Our Stories

Rachelle's Story

It was the year 1990, I was 19 and had just finished my first year at San Diego State. I came home for the summer and was attending summer school classes in the morning and working as a waitress in an Italian restaurant at night.

I remember vividly being in my sociology class and glancing down at my feet that were bulging out of my penny loafers. I knew now that I had some major edema going on.

I went to my then primary doctor who proceeded to do basic tests, such as blood work and a urine sample. She discovered that I was dumping mass quantities of protein into my urine and referred me to a nephrologist, who scheduled me for a biopsy.

You might as well of told me I was going to have a labotomy. I had never been in the hospital for as little as stitches so to say the least I was FREAKED OUT!

After the biopsy I was diagnosed with Minimal Change Disease and was told it could be cured with a series of drugs. 

I was in major denial and all I cared about was going back to college in San Diego. I barely made it thro