Sarah Hyland stars on one of the most awarded and recognized sitcom in television history. But there’s nothing funny about the details of her personal life over the past couple years. The actress has talked broadly in the past about the physical ailments that have caused her to lose so much weight, clapping back often against trolls who have accused her of being anorexic . However, Hyland gets into more specifics than ever before in the latest issue of SELF. For starters: Hyland has undergone not one but two kidney transplants. Moreover, within the last year alone, the 28-year old has continued to suffer from endometritis and an abdominal hernia, requiring a pair of surgeries back to back. Including these procedures, Hyland has gone under the knife about 16 times in her life. That’s just crazy and awful to contemplate. In 2012, she received a kidney from her father, needing it due to a life-long battle with kidney dysplasia and resulting kidney failure. However, as revealed here for the first time, Hyland’s body started to reject this new kidney in October of 2016. She experienced fatigue, infections and extreme fevers as a result. “We did all of these tests and all of these treatments to try and save the kidney,” Hyland tells the magazine. “Christmas break, New Year’s, Thanksgiving, my birthday, all of that spent in the hospital.” Then, on Valentine’s Day in 2017, she had a port implanted into her chest and went on dialysis for the first time. This is what caused the aforementioned weight loss, along with sciatica, fluid retention and vision damage. Through ALL of this, Hyland continued to work. She even chose a dialysis center nearest the Modern Family set, something that she says allowed her to keep a modicum of independence. “That’s why I’m so independent,” she says. “In some areas of my life, I literally have no choice but to be dependent. I’ve been going through this for 28 years, and I still am learning how to let go of control and how to be patient.” Finally, in May of 2017, Sarah’s brother, Ian, donated his kidney. This incredible gesture saved her life… … but the fallout from the first failure really stuck with her. “When a family member gives you a second chance at life, and it fails, it almost feels like it’s your fault. It’s not. But it does,” she told the magazine, adding: “For a long time, I was contemplating suicide, because I didn’t want to fail my little brother like I failed my dad.” Hyland says she has spend nearly her whole life “always being a burden… always having to be looked after, having to be cared for.” But Sarah and Ian remain well after the transplant, yet the actress is still battling endometriosis and unknowingly had an abdominal hernia. Her cousin was also recently killed by a drunk driver and Hyland asked fans to donate to a GoFundMe page in order to help with funeral expenses. She was slammed so hard for this request that Hyland has left social media . Through everything, however, boyfriend Wells Adams has remained by her side (“He’s seen me at my worst. I think that’s why I feel the most beautiful in his eyes…”) and she still has a positive outlook moving forward. “I’m stable. I’m thriving. I’m super happy with life,” Hyland concludes.
Link:
Sarah Hyland Reveals Second Kidney Transplant, Thoughts of Suicide
