Keith Heymann:
CLASS OF 1990
Sumner High SchoolClass of 1990
Sumner, WA
Keith's Story
A lot has happened to me since High School. I once thought I was invincible which I wasn't. What many never knew about me then was how ill I was with health realated problems, as I hid them and tried to keep a sense of sanity about me as I was always told I would not see 20 years of age.
I did alot of wreckless and crazy things back then because it was as I mentioned, form of invincibility from those things that would extingish my life from me.
Now, at 37 years of age.. I no longer have that sense of invinicibility, in fact, I very well know now that life as I live it, can cease to exist as soon as tomorro, or as long as my will prevails.
I have been doing dialysis now for the past 8 years, and it has deffinetly had it's ups and downs. I have had too many heart attacks to count, a number of heart surgeries to go with those, and a few strokes as well.
I was told I would never walk again after my first stroke. That was in 2001. Now, with effort, I can walk, and often times I do so for miles.. In fact, just yesterday I walked for nearly 12 hours.. as I wandered. It gives me piece of mind.
As for Dialysis, I have been trying to get a Kidney transplant, but my heart issues keep sidelining me. November of 2007, I had 2 heart attacks within a week and am at current "on hold" on the transplant list.
I do not know if I will be coming off of "hold" status this time because I was told that all the vessels in my body are now calcified, which means.. no where to sew a Kidney on. I will have to wait and see what they find come December of this year (2008) and see if there are any other options.
As a dialysis patient of 8 years, I consider myself Lucky, being that the normal life expectancy is 3 - 4 years on treatment. I have seen m...Expand for more
any come and go in my time there, and only know that my survival to this point has been my will, and sheer stubborness to just lie down and die. This is one reason I walk so much, even though it is painful and difficult, the strong body survives, when others do not have the answers as to why. Mind over body is a very real thing, even if doctors can't seem to understand it.
... I do not know of any other way to describe what I have been doing since High School, except to start with the current.
I did do alot of things, not many that I enjoyed as far as work goes, but a few I did.
Immediately after High School, and this is not a joke.. I joined the Carnival.. and in 2 moves, I had employment and got to travel.. although, you could not pay me to do that again.. the crazy things we do at 18?
I've done a number of things in the automotive industry, including at least for a short while before being laidoff, working at a Hotrod shop (dream job).
Was a Supervisor in shipping and recieving at Target corp. for awhile, that was a fun job as well being the night crew and the people involved, good money too.
Drove Greyhounds for a short while before finally having my Drivers License revoked for being legally blind.. Hey I never hit anything!
Had a son, or a miracle child as I call him.. it was just a matter of 4 months before my Kidneys failed that he was concieved. Unfortunately, Due to my poor health, and his less then wanting mother.. he had to be adopted. I could not take care of him on my own. It is a open adoption though and I do hear from him often.
So many things, so little space, questions are welcome, I will answer them as best I can.
Sorry I don't have a better picture, I still loath the camera lens as I always did.
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