Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash
Today was different from any other day in the nephrology patients clinic because, like every other day, I am used to seeing middle-aged to elderly patients.
My patient is a teenager, and he complained of swelling legs and face, as well as decreased urine production.
Before coming to the hospital, he had been living alone with his stepfather from boyhood, and he was unwell practically all of the time but received no medical attention. He claims that instead of taking medications for malaria therapy, his stepfather gives him a water-based herbal concoction to drink. His illness worsened till he informed his mother and was transported to the hospital.
Given his age and sex, I initially assumed it was acute kidney injury or urinary obstruction, but when I requested his laboratory results, I discovered a shrunken,hyperechoic kidney with loss of corticomedullary differentiation, serum uric acid and creatinine were significantly elevated above the normal limit, and his glomerular filtration rate was 8ml/min. Chronic Kidney Injury is diagnosed based on these factors and clinical findings.
I was moved by the sight of this adolescent's mother, who was sitting helpless and unable to pay for his son's care. I am aware of the financial limits associated with C.K.D therapy, weekly hemodialysis, medicines, routine laboratory testing, and, eventually, kidney transplants.
In my nation, not all hospitals are equipped to perform kidney transplants, and kidneys are hard to come by because no one wants to donate their kidney just after death.
Chronic kidney disease is a progressive deterioration of renal function that lasts more than three months.
It can begin with any type of acute kidney damage, including pre-renal, renal, or post-renal, and develop to chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal failure.
A kidney transplant is the only option for this adolescent's treatment.
I implore us all to look after ourselves, particularly our kidneys. When we are sick, we should seek medical attention and keep an eye on our neighbors.
Thank you for your time and consideration, and have a wonderful day.