Grateful for my kidney transplant on PKD Awareness Day (and every day)

I have Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease - it runs in my father's family. He and four of his five siblings suffered from it; he was on dialysis for five years back in the 1970s. 

From the PKD Foundation website:

"ADPKD is one of the most common, life-threatening genetic diseases. 

"In ADPKD, fluid-filled cysts develop and enlarge in both kidneys, eventually leading to kidney failure. It’s the fourth leading cause of kidney failure, and more than 50% of people with ADPKD will develop kidney failure by age 50. Once a person has kidney failure, dialysis or a transplant are the only options.

"Unlike some genetic diseases, ADPKD doesn’t skip a generation, meaning it often affects many people in one family."

In May 2017 I was extremely fortunate to receive a kidney from an altruistic donor, Robin Gilmartin of West Hartford. At that time I was very close to starting dialysis treatments. 

I can never thank her enough for her wonderful gift! Ever grateful!

National Kidney Month reminds us of the role our kidneys play

Since I'll soon celebrate the third anniversary of my kidney transplant my goal is to spread awareness of the important role our kidneys play in keeping us healthy.

Recuperation journey: World Kidney Day

I admit I lost track of time. 
This morning I read that today, the second Thursday in March, is World Kidney Day. 
The day is marked to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys.
March is National Kidney Month.

PKD, Polycystic Kidney Disease, is a horrible, inherited disorder for which there's no cure. Fluid-filled cysts develop in the kidneys and reduce their function, leading eventually to renal failure. It is one of many chronic kidney diseases.

Many members of my late father's side of the family suffered with it, and I also inherited it. 
But I was fortunate enough to receive a kidney from an altruistic donor last May, which explains my "recuperation journey" posts. And my never-ending gratitude to my donor.

I framed my Facebook profile pic this morning with #ENDPKD. 

Recuperation journey: Raising awareness about organ donation

This morning I happened across a story about singer/actress Selena Gomez, who underwent a kidney transplant this summer.

Truth be told I don't know anything at all about her other than she was a child star.

Gomez is 25 now and she has lupus. Her best friend, actress Francia Raisa, gave her the ultimate gift of a kidney. 

I was happy to see that Gomez posted a photo of the two of them holding hands in adjoining hospital beds after their surgeries.

This publicity will no doubt help raise awareness about the importance of organ donation.

Recuperation journey: PKD Awareness Day

I received an email this morning that reminded me today is PKD Awareness Day, so of course I had to post about it.

Polycystic Kidney Disease is a genetic, life-threatening illness that affects about 600,000 Americans. There is currently no cure.

I inherited PKD from my father's side of the family. I've named the disease "the curse of the McDonalds."

In addition to my father, four of his siblings and many of my cousins have suffered with PKD.

A cousin and a first cousin once removed have had successful transplants, and since May I've become part of that exclusive family club.

I was extremely fortunate on May 9 to have received a kidney from an altruistic donor and lovely person, Robin Gilmartin.

As I've said more than a thousand times, I can't thank her enough! 

Recuperation journey: Raising awareness on 5-week birthday of new kidney

Five weeks ago today I received a kidney transplant, for which I will always be grateful. I have Polycystic Kidney Disease. 

I hope to meet the wonderful person who generously donated his or her healthy kidney to a stranger (i.e. me).

March is National Kidney Month, and in March, 2016 I posted 31 days of a PKD challenge to raise awareness of the disease that may not be that well known.

I want to continue raising awareness of the genetic disease that causes cysts to grow in the kidney, eventually leading to renal failure.

There are two types of PKD: autosomal dominant (ADPKD) and autosomal recessive (ARPKD). 

According to the PKD Foundation website, ADPKD is the more common type and affects more than 600,000 Americans and 12.4 million people worldwide. 
ARPKD is a rare form of the disease that occurs in 1 in 20,000 children worldwide.

The website says a typical kidney is the size of a human fist and weighs about a third of a pound. PKD kidneys can be much larger and weigh up to 30 pounds.

The disease is prevalent on my late father's side of the family. 
He suffered with PKD as did four of his five siblings. My two oldest cousins have passed from complications of the disease. 
After having an ultrasound in my 20s I learned I had cysts on my kidneys. 
My maiden name is McDonald, and I've dubbed PKD "the curse of the McDonalds," and I'll always think of it as that.

An older cousin had a transplant in 2001 and thankfully he is doing well, and we recently learned that a first cousin once removed had a successful transplant about 13 years ago. 
So that makes me the third recipient in our extended family. 

