News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Brian's mother, Fifi Bailey, told The Nugget that the 19-year-old is back in school with a full schedule of academic work and extracurricular activities -- and he is looking toward the future.
Brian faced death from kidney failure, and eventually had his damaged kidneys removed. Fifi, a contract mail carrier in the Sisters area, donated one of her kidneys in March, 1995, and after a struggle with rejection that landed Brian in the hospital again, the youth bounced back and is now going strong.
Fifi credits the community's support with helping the family through the ordeal. Brian's medical costs were staggering -- and only partly covered by insurance. Insurance covered Brian's surgery and in patient kidney dialysis, but outpatient dialysis and an expensive regimen of anti-rejection drugs were not covered.
Community fund-raising and donations contributed $23,000, and Fifi went through another $23,000 in savings and income. The community contributions kept the Baileys from financial ruin.
"If it hadn't been for the fund-raising, I'd have been wiped out," Fifi said.
But Fifi believes that it was more than financial support that got the family through their crisis.
"When you're told your son is dying and everybody's praying for you, you've got to believe there's something there," Fifi said.
Brian is now active in school, as the manager of his school's wrestling team and on the school newspaper. He is looking toward college training in GIS mapping.
He is optimistic about the future, although the family is well aware that medical concerns and their attendant financial burdens will never go away. Brian must continue to take immuno-suppressant drugs, and eventually he faces the need for another kidney transplant.
"We expect him to live a full life now," Fifi said. "But a good kidney match from a donor can only last 20-25 years."
But, given the grim ordeal of the past three years, the future looks pretty good.
"When you're told your son isn't going to live and he's doing as well as he is, you don't have complaints," Fifi said.
Fifi is now trying to get back to normal, tending to her business and her family life. But she intends to keep working to find ways to prevent major illnesses from wiping out independent middle class families like hers. And she wants to give to others as the Central Oregon community gave to her and her family.
In particular, she stands ready to offer advice and support to those who are trying to navigate through the confusing maze of medicine and major illness.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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