Life Story & Inspiration: Lorna Kui Irungu

Last time I was in Chi Town was 19 years ago. It was a defining moment in my life. I arrived here to visit family and friends and research on Lupus as I had just been diagnosed and my friend who had passed away had connected me with Lupus foundation. I was very sick at the time but didn’t realize how bad it was.. I got here and the day I went to foundation offices, a doctor looked at me and he knew immediately what was wrong but couldn’t quite tell me. He gave me a nurses manual titled “Lupus & Kidney Failure.” He didn’t tell me I had Kidney failure but was like you should read this. I remember leaving the office in a daze and a part of me dismissing it. I left for Kenya 4 days later, was critically sick on flight ( I was traveling with full blown kidney failure but didn’t know) they had to find a doctor on board to help me out. Landed at JKIA got off plane on wheelchair… Went to hospital they figured I was dehydrated ???????? went home.. And next morning couldn’t get up so had an ambulance rush me back to hospital and the doctor said.. You have kidney failure. I remember feeling lost, terrified and my family just rallying behind me… And that was the beginning of my long journey… 19 years later here I am. Same city different experience… Our lives are muttered with different seasons and sometimes you go back to a place just to remind you of the journey you are on. Today I reflect on how not in control I am of my life, how God in his infinite wisdom takes me where he needs me to be and ministers to my spirit in many ways. Chicago was once a reminder of the “winter” season in my life, as I embark on this Eisenhower journey it has turned into Spring. It’s like Dr. Kher my nephrologist once told me .. “The best thing about winter is that spring is coming..”