Lowellville grad diagnosed with acute renal failure

By EMMALEE C. TORISK

etorisk@vindy.com

LOWELLVILLE

Helen Bond would give anything for just one more day of normalcy, for a day back before her whole world changed in a matter of hours.

Last month, doctors diagnosed the 32-year-old mother of two with acute renal failure, after Bond experienced symptoms that she attributed simply to overexertion.

Now, Bond, who is also four months pregnant with twins, has to undergo six days of dialysis treatments weekly — with each session lasting three hours.

“The dialysis isn’t painful; it’s just different. To go from having a normal, everyday life, it’s hard,” she said. “I just want to get better. I just want my life back.”

But Bond said she isn’t sure when her life will again resemble what it used to be even a handful of weeks ago, especially because she’s still not sure what caused her illness.

This uncertainty is further complicated by doctors’ insistence that “more aggressive treatment” — or, really, the treatment that would be administered to “a normal patient” — not begin until after the twin boys are born, probably in October or November, Bond said.

Then, Bond will learn whether she’ll stay on dialysis for the rest of her life, or if she’ll be placed on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.

In the meantime, Bond, a single mom, said she’s fine enough during the day, thanks mostly to the help of her mother, Debbie Fraticelli of Boardman; her 14-year-old daughter, Alyssa Guerrieri; and her 11-year-old son, Dylan Bond.

By early evening, though, she can barely walk or hold anything in her hands. Speech becomes difficult, too, she said, adding that it’s like her mouth has been permanently numbed.

“It’s a combination of my medicines, the dialysis and the pregnancy. It’s a little of everything I have going against me right now,” Bond said. “The hardest thing is that I can’t take my kids to the park or take them swimming. I can’t bathe myself. I can’t have a normal life.”

Bond’s illness has been “taking a toll” on the whole family, Alyssa said, adding that it’s a lot to handle.

“One day, she’s fine, and the next day, she’s in the hospital,” Alyssa said. “But every prayer we get and every donation we get, we’re thankful for all of it.”

Dylan said he misses how Bond would always “solve everybody’s problems.”

“But ever since she got sick, it’s been hard for her to do that,” he said.

What also has been difficult, Bond said, is having to quit her job at Roberto’s Italian Ristorante in downtown Youngstown, which her uncle owns. Bond said she misses working but especially misses having enough money to put gas in the car, pay bills or give to her children “for them to go places.”

“I never had to deal with that. I’ve always been a worker, not been stuck at home,” she said. “This is something you can’t prepare for. You can’t take advantage of things. One day, they could be gone.”

In addition, although her insurance will cover three months of dialysis, and she has two months remaining, she’s not sure what will happen when it runs out.

After Bond’s diagnosis, her mother said she knew that the family wouldn’t be able to make it without help, but knew, too, that she couldn’t do it herself.

So, just days later, Fraticelli began to organize a benefit dinner and auction for 1 to 6 p.m. Aug. 11 at the Holy Rosary Educational Center, at 219 E. Wood St. in Lowellville. Bond grew up in Lowellville and is a 1999 Lowellville High graduate.

The amount of support she’s received has been incredible, Fraticelli said, adding that ticket sales began recently but that they’ve already exceeded 100.

Donations also have come in from a number of local businesses and organizations, as well as from family members, friends and those who don’t even know Bond.

“It’s amazing to me that they’re willing to help me and my kids,” Bond said. “It doesn’t matter to me how many people show up. I’m just appreciative of everybody trying to help.”