I learned I had kidney disease in the spring of 2002. A routine physical turned up higher than normal levels of protein in my urine and creatinine in my blood. Creatinine is waste product that the kidneys mostly filter out. The creatinine level is how they are able to tell how well or how poorly your kidneys are functioning. This was the first time I had been to the doctor in around 6 years, the first time I had been to this particular doctor, and the first time any doctor had spotted anything unusual in my labs. I was sent to see a Nephrologist, Dr Kristensen. She explained that my kidneys were functioning at around 35% of normal and that she needed to do a biopsy to find out what was causing the kidney failure.

I had no idea what any of this meant. My kidneys were failing? How could this happen? I took pretty good care of myself. True, I needed to exercise more and eat a healthier diet, who doesn't? Well, I suppose smoking cigarettes and pot wasn't exactly healthy, but that was pretty much the extent of my unhealthy behavior. I knew plenty of people that smoked more cigarettes, or ate way less healthy, or just generally lived a less healthy lifestyle than I did. What did I do to my body that was causing it to fail?

The biopsy was scheduled on a warm morning. I showed up to the hospital and checked myself in. They explained that they needed to do an ultrasound of my kidneys so they would have an exact location for the biopsy. After waiting an ungodly amount of time, counting the holes in the ceiling tiles, I was finally brought into a small room. I laid down on my stomach and felt the cool gel against my skin as they began the ultrasound on my right side.

"Huh," said the tech, "there doesn't seem to be much over here."
"Really?" asked the nurse.
"Yeah, look, there's no kidney here."

Dr K was fetched and they took a peak at my left side. What appeared to be two kidneys were bunched together where there should only be one. I was sent to have a cat scan, which gave a clearer picture of my physiology. The diagnosis: chronic renal insufficiency, congenital urologic abnormality. Turns out, I have what's called crossed fused ectopia: my kidneys had fused together on the left side while I was developing in the womb. As I was growing up I had urine reflux: the bladder was kicking urine back up the ureter into the kidneys causing damage to the renal tissue. Usually, each kidney has a ureter, the tube that carries the urine to the bladder, but I only had one.

My kidney function had been slowly declining my entire life. It seemed so surreal, but now I had an answer. I didn't do anything to my body, it's just how I was built. Kelly and I like to say that I have conjoined kidneys.

Over the next few years my kidney function declined very slowly. There was talk of transplantation, but that was something we'd discuss in the distant future. Things were starting to become status quo. Every couple of months I'd go get blood drawn and pee in a cup. A week later I'd visit Dr K and she'd tell me the same thing: kidney function around 30%, watch potassium intake (kidney disease makes it hard to regulate), limit animal protein, don't take Advil.

Last summer it all changed. Suddenly the kidney function declined quicker than usual. I noticed I was tired all the time and physical activity seemed to wear me out faster. I used to be pretty quick witted, but now my head seemed a little fuzzy (I actually noticed this years earlier, but brushed it off. Dr K explained that the waste product in the blood stream eventually effects the brain. Suddenly it all made since). Dr K decided it was time to start the kidney transplant process.

So, now I need a kidney. It seems strange to already be at this point in my life. But here we are. In my next post, I'll discuss the transplant procedure and what's next.