45.6 F
Oxford

Becoming a Kidney Head Changes Lives

Bryson & Brett Burks

Chris Burks had no idea when she took a summer off to be a stay-at-home wife and mother again after working for many years, that tragedy was going to strike her family in the form of her husband becoming very, very ill. But sadly, that’s exactly what happened.

“By the time summer was over and October came along, my husband, Brett, had gotten really sick and he had to start dialysis,” Burks said. “And he had never been sick before — no high blood pressure, no diabetes, nothing — he was a healthy guy. I didn’t go back to work because I felt that I needed to be at home where I could take care of him.”

Burks said it was a good thing that she didn’t resume her place in the workforce because the daily care at first was overwhelming.

“If you’ve never lived the life of a dialysis patient, then you have no idea what it’s like,” she said. “It was three days a week for my husband and the days we weren’t doing dialysis, we were in other doctor’s offices trying to figure out what happened and whether or not he would be able to get his kidney functions back. And the dialysis made him really sick. He was weak, very confused and sick at his stomach.”

At the same time Chris Burks was dealing with her husband’s devastating illness, her then 10-year-old son, Bryson, became very sick too.

Brett & Bryson Burks
Brett & Bryson Burks

“We had gotten ourselves on a schedule where I could pick my son up from school and then go get my husband from dialysis,” Burks said. “The days that dialysis ran over for whatever reason, Bryson would do his homework in the parking lot or in the lobby of the dialysis center and he would be able to see a lot of sick people coming in and out of the center.”

Burks said she never dreamed that her son’s exposure to the realities of his father’s illness and the fact that he witnessed others going through the same traumatic experience at the dialysis center would bring on a condition with Bryson that she had no idea even existed.

“He started feeling bad during all of this,” she said. “He couldn’t exactly put his finger on what was wrong, but he knew that he just didn’t feel good. He had bad headaches and other things, and then suddenly one day he had a seizure and we had to rush him to the hospital.”

Burks said after that first seizure, Bryson was sent to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis.

“No one really knew why he had it,” she said. “They did all kinds of tests, but couldn’t find any reason for the seizures. They were very thorough.”

Bryson Burks
Bryson Burks

But Burks said when Bryson was sent back home, he began to have 20 to 40 seizures per day.

“It was horrible,” she said. “I had to push the sofas — we had two couches in our living room — I had to push them together because his seizures were so violent that he would kick me in the head, or the chest or stomach, not meaning to, of course, it was just a violent episode that he couldn’t control. And he would hallucinate during them as well.”

Burks said the seizures happened everywhere, at doctor’s offices, in the car, and sometimes she’d have to call 911 to have the police or fire department meet her somewhere to help her with Bryson.

Finally, Bryson was diagnosed with Conversion Disorder, a slightly rare, stress-related illness that causes patients to suffer from neurological symptoms, such as numbness, blindness, paralysis, or seizures without a definable cause.

“When children are involved, normally it happens in response to a traumatic experience that they just can’t cope with,” Burks said, “such as what was happening with Bryson’s dad.”

As the days went by, and even after a kidney transplant which didn’t work, Burks’ husband Brett was finally diagnosed with aHus (atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome) which is a disease that primarily affects kidney function. Unfortunately, early one morning, Bryson was forced to call 911 while Chris Burks ran to her husband’s side to try and save him. He died in her arms.

“The night he died, he was feeling really bad and I tried to get him to go the doctor, but he just looked at me and said let God handle this, please,” Burks said.

kidneyhead-bcard-frontAnd that’s when Kidney Head was born. It’s a foundation to help children on dialysis and their families. Bryson came up with the idea after losing his dad and asking the question, what if something this terrible happened to a child? Bryson had seen the horrible way his dad had had to live and he wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.

“As we have tried to find a purpose for this terrible ending to a long struggle for health and life as we knew it,” Burks said, “we have had difficulties. Then my son said to me, can you believe how horrible this kind of life would be on a kid? I mean, all that Brett had to endure was horrific. Can you even imagine how a young child could cope with this? Our hearts were opened as we decided our mission would be to find out the needs of these children and their families. The financial responsibility can be extraordinary.”

