The following is an "E-Neil" that was sent to subscribers last month, telling the story about a health care issue close to Neil's life.
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Dear Friend,
This is National Kidney Month, and it’s a very personal matter for me because one of my dear friends and co-workers has been diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Renee Sambueno, who has worked in my Honolulu Office for nearly 10 years, developed CKD from high blood pressure. She and her doctor tried to slow the eventual progression to End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and a total loss of kidney function. Unfortunately, she developed ESRD, and she’s been on dialysis for nearly two years.
Three days a week, Renee spends more than three hours in hemodialysis, about 826 hours so far in less than two years. She estimates that she’s had two needles inserted into her arm 458 times. Over the next ten years — without a kidney transplant — she’ll have needles in her arm about 4,580 more times, and she’ll spend more than 8,000 hours in hemodialysis.
Renee has taught everyone in my office a lot about kidney disease. For example, about 400,000 patients in the United States are living with kidney failure and require dialysis. Closer to home, Hawaii has one of the highest rates of Chronic Kidney Disease and End Stage Renal Disease in the country, and the Asian-Pacific Islander community has the highest incidence. In fact, the number of dialysis patients in Hawaii has increased 38 percent in the last 10 years and continues to climb. Here are some things you need to know:
The Risks If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney disease, you’re at risk. The longer you put off getting screened, the greater the risk. Further, if you know anyone who has had kidney failure, make sure all their blood relatives are tested because the disease tends to run in families.
Consequences of Waiting There are no symptoms in the early stages of kidney disease and no cure. Without early detection, the possibility of kidney failure rises. Then there are only a two options: find a transplant or undergo weekly dialysis.
Start Now If you’re at risk, managing your blood sugar and blood pressure can help the kidneys stay healthy. To lower blood sugar and blood pressure, eat healthy, cut back on salt and try to stay physically active. Chronic diseases are one of the major reasons for skyrocketing medical and healthcare costs.
There is good news. Kidney disease can be prevented or managed effectively. It begins with proper risk assessment and detection, and may require some lifestyle changes. Blood and urine tests are the only way to find out if you have kidney disease. It isn’t always fun, but taking these early steps may save you money, could save your life, and allow you to enjoy a better quality of life.
Learn More To learn more about Chronic Kidney Disease, talk to your doctor. You can also find valuable information at the National Kidney Disease Education Program at the National Institutes of Health. Their website is at www.nkdep.nih.gov.
