Life Story & Inspiration: Lorna Kui Irungu

From Kags: I had a friend called Lorna Irungu. She was an absolute force of nature. I don’t clearly remember the circumstances that she contributed this inspiration to my blog – I think it was a message to me that I had asked for as I was doing the #OdeToYouth series and she had just become an Eisenhower Fellow. Or maybe she posted it on her socials and I asked her if I could repost it. In any case, I still get inspired by her words and her courage.

“The 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 the 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 the flight (I was travelling 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 the plane in a 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 the hospital and the doctor said.. You have kidney failure. I remember feeling lost, and 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 your journey. 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..”