Wave: March / April 2010 - Winnipeg in motion

21. After a few years working at minimumwage
jobs, he was deeply immersed in theatre
studies at the University of Winnipeg.
“Suddenly, I began to have severe headaches,”
says Jeff. “I didn’t sleep for a month.
My family was helpless.” It was eventually
determined that Jeff had an aneurysm in
his brain and had to undergo surgery to
remove it.
Nine years later, at age 30, Jeff was diagnosed
with testicular cancer. He underwent
surgery and radiation for seven weeks, and
the cancer disappeared.
Another decade, another crisis. In 1997,
at 42, Jeff had the first of several operations
to repair multiple aneurysms in his left leg.
He has an arteriovenous malformation, a
condition described as an abnormal connection
between the arteries and veins. It’s
a lifelong condition, which means Jeff will
face more procedures as he ages.
Despite everything, Jeff is able to put a
positive spin on these experiences: “There
is an upside to all this. Every time you go
through a medical crisis, you learn more
about yourself.”
Still, nothing prepared Jeff for chronic
kidney disease. “Everything else I had
could be fixed. This can’t.”
Not that he didn’t try.
The journey begins
Chronic kidney disease can be a very
slow-developing condition. At the time of
his diagnosis, Jeff was not required to do
anything. But his doctor told him what to
expect: over time, his kidneys would start
to fail and he would eventually need dialysis
and a kidney transplant.
Doctors couldn’t tell Jeff precisely when
all this would happen as even a family history
of polycystic kidneys was absent. This
condition which is very often transmitted
genetically, can have a relative predictive
pattern of disease progression. Without a
reference point, Jeff was entering unfamiliar
medical terrain.
Nonetheless, and despite past medical
problems, Jeff believed he was basically
pretty healthy. He was a non-smoker, rarely
drank, and was careful to take vitamins
daily. In short, he hoped his generally
healthy lifestyle would slow down the deterioration
of his kidneys, maybe even halt it
altogether.
Once the diagnosis was in, Jeff started
attending the renal clinic at Health Sciences
Centre where his condition could be
monitored. As expected, the disease gained
ground as the years went by. But even as
Signs of kidney disease
Kidney disease can sneak up on
you, particularly in the very early stages,
because there are no noticeable symptoms
associated with the condition. It is
important for high-risk individuals to be
tested regularly to reduce the progression
of kidney disease and ultimately
reduce the need for dialysis. Kidney
disease can affect anyone at any time,
but some people may be more at risk
than others.
Risk factors for kidney disease:
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Urinary tract disorders
• Autoimmune disease
• Family history of kidney disease
• Cardiovascular disease such as
heart disease, strokes or peripheral
vascular disease (poor leg circulation)
• Excessive use of known toxins (such
as pain killers and others)
Eventually, people with kidney
disease may notice:
• Foaming, bloody (resembling cocacola
or tea) or cloudy urine
• Edema (swelling)
• Trouble urinating at night
Later signs of kidney disease include:
• Nausea and vomiting
• Persistent, ongoing itching
• Bone or joint pain
• Decreased urine output (less than
two cups per day)
• Shortness of breath
18 WAVE