New Member From Pittsburgh

[Snake Eyes]

My name is Mike from pgh pa. I was diagnosed in February 2021. Before my diagnosis I was a mail carrier for 3 years and I had a 9 hour route I had to get done everyday by 4:00. Sometimes including overtime. I had really painful abdominal pains in my stomach so my dr told me to go to the ER right away. My neighbor took me and I was diagnosed with pneumonia. But I kept getting sicker and the doctors told me I was a mystery. My kidneys were shutting down as well and I was dying so I started praying for god to take me I was ready. I could feel myself slipping away and floating in darkness. They did a biopsy of my kidney and realized I had chronic kidney disease and wegeners which attacked my lungs and my kidneys. I also had half of my right lung removed because they thought I had cancer. Thank god I didn’t! I was in the hospital for 5 weeks. I was on dialysis for 7 months. My doctors said I can never deliver mail again. After I was released I had no guidance from my union. I was supposed to have a light duty position per the accommodation committee but instead of helping me they decided to fire me. They wanted to sweep me under the rug and forget I existed. Life’s bad enough when your sick but when you lose your job also for doing nothing wrong well let’s just say I’m lucky to be here today!