Dialysis: The Start of the Process

Recently I’ve been navigating a change in my medical condition. This change will have a significant impact on my life. In this series I’ll be talking honestly about my new probable future and my feelings about what is going to be happening. A word of warning: if you are uncomfortable reading about medical issues, you may wish to skip this series.

I first discovered that I had a chronic kidney condition in 2004. I began experiencing extreme abdominal pain and nausea that eventually led to my being hospitalised. This followed several months of regular treatments for urinary tract infections (UTIs) that, in hindsight, were indicators that I had kidney stones.

It appears that one of these stones was causing a blockage which was why I was experiencing those symptoms. The first step was to surgically clear the blockage, which meant a week in hospital. Over the following months I also spent time in surgery dealing with the remainder of the kidney stones that were discovered, using various means including ultrasound.

After all this, my kidney specialist (nephrologist) told me that I would probably require dialysis within five years. Apparently, chronic kidney disease was yet another fairly common side-effect of long-term diabetes that I had been unaware of.

For twenty years my kidneys were stable. I distinctly remember reminding my nephrologist of the statement he had made during a routine visit in 2009. I recall him telling me how glad he was to have been proven incorrect.

I continued consulting a kidney specialist annually , and in 2021 moved to a different doctor whose offices were nearer to my home. It was at this point tests began to show that my kidney function was worsening.

In April 2022 I again required surgery to remove kidney stones. And again in November that same year. Since then my kidney function has slowly but steadily continued to decrease. Which brings us up to the present.

Two months ago my nephrologist began discussing the probability of dialysis with me in the future. After tracking my kidney function more closely over the past few weeks, We have decided to start the process of preparing me to begin this phase of my treatment.

In reality, the timeline is hard to anticipate. From where we currently stand, nothing is going to happen for the next few months, which gives me time to consider my options, conduct research, and come to terms with my new reality. Right now, I know how much I still have to learn and am beginning to search for the information.

All I can say is how grateful I am that dialysis is an option for me so I can continue living the life I have built, because of this life-saving treatment. Yes, my life will change, but dialysis will allow me to do what I love for the foreseeable future. And that is a privilege I treasure.

I have decided to document what is happening in the hope that my experiences in the coming months may be of help to others who face similar decisions in the future.

I need to be very clear that nothing I share should be taken as medical advice. You should consult a qualified medical doctor if you feel you may be experiencing medical symptoms of any kind.

If you are reading this, I ask you to wish me well on this phase of my life as I confront the many unknowns with my medical team and my ever-supportive family. This is by no means an ending. It is merely a new and as yet untravelled path.