DETROIT – Natisha Fudge is a former CNA who has seen her fair share of patients, especially over the last few months. But this summer, her occupation has had a significant impact on her family.
“In May while I was working a COVID unit,” she said. “I was doing 12 hours that night and my mask snapped and within 24 hours, I had full blown COVID.”
Her husband Christopher, who’s already had a multitude of health problems, later ended up testing positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to St. John Hospital in need of a new kidney because of virus complications.
“They initially told us that he was in stage 3 kidney disease and now we’re dealing with seizures and the COVID,” Natisha added.
On top of that, Natisha’s mother-in-law also tested positive for the virus.
“We almost lost him during that time and then his mom, we thought she was about to pass also,” she recalled.
So aside from giving her husband the virus, the mother of three is giving him a kidney as well.
“Finding out that his blood type was O-positive and my blood type was O-negative. I said it was only fate because only O can donate to O,” Natisha said.
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However donating an organ isn’t an easy task. Natisha had to lose weight to be able to do so. So far she’s lost over 40 pounds.
“When I started doing it, I realized the weight started coming off,” she proclaimed.
And that really isn’t the half of what this family is going through. Yet somehow, someway… they continue to be strong for one another.
“To know that I’m gonna have my best friend and partner with me even longer in life, it feels amazing,” Natisha concluded.
A GoFundMe has been set up for the family to help with the medical bills. You can donate here.