C o n t i n u i n g To P r o u d l y S e r v e C a r r o l l C o u n t y S i n c e 1 8 3 1 $1.00
16 Pages
Thursday, February 14, 2019
freepressstandard.com
Kidney donor sought for Carrollton graduate National Donor Day is Feb. 14 By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent Feb. 14 is Valentine’s Day. But for a local woman it is also National Donor Day, which is very important to her right now. Nikki Cvengross grew up and graduated from Carrollton and is a 2016 graduate of Kent State University. She is an occupational therapist. In May of 2016, Nikki began having issues with high blood pressure. A simple blood test at Dr. Inman’s revealed she had Stage 3 Kidney Disease to End Stage Renal Failure. After further testing, Nikki found out that her kidney filtration was very low and a biopsy was performed in March 2017. The final official diagnosis was Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA) Vasculitis. In April of 2017, Nikki began a series of infusions with a medication that was meant to shock her immune system and to keep it from attacking itself. This disease attacks the small blood vessels in the body. In Nikki’s case, it affects the filters in the kidneys. Protein and red blood cells are leaked into the urine. It had been Nikki’s dream to own her own home and a week after she closed on her home she had to go through another set of infusions. It did help some, but not much. Her doctor had a high success rate with these procedures but she just wasn’t responding as he had hoped. Nikki got married in 2018 and here husband, James Fraschieri, has stood right beside her through it all.
In July of that year, Nikki began having trouble with very high potassium levels. “They were very dangerous levels. Twice the normal limits in just a week,” said James. Nikki’s mom, Debbie Riddell, said Nikki had so much swelling and quickly gained 40 pounds in fluid. She couldn’t wear shoes, sandals, nothing. She was in the hospital for quite a few days and they did another biopsy. Through it all, Nikki has refused to just sit around. She is a woman who is used to kayaking, camping, hiking, climbing, running, doing lots of things outside. Nikki and James even participated in a 10 mile hike in Pennsylvania. Sitting around in the house just wasn’t in her nature. Through all of the testing and treatments, she continued to work. In fact, she carries two jobs. She works at Carroll Healthcare and spends her evenings working at Jimmy’s BBQ. “My jobs have been amazing at working around the schedule for when I need days off. They’ve been great,” said Nikki. Following another stay in the hospital in July, Nikki had to have surgery to insert a CVC catheter for dialysis, which started then. She had to be at the center at Belden for three hours at a time for the first three weeks for dialysis. In November they fitted her with a catheter in her stomach so that she could do dialysis at home. Since the first of December, Nikki has to use her home dialysis unit five nights a week. It takes about 7 ½ hours for the entire process. Normally two liters of fluid are gathered each night. Nikki said one of the hardest things to get used to is just being tired all the
Carrollton graduate Nikki Cvengross Fraschieri has been diagnosed with Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA) Vasculitis, which is attacking her kidneys. She stands next to her car with signage asking people to donate a much-needed kidney.
time. She is used to being on the go and the feeling of exhaustion is just always there, but she refuses to let it keep her down. Nikki’s husband, James, has worked at NAPA Distribution in Carrollton for 10 years. His parents, Craig and Cheryl, live nearby and the doctor said she has the best support group he’s ever seen. “It’s not hereditary. It is very rare. It’s most commonly found in older people in t heir 50’s and 60’s,” said Nikki of her condition. “It is uncommon in children. It can affect any part of the body and can react very differently in different people,” said Nikki.
At first, doctors thought she might have rheumatoid arthritis but further testing found the problem with the kidneys. “It’s been a whirlwind. It’s leveled out some now. At first, the nausea was every day. It’s not as bad now but the swelling and the hair loss is still something to get through,” said Nikki. Nikki’s mom had moved to Florida, but after the diagnosis last summer she moved back to Carrollton to be with Nikki. Debbie is a nurse. Her husband, Kevin Riddell, works at Asbestos in Cleveland. Family members have been tested in case they could be the donor of a kidney for Nikki. Debbie is a univer-
sal donor and is a great match. But doctors decided that although Debbie could be a donor for someone else, another younger donor would give Nikki her best chance. Although Debbie can’t donate her kidney to her daughter, she is still going to donate her kidney to someone else who needs it. Both women have been through the training classes and educational sessions that are needed to be a donor or have a transplant. All of this medical work must be done through a University hospital. When a donor is found for Nikki,
See KIDNEY, PG. 3
Malvern man convicted of arson FPS Photo / Chris Modranski
County firefighters are sworn in Fourteen firefighters with the Carroll County Volunteer Fire Department were sworn in to the Carrollton Village Fire Department Monday, Feb. 11, at the Carrollton fire station. Following Monday’s council meeting, Mayor William Stoneman gave the oath of office to the firefighters as the county and the village fire departments merge. Carroll County firefighter Cason Leggett signs his Oath of Office after being sworn in as a Carrollton
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Village firefighter by Carrollton Mayor Stoneman. TJ Hawk and Jarod Snair wait their turn to sign. The Carroll County Volunteer Fire Department will be toned for the final time at around 12:10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, as they move their trucks to the village department and begin operating as one department. The county fire trucks and firefighters will travel from Kensington Road (state Route 9), through the square to the Carrollton fire station on Third Street SW.
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By DON RUTLEDGE FPS Staff Writer A 34-year-old Malvern area man is headed to prison for six years upon being convicted of two counts of aggravated arson by a Carroll County petit jury last week. Jeffrey L. Lotterbaugh, formerly of 7060 Alliance Rd., Malvern, was found guilty by a 12-member petit jury of the first- and second-degree felony arson charges following two hours of deliberation last Thursday, Feb. 7. Upon returning a unanimous guilty verdict on both counts, the jury was excused and Lotterbaugh was sentenced by Judge Richard Reinbolt Jr., who was assigned to hear the case by Ohio Supreme Court. According to Carroll County Prosecuting Attorney Steven D. Barnett, the evidence showed that Lotterbaugh started three separate fires Oct. 15, 2018, inside three different rooms of a mobile home where both he and his brother, Charles Lotterbaugh, were living at the time. Barnett said the brother attempted to put out two of the fires and after the third one, he fled the trailer. The fire was extinguished by the Great Trail Fire Department and no injuries were reported, Barnett said. Lotterbaugh, who was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol
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and drugs at the time, was arrested without incident at the scene by Carroll County Sheriff’s deputies. The sheriff’s department was assisted in their investigation by the Ohio State Fire Marshal, Barnet added. During last week’s two-day trial, which began Wednesday, the jury of eight men and four women heard testimony from five State’s witnesses that included Great Trail Fire Chief Ralph Castellucci, Carroll County Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Baker, Lotterbaugh’s brother, Charles, and his mother, Betty Tanner. The state’s final witness was Investigator John Weber from the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s office, who investigated the cause and origin of the fire. Barnett said the jury also viewed several photographs and a diagram of the scene. The prosecution rested its case near the end of the day Wednesday and the defense called no witnesses. In addition to the six-year prison term, Lotterbaugh is required to register with the Ohio arson registry for life as a result of his conviction. Prosecutor Barnett presented the case on behalf of the State of Ohio and Lotterbaugh was represented by attorneys Stephen J. Kandel and Michael A. Boske of the Carroll County Public Defender’s office. Lotterbaugh was transported to the Lorain Correctional Institution in Grafton last week to begin his prison sentence, according to Carroll County Sheriff Dale R. Williams.
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