Disorder Disrupts Bayfield Man's Graduation
Posted at: 06/18/2012 4:32 PM
| Updated at: 06/18/2012 10:54 PM
By: Katey Rusch
An uninsured Bayfield man is in need of money after being diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder the day of his graduation.
Graduation is one of the most important days in a young person's life but for one Bayfield man it wasn't the day he'd walk across the stage it was the day he'd be diagnosed with a genetic disorder.
On May 11th Louie Edwards planned to graduate with his masters from Kansas University but his body had different plans.
"I woke up on Friday with a swollen leg," said Edwards, a 2005 graduate from Ashland High School.
He couldn't walk so his parents rushed him to the emergency room. Doctors diagnosed Edwards with Factor V Leiden thrombophilia, a genetic blood clot disorder..
"The clot was about a foot long," said Edwards.
that foot long clot would put him in the hospital for 11 days.
"That weekend was kind of a blur of okay I am not going to graduation and give me as much pain medication as you can," said Edwards.
"I didn't even get to wear the tie," said Sherman Edwards, Louie's father.
The diagnosis came as a shock to Edwards who had made it a point to be healthy, losing 70 pounds in the last few years..
"It was like oh this is what I get rewarded with for being healthy for two years," said Edwards.
When Edwards was finally released from the hospital, friends and staff gathered for a special graduation ceremony, just for Louie.
"It was the fastest graduation ceremony," said Edwards. "It was really great. There were no speeches."
Now at home in Bayfield he's feeling better every day. Edwards even lost a little more weight.
"Who knew blood clots were keeping me back from my weight loss goals," said Edwards.
His biggest hurdle now, he owes thousands in medical bills.
"Right when the insurance stopped was the day this all went down," said Edwards.
That's why friends organized a brat feed benefit for Edwards this Wednesday, June 20th at the Bayfileld Pavilion, City Dock in Bayfield, WI from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Donations can be accepted at Associated Bank, Ashland, Acct. #223-562-8214. Questions may be directed to debt.relief.4.Louie@gmail.com.
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