Brothers Thomas and Therrel Higgins of Weir share more than just DNA; they also have the same hereditary condition, polycystic kidney disease.
“Cysts grow in the kidneys so much that they eventually shut the kidneys down,” said Thomas, 76, of the disease. Diagnosed at age 65, Thomas spent several years on dialysis before undergoing a kidney transplant in 2015.
Not only is Thomas familiar with dialysis because of his own disease, he is currently caring for his brother, Therrel, 74, who is hooked to a dialysis machine set up in a room in his house four days a week.
Thomas, Thomas’s wife, Lessame, and Therrel’s niece, Melinda, all went through a two-week training period to learn how to use the machine so that Therrel could be cared for at home. The training was mostly a refresher course for Thomas, who ran dialysis machines for both his late father and his late aunt.
“At one time, I was the only person in the state running two dialysis machines at the same time,” Thomas said of that period in his life. In addition to his father and his aunt, Thomas also lost a sister and a daughter to polycystic kidney disease. In total, three of the six Higgins children have suffered from polycystic kidney disease.
“We know it’s hereditary on my dad’s side,” said Thomas. “They say that once the disease skips a generation, it is cured. But so far, that hasn’t happened.”
Despite the toll the disease has taken on his family, Thomas is grateful that his son shows no sign of the disease thus far.
The dialysis is a long process. It takes about half an hour to get Therrel hooked up to the machine and to ensure it is running properly. Dialysis itself then takes three hours, followed by another half an hour removing him from the device.
“Mainly I sit here and think about how I can’t wait to be finished. I get bored and my tailbone hurts,” Therrel said with a laugh.
In addition to kidney disease, both brothers have suffered heart problems.
Thomas has had open heart surgery and a stent put in. Therrel is currently on a heart monitor due to his high heart rate and is awaiting surgery to give him a pace maker. That procedure will only be done if his overall health condition at some point permits it.
Unlike Thomas, who was able to receive a kidney transplant, Therrel is not a good candidate for the surgery due to his overall poor health.
Also a prostate cancer survivor, Therrel is a widower with no children who lives alone. For that reason, Thomas said he tries to make sure that at least two people are with Therrel at all times during the day. The night, however, is different.
“We make sure that he is bandaged up good and all of his needs are met before we leave. It is scary, though, to think of leaving him alone,” said Thomas.
Therrel’s care takes up a good part of Thomas’s days.
“We try to be here by 8 in the morning. My wife is good to help with cooking, cleaning, whatever needs to be done,” he said. Although the couple has given up much of their time and freedom to care for Therrel, they wouldn’t have it any other way. It is a true labor of love. “Once I survived my last heart surgery, I knew that the Lord had let me live for a reason. This is the reason,” Thomas said with a smile.
A recent fundraiser to help the brothers with medical expenses was successful, it fell short of raising the funds needed to hire someone to spend the overnights with Therrel.
Both brothers have been prescribed expensive medications to keep their health issues under control. Thomas’s insurance covers about one-third of his approximately $1,700 per month out-of-pocket costs, but Therrel only has Medicare coverage to help with his expenses, which can be quite steep. In only on example, Therrel was recently prescribed a medication that has a retail cost of $700 per pill — and he is supposed to take nine of those pills per day. Doctors try to help by providing samples to fill some prescriptions, but there are none available for this new medication.
The brothers also need to cover the cost of travel to medical appointments, around which they adjust Therrel’s dialysis schedule.
“As long as he can get in two days in a row of dialysis, it is ok for him to go two days in a row without dialysis,” said Thomas.
Charlotte Moore, a neighbor and friend of the two men, was one of those who helped organize the fundraiser, a chili supper and gun raffle.
“We are very grateful to all of those who donated materials and bought food and gun tickets.,” she said. “However, the family is in need of more donations and would appreciate any help that anyone can give.”
According to Moore, Thomas plans to use any funds raised for Therrel’s care, taking none for himself, though Moore hopes he will change his mind. Just one of his anti-rejection drugs costs close to $1,100.
Moore is asking groups, churches and individuals to consider donating to help the brothers with the expenses of their ongoing care. For more information, she can be reached at 662-418-8621 or 662-547-6808. Checks can be made out to Thomas Higgins, as he handles paying the medical bills for both himself and Therrel. They can be mailed to Charlotte Moore, 546 Front St., Weir, MS, 39772.
