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Like many other people around the globe, spring of 2020 changed my life forever but, it was not solely because of Covid-19. While we were processing the premature death of several people within our community of friends, my body began to feel very different.
Until this point I had been a fairly healthy person. In April 2020, for the first time I began to feel extremely fatigued and I noticed that my urine was very foamy, almost like the top of a beer. After about a month things seemed to get worse. I scheduled an appointment with my primary care physician and after a 24 hour urine test, he diagnosed me with Nephrotic Syndrome and referred me to a nephrologist.
During the following year, my symptoms began to get progressively worse. After my biopsy was performed I began to retain a lot of fluid. The total amount of fluid was 80+ pounds. It was so bad that my biopsy wounds were leaking fluid. Several other treatments were done, large doses of steroids, a type of chemotherapy and plasmapheresis just to name a few. The diagnosis was updated to Minimal Change Disease and then finally FSGS.
If you or a loved one is battling with this disease you may not feel like it now but everything will get better soon. Be encouraged and keep the faith!
After genetic testing through the Mayo Clinic, I was informed that my diagnosis progressed so quickly due to inherited APOL-1 genes from both my mother and father. Finally, I was encouraged to take dialysis treatments. I did hemodialysis for 2 months before transitioning to Peritoneal dialysis in June 2021.
This was a great fit for me. It allowed me the freedom to travel, the convenience of treating at home while I was sleeping, and I didn’t feel as sick and tired as I did with hemodialysis.
I continued this treatment until June 9, 2024 when I received a call from Mayo Clinic Arizona with an available kidney. The surgery was successful and I spent 33 days there recovering. I feel great and I am very grateful to God and my donor for a second chance at life. If you or a loved one is battling with this disease you may not feel like it now but everything will get better soon. Be encouraged and keep the faith!