Burks said the Kidney Head Foundation was born because she and Bryson truly believe that’s what they’re being led to do.

Bryson and Chris Burks meeting Governor Phil Bryant
Bryson and Chris Burks meeting Governor Phil Bryant

“We don’t feel like God put us through all of these things that happened for no reason,” she said. “There was a purpose and this is it. We can make a difference through Kidney Head.”

For more information on how you can help, please go to their website or Facebook page.

Angela Rogalski is a HottyToddy.com staff reporter and can be reached at angela.rogalski@hottytoddy.com.

Most Popular

Recent Comments

scamasdscamith on News Watch Ole Miss
Frances Phillips on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Grace Hudditon on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Millie Johnston on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Binary options + Bitcoin = $ 1643 per week: https://8000-usd-per-day.blogspot.com.tr?b=46 on Beta Upsilon Chi: A Christian Brotherhood
Jay Mitchell on Reflections: The Square
Terry Wilcox SFCV USA RET on Oxford's Five Guys Announces Opening Date
Stephanie on Throwback Summer
organized religion is mans downfall on VP of Palmer Home Devotes Life to Finding Homes for Children
Paige Williams on Boyer: Best 10 Books of 2018
Keith mansel on Cleveland On Medgar Evans
Debbie Nader McManus on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: The Last of His Kind
Richard Burns on A William Faulkner Sighting
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Ruby Begonia on Family Catching Rebel Fever
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
jeff the busy eater on Cooking With Kimme: Baked Brie
Travis Yarborough on Reflections: The Square
BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH on Oxford is About to Receive a Sweet Treat
baby travel systems australia on Heaton: 8 Southern Ways to Heckle in SEC Baseball
Rajka Radenkovich on Eating Oxford: Restaurant Watch
Richard Burns on Reflections: The Square
Guillermo Perez Arguello on Mississippi Quote Of The Day
A Friend with a Heavy Heart on Remembering Dr. Stacy Davidson
Harold M. "Hal" Frost, Ph.D. on UM Physical Acoustics Research Center Turns 30
Educated Citizen on Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving
Debbie Crenshaw on Trump’s Tough Road Ahead
Treadway Strickland on Wicker Looks Ahead to New Congress
Tony Ryals on parking
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
C. Scott Fischer on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Sylvia Williams on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Will Patterson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Rick Henderson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
George L Price on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
on
Morgan Shands on Cleveland: On Ed Reed
Richard McGraw on Cleveland: On Cissye Gallagher
Branan Southerland on Gameday RV Parking at HottyToddy.com
Tom and Randa Baddley on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
26 years and continuously learning on Ole Miss Puts History In Context With Plaque
a Paterson on Beyond Barton v. Barnett
Phil Higginbotham on ‘Unpublished’ by Shane Brown
Bettina Willie@www.yahoo.com.102Martinez St.Batesville,Ms.38606 on Bomb Threat: South Panola High School Evacuated This Morning
Anita M Fellenz, (Emilly Hoffman's CA grandmother on Ole Miss Spirit Groups Rank High in National Finals
Marilyn Moore Hughes on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
Jaqundacotten@gmail williams on HottyToddy Hometown: Hollandale, Mississippi
Finney moore on Can Ole Miss Grow Too Big?
diane faulkner cawlley on Oxford’s Olden Days: Miss Annie’s Yard
Phil Higginbotham on ‘November 24’ by Shane Brown
Maralyn Bullion on Neely-Dorsey: Hog Killing Time
Beth Carr on A Letter To Mom
Becky on A Letter To Mom
Marilyn Tinnnin on A Letter To Mom
Roger ulmer on UM Takes Down State Flag
Chris Pool on UM Takes Down State Flag
TampaRebel on UM Takes Down State Flag
david smith on UM Takes Down State Flag
