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Free's spirit chugging along
By Blake Spurney Editor
Janice Free of Otto, N.C., has ridden more waves than a Waikiki regular. Hers just happen to be of the emotional variety.
She was diagnosed in 1978 with polycystic kidney disease, a genetic ailment that causes cysts and eventual kidney failure for half the patients who get it, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
So, at age 25, she began monthly visits to a Gainesville doctor who monitored her kidneys. Janice finally was placed on the national transplant list in early 1994.
Tragedy that struck her family that same year also brought her a new kidney. Ashley Wayne, her nephew by marriage, was killed in a four-wheeler wreck in October near Lake Burton.
"They wanted Janice to have the kidneys if there was a match," said Free's younger sister, Sue Speed, about Wayne's family. "She may have had to wait for who knows how long."
The Tribune noted at the time that the kidney "matched perfectly." Other organs of Wayne gave life to five anonymous recipients.
Ironically, Free's son, Justin, and Wayne were born five days apart and grew even closer. "They were like brothers. They were best friends," Sue said.
Free, who's been battling health problems since, has gone from rehabilitation hospital to nursing home to operating table, especially in recent years. Just last week, the 54-year-old Tiger native was transferred to Lilburn Long Term & Rehabilitation Center after spending a month at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
"It's not real good," said Free's mother, Reba Speed, about her condition. "I just can't really tell you about her because it seems like she's coming out of it, and the next day she doesn't want to talk to anybody.
"Her body's just wearing out. She has been through so, so much. Nobody don't know what she's been through except her, me and (her husband) Ervin."
How much more Janice can endure is anyone's guess. Some days she seems ready to crest another hill and overcome another complication. Then she'll look like a pioneer in the middle of the Rockies during a brutal winter - one who is resigned to her fate.
"We were talking about that the other night," said older sister, Linda Legg. "Sometimes I think she wants to die, and other times she has a fighting spirit in her."
The effect Janice's illness has had on the rest of her family has been a similar grind. Her husband, Ervin, has been unable to keep a regular work schedule for years. He had to give up his machine tool and die business in Tiger and went to work at A.I.D. Corp. so he could get insurance. His co-workers have been gracious enough to donate vacation days to allow him to spend more time taking care of his wife. He just started back up at work this week after Janice's transfer to Lilburn.
"She has to have 24-hour care," Legg said. "It's getting to the point that the family has done everything for her."
Family fights together
Ervin declined to be interviewed. His sisters-in-law described him and Janice as humble country folk who don't want any attention. However, they also shone sufficient light as to reveal his character.
"Ervin, you could not ask for anyone more attentive," Legg said. "He calls her his 'little darling'."
Before she returned to the hospital last month, she received nearly constant care at home. Ervin carried her to the shower and dressed her. Along with getting her in and out of a wheelchair, he was lifting her a dozen times a day with assistance from his 78-year-old mother-in-law.
"She can hardly do anything herself, just feed herself, and sometimes she can't do that," Reba said. She took care of Janice during the day, while Sue cooked and did household chores to help out. Now the family is in search of a rehabilitation hospital closer to home because the family isn't able to see her but once during the week.
Not such a good match
Janice inherited the disease from her father, William Speed, who began home dialysis in 1974. She was the only one of four children to get the disease. Justin, 37, also has it, but it remains under control through medication.
"We were actually the first family in Rabun County to have the kidney machines at home," Sue said.
Reba, who worked as a nursing assistant for 28 years at Rabun County Memorial Hospital, traveled to Asheville, N.C., three times a week for months so she could learn how to operate the dialysis machine. William succumbed to pneumonia in 1980, which was brought on when he fell and broke his hip. Polycystic disease causes one's bones to become brittle.
Janice began experiencing problems with her bones shortly after receiving her new kidney. Legg said antirejection medications were to blame. Janice has had 17 surgeries since the transplant, most of them for bone difficulties. She also was treated for diverticulitis, which is an infection in the digestive tract.
Janice's downward slide picked up significant momentum during the last couple of years. In 2004, Janice learned that Wayne's kidney was only a one-point match out of a possible six. It was removed in March 2006, at which point it was only functioning at 17 percent of a healthy kidney.
Meanwhile, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2005 and had the gland removed. She also had surgery for a herniated cervical disc last July and recently took blood transfusions because of internal bleeding.
"We don't know if she'll be able to walk again," Legg said. "The doctors don't give us much hope."
Still, Janice has not complained, her sisters said. She also keeps showing signs that she's not ready to give up.
"Janice has had a hard battle," her mother said while choking back tears. "Sorry, I didn't mean to do that. You just have to be around her to know. She never has said nothing bad about nobody. She's just a precious little thing to me."
How to help
Janice and Ervin Free face mounting medical bills from her constant care required by a genetic kidney ailment. She has had 17 surgeries since she received a kidney transplant in 1994. To assist Janice, formerly of Tiger, and her family, accounts have been set up at Community Bank & Trust and Rabun County Bank for people to make donations.