All I can say is organ donors are awesome. 

Raising awareness of kidney disease

March is National Kidney Month.

As someone living with Polycystic Kidney Disease I want to do my part to help raise awareness of it.

I posted this video link about Polycystic Kidney Disease a year ago, and I thought I'd post it again today, March 1.

Kidney disease runs in the family ~ I wish I could run from it

I didn't post anything today because I was "out of town" for a while, and away from my computer.

My husband, Ralph, and I spent more than seven hours at the transplantation clinic at Yale-New Haven Hospital. 

We learned about kidney transplants, nutrition, medications, and had private consultations with several health professionals. 
I had an EKG and chest X-ray and gave what seemed like a lot of blood, twice.

I have PKD - Polycystic Kidney Disease - which is an unfortunate family trait. I wrote about it here in October, and again here in February. 

Two wonderful people have offered to give me a kidney, but we have no idea if either of them will be able to do so.

My nephrologist referred me to the Yale clinic to get started on a journey that I know many, many people have taken before.
There were more than 17,000 kidney transplants performed in the United States in 2014, which is a much bigger number than I had thought.

In March I published a month of posts to help raise awareness of PKD. I hope it did.

Ralph and I now are armed with more information and a better sense of what this journey will eventually entail.

It's not easy to write about myself. I take that back...it's easy to write, just not easy to hit the "publish" button. But I'm about to do so.

Thanks for reading.

The 31-Day March Challenge: I hope it raised awareness

PKD: Polycystic kidney disease. Putting an end to it is a fabulous idea!

National Kidney Month is marked each year in March. 

I've never liked talking about myself, but in late February
my husband urged me to post the 31 Day Challenge initiated by the PKD Foundation.

I did, and that forced me to talk about myself and my PKD diagnosis. I wrote about that here, on Feb. 29.

My hope in spreading the word about the challenge was that I'd not only raise awareness, but also meet others diagnosed with PKD. 
That didn't happen. 

But I'll continue to write about PKD, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, and a myriad of other chronic conditions, because awareness is important.

I'll leave you with these factoids about PKD I posted a while back.

PKD Challenge for March: Day 31 ~ Let friends know you completed challenge, raised awareness

March 31

You did it! 

You completed the 31 Days of PKD Challenges. 

Update your status on Facebook and Twitter to let your friends and followers know that you took the challenge. 

Thanks for helping us raise awareness of PKD!

PKD Challenge for March: Day 30 ~ Share photo of someone who inspires

March 30

Use #PKDfighter and share a photo of someone who inspires you in the fight to end PKD.

PKD Challenge for March: Day 28 ~ Show caregivers you care

March 28

Let's hear it for caregivers! 

Give a shout out to a caregiver in your life.

PKD Challenge for March: Day 27 ~ Share photo of a kidney-healthy recipe

March 27

What's cookin'!? 

Make a kidney-healthy recipe today and share a photo of your meal with us!

PKD Challenge for March: Day 26 ~ Read stories of hope

March 26

PKD can be a devastating disease, but we are strong and united in the fight to end it.

Read stories about courage and hope on the PKD Connection blog. 

While you're there, be sure to subscribe for easy access to health tips, information about PKD and a chance to connect with others.

PKD Challenge for March: Day 25 ~ Share photo of your gear

March 25

It's Family Photo Friday! 

Share a photo of you and your family wearing your PKD gear using #FPF.

PKD Challenge for March: Day 24 ~ Share story of donation

March 24

Organ donors truly save lives. 

If you have donated a kidney to a PKD patient, share your story with us.

PKD Challenge for March: Day 22 ~ Wear teal

March 22 

It's Teal Tuesday! 

Wear teal today and share your spirit to raise PKD awareness!

PKD Challenge for March: Day 21 ~ Why walk for PKD?

March 21

There are millions of reasons to Walk for PKD. What's yours? 

Share it using#WalkforPKD.

PKD Challenge for March: Day 20 ~ Raise funds

March 20

Neighborhood garage sale, lemonade stand, birthday party … you can do just about anything to raise dollars for PKD. 

Use your creativity to fundraise your way for PKD research. 

Start a DIY for PKD fundraiser today.

PKD Challenge for March: Day 19 ~ Watch a webinar

March 19

Watch one of our free education webinars.

We have a variety of webinars on PKD-related topics, including research, transplants, dialysis, nutrition trends and much more!