In December 2022, Mary Mackenzie of Bradford, Pa., was diagnosed with vasculitis, an autoimmune disease.
Her road to finding that out wasn't easy.
Mary, now 71, had been very healthy her whole life. Before her diagnosis, Mary made trips to her primary care physician — and sometimes the emergency department — with various ailments.
At different times, she had a sinus infection, spotting in her vision, memory loss, and brain fog. She also experienced an ear infection and needed a tube inserted so that her hearing returned to normal. She was losing her hair, had jaw pain, and was experiencing red, itchy patches on her legs.
Searching for Answers
Anyone who saw Mary was baffled by her menagerie of rotating health issues. Despite numerous exams and blood tests, she wasn't getting any answers.
Mary's sister, Carol, took to the internet for some answers. Everything she researched pointed to vasculitis. When Mary brought it up to her physician, they were skeptical that she had found her diagnosis online.
It turned out that Mary was indeed suffering from vasculitis.
Vasculitis is a condition where blood vessels become inflamed, causing potential damage to surrounding tissues and organs. When blood vessels are inflamed, they can narrow, close off, or weaken. This leads to reduced blood flow and potential damage to organs and tissues.
If left untreated, vasculitis can cause long-term complications, such as kidney damage.
A trip to the emergency department confirmed that Mary was in renal failure. Her blood work showed abnormal kidney function.
Coming to UPMC for Care
Mary scheduled a visit with a local nephrologist who practices in the Olean, N.Y., and Bradford, Pa. areas. He recommended that she begin dialysis.
Before dialysis, Mary would need to undergo an arteriovenous (AV) fistula procedure to connect an artery and vein.
Her nephrologist in Bradford informed her that the AV fistula would be an extensive surgery to place the fistula due to her vein structure. This left Mary uneasy and apprehensive about the surgery.
In the meantime, Mary went to the emergency department because she was experiencing intestinal blockage. She received no answers and was sent home.
Instead of Mary continuing to experience pain and discomfort, she and Carol made the nearly two-hour drive to the emergency department at UPMC Hamot.
While at UPMC Hamot, Mary had her intestinal blockage addressed, and she immediately felt relief.
“Throughout my stay at UPMC Hamot, the physicians were thorough and had genuine concern for my well-being," Mary. says. “I tend to get cold quickly. The nursing staff provided me with a warm blanket to make sure I was comfortable. Everyone was very accommodating to my needs."
A Successful Fistula Surgery
During her stay at UPMC Hamot, Mary's care team let her know that the hospital had recently welcomed Stalin Dharmayan, MD. Dr. Dharmayan is a transplant surgeon who also performs dialysis access procedures.
Because of the personalized care Mary received during her stay at UPMC Hamot, she knew she wanted to have her AV fistula procedure performed there.
On March 6, 2025, Dr. Dharmayan performed the procedure on her left wrist. Mary experienced no pain following the surgery and went home the same day.
Mary goes to dialysis twice a week in Bradford, Pa. When she began dialysis, the team there commented that “they had never seen a fistula site done as nice as hers," according to Mary.
Seeking a Living-Kidney Donor
Mary has been looking for a living donor for two years, ever since she was placed on the national kidney transplant waiting list. She has handed out cards and has put her plea out on Facebook.
Her sister tested to be her living donor. However, during testing, it was discovered that Carol had plaque forming in her kidneys. Carol considers the testing to be a blessing in disguise and now has annual visits with a nephrologist to monitor her kidneys.
Mary has checkups with the UPMC Hamot Kidney Transplant Program team every six months as part of being on the national transplant waiting list. These checkups include a general wellness check and blood work to monitor the progression of her kidney disease.
Since the fistula procedure, Mary has had several checkups to ensure there are no complications.
“I received excellent care at UPMC Hamot, which was a night-and-day difference from what I was used to," Mary says.
Mary's treatment and results may not be representative of other cases.