She was diagnosed in 1978 with polycystic kidney disease, a genetic ailment that causes cysts and eventual kidney failure for half the patients who get it, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
So, at age 25, she began monthly visits to a Gainesville doctor who monitored her kidneys. Janice finally was placed on the national transplant list in early 1994.
Tragedy that struck her family that same year also brought her a new kidney. Ashley Wayne, her nephew by marriage, was killed in a four-wheeler wreck in October near Lake Burton.
"They wanted Janice to have the kidneys if there was a match," said Free's younger sister, Sue Speed, about Wayne's family. "She may have had to wait for who knows how long."
The Tribune noted at the time that the kidney "matched perfectly." Other organs of Wayne gave life to five anonymous recipients.
Ironically, Free's son, Justin, and Wayne were born five days apart and grew even closer. "They were like brothers. They were best friends," Sue said.
Free, who's been battling health problems since, has gone from rehabilitation hospital to nursing home to operating table, especially in recent years. Just last week, the 54-year-old Tiger native was transferred to Lilburn Long Term & Rehabilitation Center after spending a month at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
"It's not real good," said Free's mother, Reba Speed, about her condition. "I just can't really tell you about her because it seems like she's coming out of it, and the next day she doesn't want to talk to anybody.
"Her body's just wearing out. She has been through so, so much. Nobody don't know what she's been through except her, me and (her husband) Ervin."
How much more Janice can endure is anyone's guess. Some days she seems ready to crest another hill and overcome another complication. Then she'll look like a pioneer in the middle of the Rockies during a brutal winter - one who is resigned to her fate.
"We were talking about that the other night," said older sister, Linda Legg. "Sometimes I think she wants to die, and other times she has a fighting spirit in her."
The effect Janice's illness has had on the rest of her family has been a similar grind. Her husband, Ervin, has been unable to keep a regular work schedule for years. He had to give up his machine tool and die business in Tiger and went to work at A.I.D. Corp. so he could get insurance. His co-workers have been gracious enough to donate vacation days to allow him to spend more time taking care of his wife. He just started back up at work this week after Janice's transfer to Lilburn.
"She has to have 24-hour care," Legg said. "It's getting to the point that the family has done everything for her."
Family fights together
Ervin declined to be interviewed. His sisters-in-law described him and Janice as humble country folk who don't want any attention. However, they also shone sufficient light as to reveal his character.
"Ervin, you could not ask for anyone more attentive," Legg said. "He calls her his 'little darling'."
Before she returned to the hospital last month, she received nearly constant care at home. Ervin carried her to the shower and dressed her. Along with getting her in and out of a wheelchair, he was lifting her a dozen times a day with assistance from his 78-year-old mother-in-law.
"She can hardly do anything herself, just feed herself, and sometimes she can't do that," Reba said. She took care of Janice during the day, while Sue cooked and did household chores to help out. Now the family is in search of a rehabilitation hospital closer to home because the family isn't able to see her but once during the week.
Not such a good match
Janice inherited the disease from her father, William Speed, who began home dialysis in 1974. She was the only one of four children to get the disease. Justin, 37, also has it, but it remains under control through medication.
"We were actually the first family in Rabun County to have the kidney machines at home," Sue said.
Reba, who worked as a nursing assistant for 28 years at Rabun County Memorial Hospital, traveled to Asheville, N.C., three times a week for months so she could learn how to operate the dialysis machine. William succumbed to pneumonia in 1980, which was brought on when he fell and broke his hip. Polycystic disease causes one's bones to become brittle.
Janice began experiencing problems with her bones shortly after receiving her new kidney. Legg said antirejection medications were to blame. Janice has had 17 surgeries since the transplant, most of them for bone difficulties. She also was treated for diverticulitis, which is an infection in the digestive tract.
Janice's downward slide picked up significant momentum during the last couple of years. In 2004, Janice learned that Wayne's kidney was only a one-point match out of a possible six. It was removed in March 2006, at which point it was only functioning at 17 percent of a healthy kidney.
Meanwhile, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2005 and had the gland removed. She also had surgery for a herniated cervical disc last July and recently took blood transfusions because of internal bleeding.
"We don't know if she'll be able to walk again," Legg said. "The doctors don't give us much hope."
Still, Janice has not complained, her sisters said. She also keeps showing signs that she's not ready to give up.
"Janice has had a hard battle," her mother said while choking back tears. "Sorry, I didn't mean to do that. You just have to be around her to know. She never has said nothing bad about nobody. She's just a precious little thing to me."
How to help
Janice and Ervin Free face mounting medical bills from her constant care required by a genetic kidney ailment. She has had 17 surgeries since she received a kidney transplant in 1994. To assist Janice, formerly of Tiger, and her family, accounts have been set up at Community Bank & Trust and Rabun County Bank for people to make donations.
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