Boyd Harris on UM Takes Down State Flag
Jim (Herc @ UM) on Cleveland: Fall Vacations
Robert Hollingsworth on Rebels on the Road: Memphis Eateries
David McCullough on Shepard Leaves Ole Miss Football
Gayle G. Henry on Meet Your 2015 Miss Ole Miss
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Neely-Dorsey: Elvis Presley’s Big Homecoming
Jennifer Mooneyham on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Wes McIngvale on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
BARRY MCCAMMON on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
Laughing out Loud on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Dr.Bill Priester on Cleveland: On Bob Priester
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
paulette holmes langbecker on Cofield on Oxford – Rising Ole Miss Rookie
Ruth Shipp Yarbrough on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Karllen Smith on ‘Rilee’ by Shane Brown
Jean Baker Pinion on ‘The Cool Pad’ by Shane Brown
Janet Hollingsworth (Cavanaugh) on John Cofield on Oxford: A Beacon
Proud Mississippi Voter on Gunn Calls for Change in Mississippi Flag
Deloris Brown-Thompson on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Sue Ellen Parker Stubbs on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Karen fowler on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Don't Go to Law School on Four Legal Rebels Rising in the Real World
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
Joanne and Mark Wilkinson on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Mary Ellen (Dring) Gamble on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Cyndy Carroll on Filming it Up in Mississippi
Dottie Dewberry on Top 10 Secret Southern Sayings
Brother Everett Childers on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Mark McElreath on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Bill Wilkes, UM '57, '58, '63 on A Letter from Chancellor Dan Jones
Sandra Caffey Neal on Mississippi Has Proud Irish Heritage
Teresa Enyeart, and Terry Enyeat on Death of Ole Miss Grad, U.S. Vet Stuns Rebel Nation
P. D. Fyke on Wells: Steelhead Run
Johnny Neumann on Freeze Staying with Rebels
Maralyn Bullion on On Cooking Southern: Chess Pie
Kaye Bryant on Henry: E. for Congress
charles Eichorn on Hotty Tamales, Gosh Almighty
Jack of All Trades on Roll Over Bear Bryant
w nadler on Roll Over Bear Bryant
Stacey Berryhill on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
John Appleton on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Charlotte Lamb on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Two True Mississippi Icons
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Jeanette Berryhill Wells on HottyToddy Hometown: Senatobia, Mississippi
Tire of the same ole news on 3 "Must Eat" Breakfast Spots in Oxford
gonna be a rebelution on Walking Rebel Fans Back Off the Ledge
Nora Jaccaud on Rickshaws in Oxford
Martha Marshall on Educating the Delta — Or Not
Nita McVeigh on 'I'm So Oxford' Goes Viral
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on How a Visit to the Magnolia State Can Inspire You
Charlie Fowler Jr. on Prawns? In the Mississippi Delta?
Martha Marshall on A Salute to 37 Years of Sparky
Sylvia Hartness Williams on Oxford Approves Diversity Resolution
Jerry Greenfield on Wine Tip: Problem Corks
Cheryl Obrentz on I Won the Lottery! Now What?
Bnogas on Food for the Soul
Barbeque Memphis on History of Tennessee Barbecue
Josephine Bass on The Delta and the Civil War
Nicolas Morrison on The Walking Man
Pete Williams on Blog: MPACT’s Future
Laurie Triplette on On Cooking Southern: Fall Veggies
Harvey Faust on The Kream Kup of the Krop
StarReb on The Hoka
Scott Whodatty Keetereaux Keet on Hip Hop — Yo or No, What’s Your Call
Johnathan Doeman on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
Andy McWilliams on The Warden & The Chief
Kathryn McElroy on Think Like A Writer
Claire Duff Sullivan on Alert Dogs Give Diabetics Peace of Mind
Jesse Yancy on The Hoka
Jennifer Thompson Walker on Ole Miss, Gameday From The Eyes of a Freshman
HottyToddy.com