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The Lechuga family pose recently with their dogs in Carbondale, left to right, Christopher, Christi, Don and Kathy.
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — “You never know what anybody is going through.”
Those were Kathy Springer-Lechuga’s words, but anyone in the Lechuga family could have said them. To look at Kathy and her husband, Don (aka “Mo”), sitting with their son, Chris, and his wife, Christi Slater-Lechuga, you wouldn’t have thought anything was wrong. They seemed refreshed and were smiling and laughing, telling stories. But they’ve had some time to get used to this thing.
Or as used to it as people can be when someone they love is so sick.
Though he’s only 23, Chris is going through the kind of thing that usually strikes people in old age. His kidneys have failed. Diagnosed with Berger’s disease in August of this year, he’s currently waiting for a new kidney. Though there’s a good chance someone in his family will be a match, there’s still the issue of the procedure’s cost, which hovers somewhere above $100,000. Though Medicare will pay for much of his expenses, he still has to come up with 20 percent. Add onto that his share of the $9,000 per week dialysis treatments and his future lifetime of medication, and his situation seems unbelievable — especially to everyone who’s in it with him.
“It’s like this only happens to other people,” said Don. “But that’s just not the case.”
It all started with what Chris thought was a stomach ulcer. He went into the hospital at his home in Colorado Springs and got a biopsy. After leaving, he ended up getting a call at 3 a.m. He imagined it was a friend drunk dialing him, but actually it was the hospital, informing him his tests had come back “extremely abnormal.” He came in the next day and was whisked to the emergency room. For 10 days, he was in this alternate world of testing and prodding until the final word was handed down. He needed a new kidney and dialysis until he could get it. Soon, he found out that he’d been fired from his new job as cameraman at a local television station. His medical insurance hadn’t even kicked in yet.
Chris described the experience with a joke: “It was sort of like taking a vacation that wasn’t fun.”
Amazingly enough, all of the Lechugas have that sort of lightheartedness about them, though they’re certainly weary as well. They’re so ready to move on, but Chris’ body won’t let them yet.
“As much as it affects him, it affects me. It affects his parents,” said Christi. “Everything’s different.”
And everyone is working as hard as they can. For Christi, it means taking on a part-time job at a liquor store to supplement her full-time graphic design career. She drives Chris to his dialysis treatments three times a week and hangs out with all the old people accompanying their spouses.
“Basically, it’s just like being a senior citizen,” she said, smiling. “We just about don’t go to the early bird special at the Golden Corral. That’s about it.”
At first, she went on, she was angry that this was her life now. She didn’t want to have to fight the insurance companies and Medicare just to take care of her man. Eventually, she settled into it, though. She knew she couldn’t change it, no matter how much effort and love she threw at the issue. She had to accept it was what it was.
Still, in her words, “Nobody gives you a book about how to deal when someone says your husband might die.”
Or your son.
Though Chris’ parents looked composed, they way they spoke about their life was heartbreaking.
“There probably isn’t a day when my eyes aren’t watering, thinking about the whole thing,” said Don.
And he’s not even a crier. Yet, when he remembers what he was doing at Chris’ age, the full force of the situation hits him. All those things Don took for granted when he was young, from drinking to being able to take a vacation, are over for Chris at the moment. Don just wants him to be better, whatever it takes. Gone are his thoughts of retiring soon or getting a Harley. Now, if he has to sell trinkets on the side of the road to help Chris out, so be it.
“I think of all the places I wanted to go,” Don said. “I think those places have gone away. And God has other plans for me now.”
Kathy stays positive by keeping busy and sometimes sharing her story with people. She’s thrown herself into this upcoming fundraiser. Though she knows this experience is far from optimal, she’s sure there’s still some good that’s come out of it. The connection her family has felt in the last few months is a real affirmation of how much they care about each another.
“It’s brought us all closer than we have been because of it,” she said.
That goes for their relationship with the community, as well. Valley locals for years, the Lechuga kids grew up in Glenwood and went to school there, and Kathy and Don now live in Carbondale. They must all be beloved, because since all this started, they’ve been heaped with help. The bands playing at Chris’ benefit, for example, volunteered their time, and the prizes for the auction were donated by local businesses. Chris’ old boss, Bill Deckerman, decided to make the couple’s car payments for six months, and the family has received numerous donations from organizations like the Church at Carbondale. Kathy has even had nine people approach her, asking if they could donate their kidneys to her son.
“I always thought that if I needed this community, it would be there,” she said. “And now I’m finding I was right.”
She had this happy shock in her voice, as did Christi and Don. No one, though, seemed as surprised as Chris himself. Soft-spoken and low-key, he didn’t talk much about being scared or in pain. He just acted thankful, and almost bashful, too.
“It’s huge,” he said, of the support he’s felt. “And it’s come from so many places. It’s kind of hard to process it all.”
He explained that it felt good to know that all that caring was in the community, but it was humbling at the same time.
“I’m not really anything special, so I don’t know why it should be so strong out there for me,” he said.
After a moment, he added, “I haven’t done anything to deserve it, that’s why.”
Happily, there’s a whole valley of people who disagree.
Contact Stina Sieg: 384-9111
ssieg@postindependent.com
Post Independent Glenwood Springs CO Colorado
Those were Kathy Springer-Lechuga’s words, but anyone in the Lechuga family could have said them. To look at Kathy and her husband, Don (aka “Mo”), sitting with their son, Chris, and his wife, Christi Slater-Lechuga, you wouldn’t have thought anything was wrong. They seemed refreshed and were smiling and laughing, telling stories. But they’ve had some time to get used to this thing.
