Talk about hitting home...I NEVER read Dear Abby anymore, but somehow 2 days later, this was a headline on Yahoo for me. GET TESTED!!!
DEAR ABBY: I was a healthy, vibrant mother of one with a steady government job. I saw my doctor regularly for checkups, since both my parents have high blood pressure. As an active, health-conscious vegetarian, I thought I was at my physical peak.
When I experienced nausea and lower back pain, I expected my doctor to tell me my 4-year-old daughter was going to have a sister or brother. Instead, I was informed that my kidneys were barely working and I needed to see a specialist at once. That's when my life began spinning out of control. I was told I would need dialysis to keep me alive!
How could this happen? Where were the warning signs and symptoms? Why wasn't my kidney function checked during previous doctor visits? There were no answers to these questions.
No one in my family was able to donate a kidney to me because everyone had high blood pressure. So I went on dialysis and learned everything I could about kidney disease. After 10 years of dialysis, I finally received a successful kidney transplant.
Many people don't realize that high blood pressure and diabetes are the two leading causes of kidney disease. More than 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease, and millions more are at risk. Screening for kidney function is not part of a routine physical examination, and kidney disease generally shows no symptoms -- so if you have a family history of high blood pressure or diabetes, you are at risk.
Simple blood and urine tests could save your life. So please don't put off what you can take care of today. Tomorrow could be too late. -- DAWN P. EDWARDS, LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.
DEAR DAWN: Thank you for your informative eye-opener of a letter. I am pleased that you finally got your kidney transplant because I know what a life-changing difference it has made for you and your daughter -- truly a new beginning.
Readers, March is National Kidney Month, and March 13 is World Kidney Day. That's the day the National Kidney Foundation holds free screenings in 30 cities across the country. The screening program is called "KEEP," or Kidney Early Evaluation Program.
You can learn more about kidney disease by visiting www.kidney.org. To find the KEEP screening nearest you, log onto www.keeponline.org, or call the National Kidney Foundation toll-free at 800-622-9010.
I do tend to take some things for granted, thinking just because I feel good now doesn't mean things can't happen... A cousin of mine (37 years old) was diagnosed with kidney failure and is on dialysis... And its sad to see that she has no matches yet,,,, but still being prayerful... Black people are sometimes the worst in getting themselves checked out...
ReplyDeleteBut thank you sis... and you are apart of my daily prayers... Lord knows we can all use them every now and then...
Thank you for the reminder that good health is a blessing for which we need to STAY thankful (and mindful of how to keep it)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I just had my kidneys checked b/c I am always sooooooo exhausted and it just recently started, so when I had my annual physical 2 weeks ago, they checked kidney function. Thank goodness everything is ok and strangely, the extreme exhaustion left right after my physical!
ReplyDeletewow is right!!!
ReplyDeleteI need to take better care of my health and see the doctor more often. I take things for granted too much!
ReplyDeleteHey just passin thru and saw this subject and wanted to comment. This is really good info. My mother is a kidney transplant recipient and my cousin is on a waiting list currently. I've had battles with my kidneys during pregnancy and had high blood pressure while carrying my children. I just recently learned that my kidneys are 50% through a biopsy and so with that news I've decided to turn my diet around and exercise more, trying to preserve this precious temple the Lord has blessed me with. I'm scared that one day I'll end up on dialysis but I know there's something I can do about it today, and so I am.
ReplyDeleteAgain, thank you for putting this out there.
It's good that you found out now! When my kidney disease was discovered, it was already at 20% and it's been at about 8% for the past two years.
ReplyDeleteI pray they are able to slow it down for you.
All things are possible with the Man upstairs sis...
ReplyDeleteThanks, yall. (((Hugs)))
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting, Dee. I have a very good doctor and she checks everything especially since my aunt also sees her and she knows our family history of high blood pressure. My father's mother was a dialysis patient all of my memory of her before she passed away, so I try to be very diligent with my diet and exercise. As always, I am keeping you in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, girlie!
ReplyDeletethanks for the info, Sis... I have HBP and am at risk for diabetes. because of my meds and some pretty diligent docs, I get my kidneys tested regularly and so far, so good.
ReplyDeletekeep sharing the info and spreading the word!
love you, girl!