with the practice anymore. Once my kidneys have failed there was nothing that could be done medically at that point so I had to begin meeting with a nephrologist to discuss my options. I decided that doing dialysis at home is the best option for me because it allowed me to maintain some level of my independence while getting treatment.Three years into the treatment I started getting sick and by Christmas eve of last year (2014) my body had completely shut down to the point that I couldn't walk or even lift my hands above my head. I spent the better part of six months in the hospital or in rehab and learning how to walk in 2015.The reason I say kidney disease was a gift and a curse was because if it wasn't for the fact that I was being evaluated for a kidney transplant they would never have discovered the cancer that was brewing in my cervix. I was able to have that surgery and have that completely taken care of in 2013 and can now exclaim that you know that I'm cancer free!So while I hate having kidney failure and cannot stand going to dialysis I will be forever thankful that I was able to have those test done to discover and a eliminate the cancer out of my body. Kidney failure saved my life!
When we meet at Women Get Social you were so upbeat and positive. How do you stay Joyful given your health struggles? How have others helped you over the last few years?My faith and friendships are the only thing that have kept me from cracking. I have an amazing team of people that have been in my corner since I was 17 years old. From cooking meals to taking me to and from medical appointments to even sitting with me while I make homemade pretzels they've always been there.
How do you keep going on your bad days, when you are feeling down?Honestly I sleep, listen to music, read, and eat. Not Always in that order.
What kinds of activities and things give you Joy?I love learning new techie things so I spend a lot of time on the computer or my iPad app playing around with software. I love watching murder mysteries. And, I totally enjoy cooking and recently baking.
Has Faith been an important factor in your life?Faith has been an important factor in my life for as long as I can remember. We all need a little faith in something to get through, get by, and get over things.Has gratitude had an impact on your life since your diagnosis?When I tell you I am forever grateful for the people that have been placed in my path and those that have decided to stick around it's unbelievable. I know that it is not something that I've done to deserve this kind of support, so yes, gratitude is huge in my book
Do you practice any kind of self-care (manicures, pedicures, favorite foods, etc to keep you feeling good?I really wish I could say yes but no I haven't been in so long. A friend of mine paid for a manicure for me this summer when I was in a rehab recovering and that was wonderful.Do you set goals or try new things to keep your mid focused on positive things?I'm always trying something new. Trying to learn a new skill or figure out what my next plan is. All the littlest things require learning new things and keeping up with things that are going on around youWhy did you create your go fund me campaign?I created a little over a week ago. A friend of mine asked me about it on Monday two weeks ago and I never consider doing anything like that. I thought about it for a couple of days, wrote the campaign, and submitted it on that Saturday night.What do you want people to know about you, your illness, or your go fund me campaign?I felt like in order for people to assist me they need to know about my background. If they have never read one of my blog post or if they're not friends with me on Facebook then they don't know any of the things that have been going on and what I've been going through. So they know that my concerns and my need is legit.
If you are looking for ways to give back or to be philantropic please consider contributing to Char's Go Fund Me Campaign. Every little bit helps. Char's Go Fund Me Account donation amount request is $8,616.00 to cover 6 months of expenses for the following:
Rent $850.00/month x 6 months = $5,100.00
Transportation 136.00/month x 6 months = $816.00
Utilities (Electric, Heat, Water) $300.00/month x 6 months = 1,800.00
Medication $150.00/month x 6 months = $900.00
Find Char's Go Fund Me Campaign here > https://www.gofundme.com/CharPower
Read Char's Blog > http://www.charmaineparrish.com/
Follow her on Twitter > https://twitter.com/charpower
Check out her Pictures on Instagram > https://www.instagram.com/charpower/
We can all look to Char for inspiration on how to get through tough times in life. Let's remember her in our thoughts and prayers and spread the word about her Go Fund Me Campaign.