PEABODY — There was a time when 58-year-old Ruth Fabello might not have been given the life-saving care she recently received.
Fabello has an intellectual and developmental disability and has received support services since birth. Since 2002, she’s lived in group homes run by Peabody-based social and human services agency Bridgewell, and in 2013, was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease.
That meant spending a decade on dialysis, multiple complications with her health and long visits to the hospital as she waited for a new kidney.
She finally received the life-saving transplant on Dec. 20. Eight months later, Fabello is doing great and “feeling good,” as she told The Salem News at her group home in South Peabody Thursday afternoon while sitting with Bridgewell’s Kelli Hyland, the organization’s quality assurance director.
“Historically, people with disabilities, particularly intellectual disabilities, just didn’t get the same medical and health care that everybody else did,” Hyland said.
“There’s definitely a lot of work being done in education for doctors and nurses to change this… but when originally this all happened — I’m typically a pessimist — didn’t really think that she would ever get a kidney.
“But Tufts never saw the disability,” she continued.
Fabello’s medical team at Tufts Medical Center in Boston made sure she was being cared for and got on the list for a deceased donor’s kidney, Hyland said.
Now she’s back to doing what she loves: spending time with friends during cooking classes and Bingo games at Bridgewell’s day program, taking part in the Special Olympics’ 400- and 800-meter walking events, and coloring while listening to her favorite song, Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” in the comfort of her home.
The most impressive part of Fabello’s journey this last decade has been her attitude, Bridgewell spokesperson Molly McKinney said.
Fabello’s caretakers called her a “heroine” and “superstar,” McKinney said.
“They all said how amazing [she was] through the whole process and that [she] never complained,” McKinney said.
Ruthie was only allowed to drink 36 ounces of water a day while on dialysis and couldn’t take part in her usual Special Olympics events. She suffered infections and had to undergo weight-loss surgery before she could receive a new kidney, and experienced blood clots at the site of the fistula used to administer her dialysis.
“Ruthie was a trooper with everything that she went through up to the transplant surgery,” Hyland said. “The transplant surgery was easy, at that point.”
Bridgewell had extra staffing on hand to help Fabello while she was undergoing treatment, Hyland said. That way, the other three residents at her group home still received the attention they needed.
“In an earlier generation, people with [Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities] with serious chronic conditions seldom reached Ruthie’s age,” McKinney said. “In fact, most people with IDD never reached Ruthie’s age.
“Today, she is thriving as a result of her personal determination, the dedication of the staff around her and reduced stigma surrounding individuals with disabilities.”
Fabello’s advice for others in her shoes?
“Keep on going,” she said.
Contact Caroline Enos at CEnos@northofboston.com