‘Life has been rough for me’ - Woman struggles with renal failure, diabetes

Romayne Crawford's ordeal started back in 2015 after she was told that the renal failure she was diagnosed with had reached end-stage. Soon after that, Crawford was diagnosed with diabetes.

"I had renal failure from 2012, but it didn't go to end stage until 2015. I can remember I fell in a coma in the December, and from there everything just went downhill," she said. "I was weak. I didn't know what was going on because my body was going through so much turmoil."

Crawford, 42, said she has been in and out of the hospital since. She is no longer able to work.

"I had a restaurant and I did catering also; like I made birthday and Christmas cakes. But I had to shut it down. I was too sick to continue and I had no one to run it for me," she said.

Though her only source of income was stalled, the medical bills and other expenses kept piling up.

All my savings

"Let me tell you, life has been rough for me because I had to use all my savings on hospital visits and dialysis. I was paying for dialysis for four years and it was $10,000 for each visit. It wasn't until last year December [that] I got through to do it at Spanish Town, and they offered it for free," she said.

That eased some of her financial burden, but Crawford has been focused on having her light and water reconnected. The water bill rose to more than $100,000 and the service was disconnected in 2018, and the light was cut in June because of an outstanding balance of more than $20,000.

"My neighbour has been giving me water for two years now and I have to catch it in a bucket. It is hard because I can't walk well and every time I use the bathroom, I have to lift up the pan to flush," she said. "Not even my clothes can wash. Is my friend help me out."

The Portmore, St Catherine, resident also has to go without food at times as her son lost his job with a telemarketing company after their electricity was cut.

"I use to be somebody who never hungry for a day, because I always make sure I work and provide for me and my son. There are days when we literally don't eat anything because we don't have it. It is just my neighbours next door that give us food," she said.

She added: "I have not been coping well, but I don't have a choice; and my faith in God is what is keeping me. I can't even manage to walk properly and stuff, but I'm still not complaining because I'm still alive. I just need help with the bills and for transportation and other stuff."

Those who are willing to help Crawford may contact her at 876-801-5993 or 876-899-5684