National Kidney Disease Awareness Month

(http://www.hospitalgiftshop.com/Shop-by-Condition-Kidney-Disease.htm)

Did you know that March is National Kidney Disease Awareness Month? Chronic kidney disease (CKD) includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy by doing the jobs listed. If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick.  There are many complications that you could experience, which are: high blood pressure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health and nerve damage. One of the many terrible things about CKD is that it increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. Something that I wasn't aware of was that Chronic kidney disease may be caused by diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders. When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life (About Chronic Kidney Disease, 2017).

I have a personal connection with Kidney Disease. Last September, I was informed that my uncle was diagnosed with Kidney Disease and it was in stage 4. . In the middle of October, my cousin donated a kidney to her dad. I have seen them both afterwards and they both are doing well. My uncle was back in the hospital but for a different reason from his kidneys. 

Some facts about Chronic kidney disease (CKD) are:

26 million American adults have CKD and millions of others are at increased risk.

Heart disease is the major cause of death for all people with CKD.

Two simple tests can detect CKD: blood pressure, urine albumin and serum creatinine.

Persistent proteinuria (protein in the urine) means CKD is present.

High risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension and family history of kidney failure.

(About Chronic Kidney Disease, 2017).

Reference:

About Chronic Kidney Disease. (2017). Retrieved March 24, 2017, from https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/about-chronic-kidney-disease