Or as used to it as people can be when someone they love is so sick.
Though he’s only 23, Chris is going through the kind of thing that usually strikes people in old age. His kidneys have failed. Diagnosed with Berger’s disease in August of this year, he’s currently waiting for a new kidney. Though there’s a good chance someone in his family will be a match, there’s still the issue of the procedure’s cost, which hovers somewhere above $100,000. Though Medicare will pay for much of his expenses, he still has to come up with 20 percent. Add onto that his share of the $9,000 per week dialysis treatments and his future lifetime of medication, and his situation seems unbelievable — especially to everyone who’s in it with him.
“It’s like this only happens to other people,” said Don. “But that’s just not the case.”
It all started with what Chris thought was a stomach ulcer. He went into the hospital at his home in Colorado Springs and got a biopsy. After leaving, he ended up getting a call at 3 a.m. He imagined it was a friend drunk dialing him, but actually it was the hospital, informing him his tests had come back “extremely abnormal.” He came in the next day and was whisked to the emergency room. For 10 days, he was in this alternate world of testing and prodding until the final word was handed down. He needed a new kidney and dialysis until he could get it. Soon, he found out that he’d been fired from his new job as cameraman at a local television station. His medical insurance hadn’t even kicked in yet.
Chris described the experience with a joke: “It was sort of like taking a vacation that wasn’t fun.”
Amazingly enough, all of the Lechugas have that sort of lightheartedness about them, though they’re certainly weary as well. They’re so ready to move on, but Chris’ body won’t let them yet.
“As much as it affects him, it affects me. It affects his parents,” said Christi. “Everything’s different.”
And everyone is working as hard as they can. For Christi, it means taking on a part-time job at a liquor store to supplement her full-time graphic design career. She drives Chris to his dialysis treatments three times a week and hangs out with all the old people accompanying their spouses.
“Basically, it’s just like being a senior citizen,” she said, smiling. “We just about don’t go to the early bird special at the Golden Corral. That’s about it.”
At first, she went on, she was angry that this was her life now. She didn’t want to have to fight the insurance companies and Medicare just to take care of her man. Eventually, she settled into it, though. She knew she couldn’t change it, no matter how much effort and love she threw at the issue. She had to accept it was what it was.
Still, in her words, “Nobody gives you a book about how to deal when someone says your husband might die.”
Or your son.
Though Chris’ parents looked composed, they way they spoke about their life was heartbreaking.
“There probably isn’t a day when my eyes aren’t watering, thinking about the whole thing,” said Don.
And he’s not even a crier. Yet, when he remembers what he was doing at Chris’ age, the full force of the situation hits him. All those things Don took for granted when he was young, from drinking to being able to take a vacation, are over for Chris at the moment. Don just wants him to be better, whatever it takes. Gone are his thoughts of retiring soon or getting a Harley. Now, if he has to sell trinkets on the side of the road to help Chris out, so be it.
“I think of all the places I wanted to go,” Don said. “I think those places have gone away. And God has other plans for me now.”
Kathy stays positive by keeping busy and sometimes sharing her story with people. She’s thrown herself into this upcoming fundraiser. Though she knows this experience is far from optimal, she’s sure there’s still some good that’s come out of it. The connection her family has felt in the last few months is a real affirmation of how much they care about each another.
“It’s brought us all closer than we have been because of it,” she said.
That goes for their relationship with the community, as well. Valley locals for years, the Lechuga kids grew up in Glenwood and went to school there, and Kathy and Don now live in Carbondale. They must all be beloved, because since all this started, they’ve been heaped with help. The bands playing at Chris’ benefit, for example, volunteered their time, and the prizes for the auction were donated by local businesses. Chris’ old boss, Bill Deckerman, decided to make the couple’s car payments for six months, and the family has received numerous donations from organizations like the Church at Carbondale. Kathy has even had nine people approach her, asking if they could donate their kidneys to her son.
“I always thought that if I needed this community, it would be there,” she said. “And now I’m finding I was right.”
She had this happy shock in her voice, as did Christi and Don. No one, though, seemed as surprised as Chris himself. Soft-spoken and low-key, he didn’t talk much about being scared or in pain. He just acted thankful, and almost bashful, too.
“It’s huge,” he said, of the support he’s felt. “And it’s come from so many places. It’s kind of hard to process it all.”
He explained that it felt good to know that all that caring was in the community, but it was humbling at the same time.
“I’m not really anything special, so I don’t know why it should be so strong out there for me,” he said.
After a moment, he added, “I haven’t done anything to deserve it, that’s why.”
Happily, there’s a whole valley of people who disagree.
Contact Stina Sieg: 384-9111
ssieg@postindependent.com
Post Independent Glenwood Springs CO Colorado
Fundraiser on Nov. 15
Folks around the valley are donating their time and effort to a fundraiser for Glenwood native Chris Lechuga. Lechuga, 23, who grew up here with his sister, Shanti, and his parents, Kathy and Don, is in need of a kidney transplant, and is currently going through costly medical treatments. The event will include a silent auction, food and live performances by the Last Minute String Band, Acoustic Mayhem, Michael Smith, Sharon Norene Turner, John Riger and Twirp Anderson & Guests from 3-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Glenwood Springs Masonic Lodge, 901 Colorado Ave. For more information or to make a donation, contact Kathy Lechuga at 309-6408 or klechuga@rof.net.
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