Marie received a gym membership and personal training form the foundation.
Hello, my name is Marie and I was born in Hempstead, New York in 1967. I was born to Linuell and Dennis. I have an older brother named Patrick and one younger brother named Dennis , Jr. As a Child I moved from one state to another. I guess I am what you would call a transient child. By the time I was thirteen I had moved from New York, to Kentucky then to Chicago and back to Kentucky and from there to Detroit.
As a child I found my most memorable times living in Kentucky from 1977to the summer of 1980. Kentucky was the home to my grandmother (Mary) and Grandfather (William). They were considered the family’s official momma and daddy. Living with my grandparents is where a lot of my rooted moral and values came from. School and church was a must. Chores around the house were not a choice. Respect was something that was earned and not given because you believed so. Although, they believed in strict discipline they allowed us to develop our own personal character. Therefore, I joined the little league baseball and basketball team. This is where I discovered my passion for sports. I became quite good at playing basketball. I was able to experience playing high school basketball in the seventh grade. As time passed, my brother and I longed to be with our mother again. So, in 1980 we begged to go back home. This time our home moved from Chicago to Detroit with our uncle James. No, not the singer James Brown.
In the fall of 1980, I entered Barber Middle School to complete the eighth grade. Also, this was the last year I played basketball for a team. In 1981, I was invited by the coach at Highland Park High School to join the basketball team. You see, I was good at playing basketball but because of some weight gain and low self-esteem I became scared and walked out of the locker room. This probably was the biggest mistake of my life. I was good! I still think to this day if I had went on and entered the court I might have played college ball. Please, I might be playing for the WNBA. Who knows I might not be suffering with Chronic Kidney Disease.
Although I did not compete in any official sports after the eighth grade I did enjoy school. While my friends were skipping school I knew I had to answer to my mother and eventually to my grandparents. Don’t get me wrong peer pressure can be so powerful. I skipped so much in the 10th grade that when I received my report card I felt really ashamed. I was so afraid that I would get caught that I hid my report card. This lesson became a turning point in my life. I took school much more serious and graduated in the spring of 1985. The issue of college was not a problem for me I had my heart set on attending the University on Southern California, however, because I bombed the 10th grade in high school I did not have a grade point average that was acceptable so I ended up at Michigan State University. My mother and I were impressed with the school and it’s beautiful campus. I did what every freshman does when the find freedom. I skipped, partied, and hung out. Unfortunately, I only went for a year and a half. I thought I was missing something back at home. I soon found out my close friends at that time weren’t doing very much period. So, in the winter of 1988, I returned to Michigan State University and took school more seriously. I had to study and work very hard to graduate. In the spring of 1992 I graduated from MSU with a bachelors degree in communication ands arts. I would never trade my MSU experience for anything in the world.
After my departure form MSU I secured a job at a telemarketing firm in Southfield, Michigan. Also, I bought my first candy apple red Escort GT. I had a car note and a future. Little did I know that telemarketing was not in the plans for me. I quite my job and was unemployed with no money. I did not stay unemployed for long. I acquired a job at Total Petroleum gas station. While working there I learned that the world could be very cruel and prejudice. During this time I was going out with a Jamaican named Uriel Harris and soon became pregnant. Again, I quite my job because of all day sickness.
During my pregnancy my good friend Yamilee Charles who was working as a French teacher for the Detroit Public School System told me that DPS was hiring substitute teachers. I took her advice and I applied to become a full time substitute teacher. All summer long I went without notice. Then on August 30,1993 my son Dominick Small was born. By the time I got home with my newborn son I received a notice that I had been hired for a job. After, substituting at several schools I became a permanent building substitute at Greenfield Park Elementary. I started working full-time, however I struggled with good quality babysitting service. I thought at one time that I would have to move back to Kentucky with my mom. Again, I was blessed with good friends who told me about a job at the Detroit Recreation Department. I applied and began working in the summer of 1984. Working as play leader became a monumental stepping stone in my life. I met an individual by the name of Maudice Klyce who encouraged me to work towards my teachers certification and masters degree in education. As I began my new found journey I encountered some challenges. I became a foster mother to my two cousins. I was working two jobs caring for 3 children and going to school. We stayed in a one bedroom apartment and saw that we needed more room. On Halloween of 1995, I moved in to my first home. Everything was new and moving fast. We survived, but during the fall of 1996 I had to send my boy cousin back top the children center because of behavior. I adopted his sister the following year.
I continued to work hard and stayed in school. In the spring of 1998 I received my teachers certification. I also signed my first teachers contract in March of the same year. In the fall of 1999 I completed my masters degree. I was very happy and quickly submitted my papers for a pay raise with DPS.
In the early part of 2000 I discovered I had an elevated creatine level. I visited the Nephrologist at Harper Hospital for a year. The doctor at Harper dismissed me and told me to be careful of certain medications and to watch my diet. I tried very hard to follow her advice. I continued to work at both jobs and take care of my children. I moved several times and in 2003 I became a young grandmother to Taliyah T. Pollard. I became a weekend babysitter. In the fall of 2003 I stated to feel sick. I waited until after Christmas and in January of 2004 I visited my primary physician. He tested my blood and saw that my creatine level had escalated. I was then referred to Dr. Kissener at Harper Hospital. I like Dr. K a lot. He took good care of me and made me feel very comfortable. Unfortunately my kidneys continued to fail. By the time June came around I had contracted pneumonia and hospitalized for a week. In August of 2004 I had a Fistula inserted in my left upper arm. Through all of these obstacles I was still trying to work. In October I experienced my first dialysis treatment. Unlike other patients I worked. I have to thank my mother for coming and taking care of me for 6 months. I have tried hard to loose weight, but can’t I have been turned down twice for getting my name on the kidney transplant list because of my weight. I thought about having Gastric Bypass surgery, but was to afraid. I have cried many times because of this disease and not knowing what to do next. All I knew was to work dialyze and stay compliant. In the spring of 2006 I met 2 great social workers at the Davita – Kresger dialysis center in Detroit. They helped me with a health scholarship program to loose weight. I don’t know what the future holds, but God is good all the time. I would like to thank Shad Ireland and the Fitness Grant Program for this opportunity to become fit and healthy.
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