Navy Veteran’s Inspiring Journey Through End-Stage Renal Failure and Transplant
Jeffrey Pruitt, a Navy Veteran, has always considered himself a creative person who enjoyed taking long walks and staying busy until his body forced him to slow down.
He was experiencing bad headaches and decided to take a trip to see his doctor at his local VA hospital in Iron Mountain, Michigan. After an exam, doctors told Pruitt he was in end-stage renal failure and would be incapacitated within six months. Pruitt took that as an eye-opening moment and for the next five years, he kept his diagnosis private.
Jeffrey Pruitt’s Diagnosis
“I remember waking up and I knew the pain was coming and there was nothing I could do about it, so what I did was start asking for seconds,” said the Navy Veteran. “I did not feel sorry for myself once. I did not complain. I didn’t look up anything about my disease.” He explains his thought process behind the ignorance; what you think about, you bring about. It was at that moment Pruitt chose to approach his diagnosis differently. “I didn’t acknowledge my illness I just lived with it and did what my doctors told me to do so it did not consume me,” said Pruitt, “I wasn’t going to give into the disease or thought of death. I didn’t want to burden myself with unnecessary stresses that show up when it's quiet and you are alone in the dark.” Although not always easy, researchers highly encourage a positive mindset to help reduce stress, increase life span, lower the risk of heart disease, and more.
With his new mindset, Pruitt started spending more time tapping into his creativity to adjust to his new normal. From painting to music, Pruitt has dabbled in many different forms of art to help him get through the rough days. Pruitt’s artistic style can be described as a transformation of personal struggles, channeling his pain into captivating and vibrant creations. “I wouldn’t be here without that suffering,” said Pruitt.
The Transplant Journey
After five years of dialysis and frequent hospital stays the call for a new kidney finally came. He was referred to the Iowa City VA Medical Center by the Iron Mountain VA and when he arrived, Pruitt said the transplant team got right to work setting him up in the prep room and carting him off to surgery. The next thing he knew, Pruitt was waking up and being told to walk around by his team of nurses and doctors. Though it was one of the hardest things he said he had to do, Pruitt will never forget how attentive the team was.
Creating a Family of His Own
Pruitt credits the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center (ICVAMC) Transplant team for keeping him alive today, saying his “heart beats true” for them. After his surgery, he was moved into a nearby hotel where the staff was able to take him back and forth to the hospital and help him fall into a new routine as he recovered, a typical practice for transplant patients to ensure top-notch care continues outside of the recovery room. “The post-transplant team is phenomenal, they keep you alive and make sure you’re taking your meds,” recalls Pruitt. “I have a debt I will never be able to repay because of that team. I can take a breath because of them. I didn’t know I could paint this deep and this fast until I had that transplant.” He goes on to talk about the team as if they are friends who get together every week for dinner and to exchange stories; they’ve become connected thanks to his new kidney.
“I went looking for reasons to complain,” said Pruitt. “But the hospital in general is a wonderful place. From the top down the staff are outstanding human beings who have dedicated their life to serve and help Veterans.”
Pruitt says Veterans choose Iowa City because the culture is unlike any other hospital or doctor’s office, calling the experience a humbling gift, something he echoes on his website which greets each visitor with a message of hope: “Imagine for a moment, you spent five years in end-stage renal failure, on dialysis and with frequent trips to the hospital. One day a call arrives, and you have an organ transplant. A new life surely has begun. In time, you realize things are very different indeed. Now you can see vibrancy and intensity in color as if you are breathing it and you are composing music as if out of thin air. You can see color and music in the same flow, understanding layers and complexities never before considered. Welcome to my world.”
Your Impact
When faced with a life-threatening diagnosis, it is easy to get overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty. For individuals like Pruitt, the transplant team, medical staff, and donors provided hope and a second chance at life. Pruitt's newfound appreciation for life and his ability to turn adversity into colorful and captivating art is nothing short of inspiring. This year's Donate Life Month theme, "Donors are Superstars", reminds us that each of us has the power to make a difference. By becoming a donor, you can give someone like Pruitt a second chance at life, a chance to create, inspire, and make an impact. Imagine the light we can shed on such a dark time by becoming a donor.